Sportsbook Promos

Utah vs Northwestern Las Vegas Bowl Prediction & Picks: Will Departing Barnes Bid Adieu With Bowl Win?

Last Updated:

Read Time: 4 minutes

Utah vs Northwestern Las Vegas Bowl Prediction & Picks: Will Departing Barnes Bid Adieu With Bowl Win? cover

ncaaf

After winning back-to-back Pac-12 titles, Utah went into this season harboring hopes of a College Football Playoff berth. But with quarterback Cam Rising being unable to suit up at all due to the serious knee injury he suffered in the Rose Bowl, those hopes unfortunately went up in smoke.

Still, the Utes can end the season with nine wins with a victory over Northwestern in tomorrow’s Las Vegas Bowl (7:30 pm ET, ABC).

Even with Rising’s status up in the air week-to-week, Utah started 4-0, and they were 6-1 when it was announced that he would not play in 2023.

Bet on College Football Odds at BetOnline

Picks in this piece are courtesy of BetOnline. At BetOnline, you can get great odds on every FBS bowl game, the College Football Playoff, and FCS games.

From that point, however, the Utes (8-4) lost three of their final five games to drop out of contention for the Pac-12 title and another appearance in a prominent bowl game.

Rising is set to return in 2024 as the Utes make the move to the Big 12 along with Arizona, Arizona State, and Colorado, so there is plenty to look forward to next year.

With Rising returning, Bryson Barnes, who took over starting duties this season, has opted to hit the transfer portal. However, he will be playing in the Las Vegas Bowl and looking to help his soon-to-be former school end a four-game bowl losing streak.

On the other side, Northwestern (7-5) will be aiming for a fifth straight bowl win to cap off a season that many expected to be a disaster after the firing of Pat Fitzgerald in July.

Instead, defensive coordinator David Braun, who had only made the move from North Dakota State in January, led the Wildcats to a winning season, which included five wins in the Big Ten. That earned Braun an elevation from interim head coach to permanent head coach.

Utah vs Northwestern Odds

Odds are courtesy of BetOnline. If you’re interested in trying them out, we recommend checking out our BetOnline review.

Spread

Utah -6 (-110)
Northwestern +6 (-110)

Over/Under

Over 42 (-110)
Under 42 (-110)

Moneyline

Utah -240
Northwestern +200

2023 Season Results for Utah

vs Florida: won 24-11
at Baylor: won 20-13
vs Weber State: won 31-7
vs UCLA: won 14-7
at Oregon State: lost 21-7
vs Cal: won 34-14
at USC: won 34-32
vs Oregon: lost 35-6
vs Arizona State: won 55-3
at Washington: lost 35-28
at Arizona: lost 42-18
vs Colorado: won 23-17

2023 Season Results for Northwestern

at Rutgers: lost 24-7
vs UTEP: won 38-7
at Duke: lost 38-14
vs Minnesota: won 37-34 (OT)
vs Penn State: lost 41-13
vs Howard: won 23-20
at Nebraska: lost 17-9
vs Maryland: won 33-27
(Chicago, IL – Wrigley Field) vs Iowa: lost 10-7
at Wisconsin: won 24-10
vs Purdue: won 23-15
at Illinois: won 45-43

Utah vs Northwestern Prediction and Picks

Prediction: Utah to win

Both teams had some good games offensively, but on the whole, neither exactly tore it up on that side of the ball this season.

Utah ranked tenth in the Pac-12 in total offense and scoring offense, while Northwestern ranked 11th in total offense and eighth in scoring offense.

So, I don’t particularly expect a great deal from either offense in this one and feel quite good about the under, which is a rare thing for someone who loves overs. That’s even with Utah missing defensive end Jonah Elliss (injury) and safety Cole Bishop (opted out), two of the top defensive players in the Pac-12.

I also expect Utah to cover, even if they don’t put too many points on the board. In the first 30 editions of the Las Vegas Bowl, only eight games were decided by fewer than seven points, none since Boise State’s 28-26 win over Washington in 2012.

In the nine games since, the winning team has won by 10+ points all but once. Utah’s 35-28 win over BYU in 2015 is the lone exception.

Picks: Utah ML & Utah/Northwestern Under 42 (Both at BetOnline – Bet These Plays & Get a 100% Bonus on Your First Cryptocurrency Deposit)

Where to Bet on Utah vs Northwestern and Other College Football Games

Most top online sportsbooks offer a wide variety of college football odds throughout the season, including on the two CFP semifinal matchups between Michigan and Alabama and Washington and Texas.

In addition to being able to make weekly college football picks all the way from Week Zero to the College Football Playoff National Championship, you can also bet on Heisman Trophy odds, conference championship odds, win totals, and much more.

There are plenty of sports betting sites you can choose from that are good for college football betting. Below are some of the books that we highly recommend:

If you don’t have an account at a book on this list, check out our reviews to help you determine if it is worth your interest and your betting funds.

Travis Hunter and the Buffaloes take on the Jayhawks

NCAAF Betting News

Utah vs Northwestern Las Vegas Bowl Prediction & Picks: Will Departing Barnes Bid Adieu With Bowl Win?

Bet on College Football Odds at BetOnline