Kyle Queiro injury update: Defensive back expecting to be ready for Northwestern's bowl game

EVANSTON — Northwestern sophomore defensive back Kyle Queiro says he expects to be back for Northwestern's bowl game.

Queiro suffered a broken arm in Northwestern's 24-19 win over Ball State in Week 4. He missed the final eight games of the regular season.

Queiro says he will be back for the bowl, though there is no official word on his status yet. Northwestern was always optimistic that he would be able to return though, and Queiro says that he participated in practice on a limited basis last week prior to the Illinois game.

Getting Queiro back is a huge boost for a secondary that has been stellar even without him. Queiro, a versatile, long athlete, saw significant time throughout the first four games of the season as a slot cornerback when Northwestern went to its nickel and dime packages. He also backed up Traveon Henry and Godwin Igwebuike at safety.

Northwestern (10-2, 6-2 Big Ten) will know its bowl destination Sunday, following the release of the final College Football Playoff rankings of the season. The Wildcats have an outside shot at a New Year's Six bowl — we'll know more tonight when the penultimate Playoff rankings are released (6 p.m. CT, ESPN) — but appear to be destined for the Outback Bowl, or, far less likely, the Citrus Bowl.