A 34-day break between games is probably the last thing the Northwestern Wildcats wanted after how they ended the season. The Wildcats will look to rebuild their momentum Friday afternoon as they face the Kentucky Wildcats in the Music City Bowl at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. Northwestern ended the campaign on a seven-game winning streak, capped by consecutive one-sided victories over Minnesota and Illinois.

Wildcats vs. Wildcats Spread and Betting Analysis

Northwestern comes in as a comfortable favourite after putting together an impressive run that included three consecutive overtime victories, including a 39-31 triple-OT masterpiece against then-No. 16 Michigan State. The Wildcats have been a bettor’s best friend dating back to the end of last season, having covered in 16 of their previous 21 games; they’ve also covered seven consecutive outings following a straight-up victory.

Nearly 80 percent of wagerers on Sports Interaction are in Northwestern’s corner despite the sizeable spread, while 60 percent like the over on the 51-point total. Kentucky has gone above the number in four of its last five games overall, but has finished below the total in its previous five non-conference games. Northwestern has posted just six overs in its previous 28 non-conference outings, and is 1-4 O/U in its last five neutral-site contests.

Kentucky Wildcats

Kentucky’s success in this one is predicated on continued success in the red zone, where the Wildcats converted 92.3 percent of its opportunities during the season – the 13th-best rate among Division I schools. The offence will predictably run through standout running back Benny Snell Jr., who finished a close second in the SEC in rushing yards (1,318) while racking up a conference-best 18 rushing scores, including 12 over his final five games.

Northwestern Wildcats

Kentucky’s red-zone prowess will be put to the test against a Northwestern defensive unit that held opponents to a minuscule 71.1-percent success rate; only six FBS teams fared better in that situation. The Wildcats also excelled against the run game, limiting foes to 111.3 yards per game – 10th-fewest in the nation. RB Justin Jackson (1,154 yards, nine TDs) saved his best work for late in the season, compiling three 100-yard games over his final four outings.

Wildcats vs. Wildcats Prediction