The Wildcats will need to have an A+ effort in all three phases to win
Why Northwestern will beat Tennessee:
1. Northwestern's defense plays up to its billing
When Northwestern's defense plays well, the Wildcats usually emerge victorious. While this is obvious to anyone who has paid attention to Northwestern this season, it's still the most important factor in whether Northwestern wins the game. However, will the defense will be able to stop Tennessee's dangerous offense?
The loss of cornerback Nick VanHoose is a big blow to Northwestern's secondary. When Matt Harris got injured earlier this year and half of the usual cornerback tandem was absent, Northwestern's pass defense suffered.