Northwestern accepted an invitation Sunday to play Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl, which will mark the culmination of a year that started with a hazing scandal that cost the Wildcats’ longtime coach his job and ended with a surprising run under an interim coach who had been on staff only since January.

“This group is hungry to continue to improve and finish this thing together and understand what an incredible opportunity is in front of us,” said David Braun, who had the interim tag removed when he was named head coach Nov. 16.

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The Wildcats (7-5) will make their first bowl appearance in three years when they play the Utes (8-4) on Dec. 23 at Allegiant Stadium.

Three months ago, a bowl would have seemed an impossibility.

Days after last season ended, Northwestern’s administration received a complaint of players being hazed by teammates. An investigation found there were significant opportunities for coaches to know hazing was occurring, and longtime coach and alumnus Pat Fitzgerald was fired in July, with Braun named interim coach.

Braun, 38, had been hired as defensive coordinator Jan. 17 after four years in the same position at North Dakota State. Northwestern was his first FBS job.

The Wildcats won just three games two years ago and went 1-11 last season. They were picked last in the Big Ten West in this year’s preseason media poll. Ben Bryant and Brendan Sullivan split the quarterback job because of injuries to Bryant, and the Wildcats ranked in the bottom half of the Big Ten in most statistical categories.

Still, they won every other game before reeling off three straight victories to end the regular season 7-5 overall and 5-4 in Big Ten play. Braun was named Big Ten coach of the year in media and coaches voting.

Northwestern has been bowl-eligible since Nov. 18, so a postseason game has been on the horizon for a while. But Braun said he could tell from his text traffic Sunday that it hit home with the official announcement.

“You can tell through the buzz on these group chats that we have a group that is excited about where we’re going, who our opponent is and getting to work,” he said.

Braun said he hasn’t been able to enjoy the moment, at least not yet.

“I think it’s really important that myself and others that have been involved in this reflect on what this group has achieved and the story they’ve written together,” he said.

Notre Dame and Northern Illinois also learned their bowl destinations Sunday. Here’s a look at all three games.

Northwestern (7-5, 5-4 Big Ten) vs. Utah (8-4, 5-4 Pac-12)

Dec. 23 in Las Vegas, 6:30 p.m., ABC-7

Utah: QB Bryson Barnes (1,517 passing yards, 12 TDs in 10 games); RB Ja’Quinden Jackson (742 rushing yards, 4.8 yards per carry); RB/DB Sione Vaki (five total TDs on offense, 51 tackles, one INT on defense); DE Jonah Elliss (12 sacks).

Northwestern: QB Ben Bryant (1,585 passing yards, 11 TDs in eight games); RB Cam Porter (618 rushing yards, four TDs); LB Bryce Gallagher (110 tackles); LB Xander Mueller (102 tackles, five sacks).

• Utah led the country in time of possession (34:03) and lost just one fumble during the season. The Utes also ranked second in the Pac-12 in rushing yards per game and averaged 199.8 yards on the ground over the final six games.
• Northwestern made the biggest one-year improvement at the FBS level after going 1-11 last season. The Wildcats won their final three games.

Northwestern leads the series 2-1. The last meeting was the 2018 Holiday Bowl, which the Wildcats won 31-20.

• Utah is headed to a bowl game for the 17th time under coach Kyle Whittingham and will play in the Las Vegas Bowl for the sixth time. The Utes are 4-1 in the previous bowl trips to Las Vegas, the last coming in 2015, when Utah beat BYU.
• The Wildcats are making their first bowl appearance since the 2021 Citrus Bowl, in which they beat Auburn. Northwestern is 6-10 all time in bowl games but has won its last four.

No. 16 Notre Dame (9-3) vs. No. 19 Oregon State (8-4, 5-4 Pac-12)

Dec. 29 in El Paso, Texas, 1 p.m., CBS-2

Oregon State: QB DJ Uiagalelei (2,638 passing yards, 21 TDs).

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Notre Dame: QB Sam Hartman (2,689 passing yards, 24 TDs).

• Oregon State started the season 8-2 before dropping its final two games to Washington and Oregon, the two teams that played in the Pac-12 title game.
• Hartman, a transfer from Wake Forest, is the active Division I leader with 15,656 career passing yards.

Oregon State beat Notre Dame 38-21 in the Insight Bowl on Dec. 28, 2004. The Beavers also beat the Irish in the Fiesta Bowl four years earlier. Those are the only two meetings between the programs.

• This is Oregon State’s third appearance in the Sun Bowl and the 20th bowl appearance in school history.
• Notre Dame is making its second appearance in the Sun Bowl and the 42nd bowl appearance in school history.

Northern Illinois (6-6, 5-3 MAC) vs. Arkansas State (6-6, 4-4 Sun Belt)

Dec. 23 in Montgomery, Ala., 11 a.m., ESPN

Arkansas State: QB Jaylen Raynor, the Sun Belt freshman of the year (2,293 passing yards, 15 TDs, six INTs, five rushing TDs).

NIU: RB Antario Brown, first-team All-MAC (1,164 rushing yards, 10 TDs, 6.2 yards per carry).

• Arkansas State is bowl-eligible for the first time since 2019. The Red Wolves rebounded after getting outscored 110-3 in their first two games against Oklahoma and Memphis. They set a Sun Belt record with 77 points in a win over Texas State on Nov. 18.
• NIU opened with a 27-24 overtime win over Boston College, then lost its next four. The Huskies have won five of their last seven games and rank sixth nationally in pass defense, allowing 163.9 yards per game.

NIU beat Arkansas State 38-20 in the GoDaddy.com Bowl on Jan. 8, 2012. The Huskies lead the all-time series 7-1.

• Arkansas State is 8-8-1 in bowl games and is making its third appearance in the Camellia Bowl (1-1).
• NIU is making its 15th bowl trip (4-10) and 12th since 2008. This is the Huskies’ first appearance in the Camellia Bowl.