Holiday Bowl 2018: Northwestern vs. Utah TV Schedule, Time and Odds

A pair of conference championship runners-up make their first appearances in the Holiday Bowl on New Year's Eve.

Northwestern's path to San Diego was a winding one that started with three defeats in a row in September, but the Wildcats rallied to rise above the pack in the average Big Ten West.

Utah outlasted a similar group of programs in the Pac-12 South, as the Utes won seven of their final eight regular-season games.

What makes Utah's achievement even more impressive is it finished the Pac-12 slate without its starting quarterback and running back.

Although both teams impressed on offense in some games, the Holiday Bowl is expected to be a low-scoring affair based off recent defensive performances.

Holiday Bowl Information

Date: Monday, December 31

Time: 7 p.m. ET

TV: FS1

Live Stream: Fox Sports GO or the Fox Sports app

Odds (via OddsShark): Utah -7; Over/Under: 46

Preview

It's remarkable to see Utah enter the Holiday Bowl favored by a touchdown given the absences it has on offense.

But without quarterback Tyler Huntley and 1,000-yard rusher Zack Moss, the Utes locked up the Pac-12 South title with wins over Oregon and Colorado.

In place of the star players, freshman Jason Shelley and junior Armand Shyne respectively stepped up for Kyle Whittingham's team.

Before throwing three interceptions in the Pac-12 Championship, Shelley was a consistent figure in the pocket, as he threw for 624 yards and three touchdowns in his first three starts.

Shyne broke out in the win over Oregon with 174 rushing yards, and he's added 139 yards and three touchdowns on the ground since.

Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images

While the production of the offensive backups is commendable, the Utes continued to be successful because of their defense, which is tied for 16th in the FBS in scoring defense.

In five of their nine victories, the Utes allowed a maximum of 10 points, and one of the reasons why they have been able to achieve those numbers is their fifth-ranked rushing defense.

Although their passing defense isn't as impressive as the rushing defense, the Utes gave opposing passers difficulty in their past three games.

Utah held Colorado to 162 yards through the air, limited BYU's Zach Wilson to 204 passing yards and kept Washington's Jake Browning under control by giving up 187 yards in the Pac-12 Championship Game.

The stingy nature of Utah's defense is why Northwestern could struggle to gain any traction on offense.

The Wildcats rely on quarterback Clayton Thorson and running back Isaiah Bowser to get their offense into a rhythm.

In his past seven games, Bowser eclipsed the 100-yard mark four times, with a 166-yard performance against Illinois and a 165-yard outing versus Iowa.

Matthew Holst/Getty Images

Thorson hasn't been as successful as Bowser operating through the air, as he reached the 200-yard mark twice during the past eight games.

If Utah silences the Northwestern rushing attack, Thorson must step up and keep the Wildcats in the game.

However, there are some concerns about that occurring since Thorson's been intercepted multiple times on six occasions, with the Big Ten Championship being the latest contest in which that happened.

If Utah forces turnovers and capitalizes on them with points, the Utes will prove the oddsmakers right. But if the Wildcats take care of the ball and sustain a few extended drives, they will keep the Holiday Bowl to within one possession.

Prediction

Utah 20, Northwestern 16

The first team to score 20 points will win the Holiday Bowl.

Even if Northwestern holds on to the ball for long stretches, there's no guarantee the Wildcats will find the end zone.

The difference-makers Monday night could be the kickers, and Utah is in possession of a much better kicking game, with Matt Gay 24-for-29 on the season compared to Northwestern's 9-for-15 trio.

With drives stopping before the red zone, Utah is in the best position to score points on a consistent basis, and after a few field goals, the Utes will use a touchdown to finish off their Big Ten foe.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.