The Northwestern University football team. Cover photo from Northwestern Athletics Facebook page

The Northwestern football team arrived in San Diego on Tuesday, one day before Utah, its opponent in Monday’s Holiday Bowl.

The Wildcats are staying at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in downtown San Diego and will practice at Southwestern College in Chula Vista. Their bowl week itinerary includes a joint visit with the Utes to Navy aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt on Friday and a trip to SeaWorld on Saturday.

Northwestern and Utah will both be making their debuts in the Holiday Bowl, which has been played annually since 1978.

The Wildcats (8-5) lost three of their first four games, won four in a row, lost to undefeated Notre Dame, 31-21, then won their next three before a 45-24 loss to Ohio State in the Big Ten Conference title game, in a game they trailed 31-24 early in the fourth quarter.

The Utes (9-4) started the season 2-2, won four in a row, lost to Arizona State, 38-20, then won their next three before a 10-3 loss to Washington in the Pac-12 Conference title game.

–City News Service