Northwestern’s loss Saturday to Michigan was an unpleasant speed bump in the Wildcats’ drive to a second straight bowl appearance.
But word now is that if the Wildcats win their final two games–against Illinois and at Hawaii–they are expected to play a Pac-10 opponent in the Sun Bowl on Dec. 31 in El Paso, Texas.
Northwestern went to the Motor City Bowl last season.
But that game this year is expected to invite Minnesota, which lost five of its last six contests after a 5-0 start.
The Wildcats’ matchup Saturday against Illinois is more than just another game, and never more so than this year, when Northwestern needs to win or forget a bowl.
“There’s no love lost here,” NU quarterback Brett Basanez said of facing the Illini.
“We want to go out and pound them. That’s our rivalry game.
“If anyone can’t get up for that game, I don’t know what’s going on.”
Said running back Noah Herron: “We’ve got two games left. That’s the way it is. There’s no other alternative for us.
“If we want to play postseason ball, we have to get two.”
– Next: Saturday vs. Illinois, 11 a.m., WBBM-Ch. 2