For more on this matchup: Seven Cats in the transfer portal l View from the other sideline: Auburn l The skinny: Northwestern vs. Auburn

The only other time Northwestern and Auburn met, it was an instant classic. Auburn won a wild, rollicking 2010 Outback Bowl, 38-35, in overtime, in a game in which Wildcat quarterback Mike Kafka threw 78 times for 532 yards, five touchdowns and four interceptions, including a pick-six.

We don't expect nearly that many offensive fireworks this time around.

This game will be...strange. Northwestern will be without seven players who announced they've entered the transfer portal, and another one who is hurt and will be entering the NFL Draft. Auburn will likely be missing some pieces, as well, though we're not sure who quite yet. And the Tigers don't even have a head coach -- Gus Malzahn was fired earlier this month and Boise State's Bryan Harsin was hired to replace him, but defensive coordinator Kevin Steele will be the head man on Friday. Got all that?

So with the ball drop approaching, our staff tries to make heads-or-tails out of the VRBO Citrus Bowl and offers their final predictions.

The take: This will be a very good Northwestern defense against a respectable Auburn offense with a strong running back in Tank Bigsby. On the flip side, it's a respectable Tigers defense against a struggling Wildcat offense.

On top of that, we know the Cats will be without two of their statistical leaders on defense and their second-leading receiver on offense. It's only rumored that Auburn may be missing some of their parts.

You know I am a usually positive person, but I just haven't had a great feeling ever since that Ohio State disappointment, and the personnel losses for this bowl game are going to be bigger than people might think.

Pat Fitzgerald is 2-2 vs SEC teams in bowl games, but 1-2 in the state of Florida and 0-1 vs. Auburn. Sadly I think that goes to 0-2 here and Hank falls short of 400. Please, prove me wrong.

The pick: Auburn 20 Northwestern 17

The take: Northwestern will look to send defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz out with his 400th career win. They will have to do it with a lot of key pieces missing, though.

All-American corner Greg Newsome II is out with an injury and team sack leader Eku Leota is in the transfer portal. On offense, Kyric McGowan, the second-leading receiver, is also in the portal, along with running back Drake Anderson, knocking out another speed weapon for Northwestern’s offense.

Whether or not Northwestern will come out motivated or if they will be hanging their heads after letting one get away in the Big Ten championship game is another factor in this game.

Northwestern will likely lean on freshman Cam Porter to carry the load for the offense. The defense will need freshman Cameron Mitchell to fill in well for Newsome to handle Auburn’s group of very talented receivers.

The pick: Auburn 31 Northwestern 14

The take: You know you're in a tough spot when the old man on the staff is the optimist.

I have the same concerns as everybody else about this matchup. The Wildcats are short-handed. Auburn has some weapons at wide receiver that can exploit the absence of Newsome, Northwestern's best cover corner and the Swag Master of the Sky Team. Bigsby is a load at tailback and reminds me -- not in a good way -- of Ohio State's Trey Sermon, who gouged the Wildcats for 331 yards in the Big Ten title game. Bo Nix can run, and NU has had problems with mobile quarterbacks all season.

But hey, Northwestern didn't win this bowl bid in a raffle. They earned it. They have the No. 1 passing and No. 5 scoring defense in the nation. They have 14 interceptions and a first-team All-America safety in Brandon Joseph who leads the nation with six of them. They have a grad transfer quarterback in Peyton Ramsey who will be appearing in his 40th college game. They have a four-year starting middle linebacker in Paddy Fisher who has made more tackles (392) and forced more fumbles (11) in his career than any other player in the nation.

They have a better defense and a better quarterback. That might be enough right there.

I think Porter gets a little something going on the ground and Ramsey makes just enough plays through the air. The error-prone Nix throws a couple of picks (it even rhymes!) and the Wildcats grind out the 400th win of Coach Hank's storied career in his final game.

The pick: Northwestern 24 Auburn 20