Las Vegas Bowl Takeaways: Northwestern 14, Utah 7

LAS VEGAS-Purple and white confetti rained down as David Braun hoisted the Las Vegas Bowl trophy, the third Northwestern coach to ever win a bowl game.

Ben Bryant was absolutely stellar in his final collegiate game with 222 yards and two touchdowns to win the bowl game's MVP award, making a dramatic return from injury to pilot Northwestern's second and final scoring drive in the 14-7 win.

The Utes were riddled with players in the portal or in the NFL Draft but still possessed plenty of talent and had been competitive all season. Save for one drive, they were systematically shut down by a ferocious Wildcat defense.

Utah quarterback Bryson Barnes chose to play the game after entering the transfer portal, but the Wildcats barely noticed. He finished 8-for-13 for 55 yards and two interceptions.

The Utes offense cracked Northwestern's 30 yard line just once, on their fourth-quarter touchdown drive.

The Wildcats opened as underdogs against every FBS opponent they faced this season and won eight of those 12 games in the face of the oddsmakers they likely rubbed shoulder to shoulder with this week.

In a season full of surprises, this was another statement to the consistency and excellence that Braun plans to bring to Northwestern in his tenure.

"I truly believe what you saw on that field today shows that you can recruit high-school student-athletes, prioritize the Northwestern degree and build a team that battles for one another," Braun said. "You can build a true team that battles for one another and you can find ways to beat anyone in the country. [Utah] is one of the best programs in the country."

Here are our takeaways from the Wildcats' stirring win that raises their final record to 8-5:

Northwestern won like they did all year: Northwestern won six of their eight games this season by one score, and the bowl game was the cherry on top. The Wildcat defense held serve time and again, forcing three turnovers, until Utah finally punched it in with 12:58 left in the game.

They would turn the ball over on downs on their next two drives.

"That's what great football teams do," Braun said. "You can flip the script around on that in the Illinois game. 'Why isn't the offense getting frustrated that the defense can't get a stop?'

"What great teams do is focus on the things they can control... We found a way to play winning football tonight against one heck of a football team."

With Bryant out injured, Utah was on the march. They had all the momentum and a suddenly loud Utah crowd behind them when they arrived at fourth-and-2 at the NU 47. Brendan Flakes plugged the gap and smothered Jaylon Glover for no gain to give NU the ball back.

Bryant returned, scored the go-ahead touchdown and the pressure was on again. Again, just like they did all year, the defense delivered. Garnett Hollis knocked away a pass intended for Money Parks on fourth-and-3 from the NU 38 with fewer than two minutes left, and the Wildcats sealed the deal from there.

In their four-game winning streak to close the season, Northwestern won three of those games while scoring 24 or fewer points.

"I think the thing that is so cool about this season is the sense and aura on the sideline in those big moments," Braun said. "This group is truly walking in confidence... Just a mentality that we were going to find a way to come out with a win."

Wildcats followed procedure on concussion protocol: Bryant went down after a hard hit to his head early in the fourth quarter and did not return to the game until the fourth. Bryant appeared to exhibit fencing behavior, where people cannot control spasms or extensions of their arms after a significant blow to the head, but Braun and Bryant said he went through protocols successfully.

"That is completely out of my hands," Braun said about the decision to put Bryant back in. "The protocols exist and that's up to our sports med team, and they went through that protocol with Ben and he cleared protocol.

"They have me separated from that protocol for a reason: to protect the student-athlete... Our team came over to let me know he cleared protocol, and then he was going to be returning to the game."

Bryant, wrapped in a flak jacket and wearing the pad he's had on his shoulder since he came back against Wisconsin, corroborated the process.

"I felt good," Bryant said. "Medical staff evaluated me and I passed all the tests. I felt good going out there and so happy to get that win."

Amazing capstone on Bryant's career: Bryant has journeyed back and forth across the Midwest for the past six years, working to find the right fit. He excelled last season at Cincinnati, but a foot injury cut his season short. This year was disrupted by a shoulder injury that prevented him playing in four games, but he rehabbed tirelessly to come back for the final four games.

"Yeah, it's been bothering me," Bryant finally admitted about his shoulder. "Big shout out to Josh Kuester, my athletic trainer. He's been working with me really closely and he's done such a good job of getting me right."

Braun couldn't speak highly enough about his sixth-year signal caller.

"I've said this multiple times but we talk about the contrast between a warrior and a mercenary," Braun said. "Their purpose is bigger than self. They're willing to push through great lengths to serve their team and battle for their brothers.

"Ben Bryant has embodied that. That dude is a warrior. I've said it before, I'll say it for the rest of my life."

Statement win for a statement season: In a season when the oddsmakers in Las Vegas set their over/under for wins at 2.5, the Wildcats won eight games for just the 16th time in program history. They capped it by winning the sixth bowl game in program history.

It was, frankly, a beautiful sight to see the emotion that filled the faces and voices of Jaheem Joseph and Bryant in the post-game press conference.

"I'm never going to forget about this season," Joseph said. "We stuck together, honestly. A lot of people say that but we showed it."

Said Bryant, "I transferred in in June and this has been such a special opportunity for me. "I want to thank Coach Fitz [former head coach Pat Fitzgerald] for the opportunity to come here and finish my career here...

"I'll remember this year forever. Those guys in the locker room, I love them so much...just very thankful."

For Braun, he'll always remember his first team as a head coach. But similar to Alabama's Nick Saban, who once bemoaned the time a national title takes out of recruiting, he was already looking ahead.

"I was fortunate to learn in my time at North Dakota State that there's nothing more euphoric than winning a national championship," he said. "But that stuff is fleeting. Tonight is going to feel great...but at some point that stuff fades away.

"What doesn't fade are the friendships you forge forge in that locker room, the relationships you forge with your coaches. Those are lifelong."

An 8-5 record. The Land of Lincoln Trophy. A Las Vegas Bowl victory. The bonds built this year cannot be broken.

For Braun, however, after taking some time to celebrate, he'll be getting back to work on next season.

One of his first orders of business will be completing his coaching staff. However, Braun declined to confirm reports that offensive coordinator Mike Bajakian would be fired, and that linebackers coach Tim McGarigle would fill the defensive coordinator role.