Ben Bryant passed for 222 yards and found Bryce Kirtz in the corner of the end zone midway through the fourth quarter, helping Northwestern beat Utah 14-7 Saturday night in the Las Vegas Bowl.
Bryant went 22 for 34 with two touchdowns as Northwestern (8-5) closed out its season with a fourth straight win. The Wildcats limited Utah (8-5) to 221 yards and had two interceptions and a fumble recovery.
“Ben being a transfer, he embodies what it looks like to be a transfer to Northwestern,” coach David Braun said. “It’s about the right person. Not the right athlete, but the right person.”
The victory closed out a tumultuous season for Northwestern. Braun was hired in January as the defensive coordinator. He took over as head coach when coach Pat Fitzgerald was fired July 10 as a result of an investigation into a hazing scandal.
Bryson Barnes was 8 for 13 for 55 yards with two interceptions, and Ja’Quinden Jackson rushed for 55 yards on eight carries to lead Utah, which lost three of its last four games.
The game-winning drive started at the Northwestern 47 yard line after the defense held Utah on a fourth-and-two with 7:10 left to play. The first play was an incomplete pass before Bryant connected with A.J. Henning for 34 yards to the Utah 19.
On the touchdown pass, Bryant lofted a pass into the right corner of the end zone that was hauled in by Kirtz.
“We had a little slant-go there,” Bryant said. “It didn’t look like he was going to be there, but I trusted him through that collision. I threw it up to him and he made the play.”
The Utes trailed 7-0 early in the fourth quarter and tied the game with 12:38 left when Micah Bernard scored on a 6-yard run. The touchdown capped an eight-play, 60-yard drive that took 3:59. Bernard was playing for the first time since injuring a knee in the season-opener against…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/ben-bryant-leads-northwestern-past-155734653.html
Author : NBC Sports
Publish date : 2023-12-24 15:57:34
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