SAN ANTONIO – Northwestern vs. Missouri. We’ve been talking about it for a few weeks now, with all sorts of analysis and opinions flying around. With game time growing ever closer, let’s boil it all down to the five most crucial things to watch for from the Alamo Bowl.
1. Will C.J. Bachér make his final game a memorable one? NU’s senior quarterback has one more chance to put his stamp on Wildats football and solidify his status as one of the premiere signal-callers in school history. He has a fantastic opportunity to do just that against a Tigers pass defense that ranks 117th of 119 FBS teams, giving up 340.4 yards per game through the air.
Bachér has had his ups and downs throughout his career. His bugaboo? Interceptions. In the past two seasons, Bachér has thrown 33 of them, to go with his 33 touchdowns. When he limits his mistakes, NU is a much better team. The Cats are 6-0 this year when he throws less than two picks and 2-2 when he throws two or more. With the NU defense facing an electric MIzzou offense that can light up the scoreboard, it is imperative that Bachér is able to impose his will on the TIgers’ defense and at least come close to matching Chase Daniel. He’s capable of doing so. One possibly relevant stat to keep in mind: The last time he played in a dome, against Eastern Michigan last season, Bachér completed 25 of 42 passes for 361 yards and a touchdown.
2. Can NU keep the Missouri defense/special teams off the board? The Cats have their hands full against Mizzou’s offense. Chase Daniel and the rest of the O will put up their fair share of points, which means NU absolutely cannot afford to allow the Tigers’ defense or special teams to make any big plays. No turnovers or big returns that give Daniel and company a short field. This was a big problem for NU in losses to Michigan State and Ohio State. Meanwhile, the Tigers are dangerous in both regards. They have returned five interceptions for touchdowns, and Jeremy Maclin is one of the most dangerous return men in the game, averaging 9.9 yards on punt returns and 24.1 on kick returns, including a 99-yard touchdown. The Cats have struggled on kick coverage and with turnovers at times this year. They cannot today.
3. What will Mizzou’s attitude be? NU has every reason to be fired up. The Cats have a lot to prove and they want to be the first NU team in 60 years to win a bowl game. They are happy to be in San Antonio. On the other hand, the Tigers have fallen short of their lofty goals this season, after being ranked as high as second in the USA Today Coaches’ Poll. This game has to be something of a letdown for them. But if Mizzou comes out with passion and plays up to their potential, it will be difficult for NU to prevail.
4. Which running game will be most effective? Mizzou’s passing game gets all of the attention, but tailback Derrick Washington has been extremely effective this season. Benefiting from defenses spread out by the Tigers’ passing game, he has run for more than six yards per carry and scored 17 touchdowns. Can the Cats contain him while focusing on Daniel? For NU, Tyrell Sutton returns today after missing the past four games with a broken wrist. When he played this season, Sutton was effective, rushing for almost 100 yards per game. He’s also a weapon as a receiver. However, he has not played in a long time and is wearing a cast on his left forearm today. You have to wonder if that will make him more fumble-prone or decrease his effectiveness as a receiver. Whoever has the advantage here will get a big boost.
5. Can Pat Fitzgerald match Gary Pinkel? This is Fitzgerald’s first bowl game. He has improved his decision-making this season but is still learning on the job. On the other hand, Pinkel has coached in bowl games in four of the past five seasons and will not be flustered by anything that happens. If the game comes down to a big decision by one of the coaches, the Tigers could have an advantage.
