Today at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN2 the Outback Bowl will kick off, featuring No. 13 Northwestern (10-2) taking on the No. 23 Tennessee Volunteers (8-4) in a matchup fans can live stream free by clicking this link.

Northwestern, despite entering this game 10 spots ahead of Tennessee in the rankings, are nine-point underdogs. Part of that is thanks to their history; they ended a 63-year playoff drought in 2012 in the TaxSlayer Bowl and have not returned to a bowl game since. Their stellar defense gives them a chance, however, because it ranked 11th int the nation, and spearheaded a 10-win season in a tough Big Ten cofnerence.

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They also have proven they didn't just feast on weak opposition, earning wins over Stanford and Wisconsin this year. Offensively, running back Justin Jackson is the heart and soul. He rushed 298 times for 1,344 yards and four touchdowns.

The Volunteers' defense isn't full of slouches. They ranked 18th in the nation in points per game, and have a big win over Georgia on their resume. They also have been in several close calls against elite opposition, losing 19-14 to Alabama, 28-27 vs. Florida, and 31-24 against Oklahoma. They had one of college football's toughest schedules, playing half the College Football Playoff during the regular season.

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