Dec. 07--Who can forget the last time Northwestern ventured to Tampa, Fla., for the Outback Bowl? The Wildcats' 2010 epic with Auburn appeared to end three times before the Tigers escaped with a 38-35 overtime victory despite Mike Kafka's 532 passing yards.
"The game was one piece of a big puzzle," NU coach Pat Fitzgerald said. "We didn't get it done, but we gave everyone watching one heck of an entertaining game. And we had an unbelievable experience. I've been to a bunch of bowl games as a coach and player, and this was my favorite."
Any chance NU's Jan. 1 matchup with Tennessee will contain as much drama?
It's doubtful. But both teams enter having won five straight. And there's an interesting wrinkle in that the coaching staffs have studied together during offseasons.
Vols coach Butch Jones is a Michigan native who made his name at Central Michigan and then Cincinnati before taking over at Tennessee, where his teams have improved from 5-7 to 7-6 to 8-4 with losses to Oklahoma, Florida, Arkansas and Alabama.
Fitzgerald said the teams' offenses are similar, with the Vols running an up-tempo spread that emphasizes a power rushing attack. Indeed, Tennessee ranks 16th nationally in rushing attempts (564) and Northwestern is 17th (563).
Tennessee averages 4.8 yards per rush and 34.3 points; Northwestern is at 4.1 yards and just 20.7 points.
The Wildcats have the better defense, ranking seventh nationally in points allowed (16.4) and yards per play (4.5). Tennessee is at 21.2 points and 5.3 yards.
"We admire them in terms of their style of play and what they stand for," Jones said.
Fitzgerald said the Wildcats, vying for their first 11-win season in program history, had no beef with the College Football Playoff selection committee, which ranked them 13th.
"We did not play well enough in a couple of games to warrant a New Year's Six bowl," he said. "When we heard rumblings about the Outback Bowl (last) week, our guys were stoked up."
