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Bowl Game Previews: December 26-28

Ray Garvin Posted On December 26, 2019
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The fun continues as we get into the meat of bowl season. The games are getting better and we get our first taste of the teams in the College Football Playoffs. So, sit back and enjoy bowl season as you keep an eye out for some future NFL stars with these ten bowl games

December 26

INDEPENDENCE BOWL – LOUISIANA TECH VS. MIAMI

La Tech has been very good this season in Conference USA with a 9-3 record led by their quarterback J’Mar Smith who won offensive player of the year in the conference. They can score some points in bunches, as they rank 30th in yards per game and 27th in points scored per game.

They also have a little-known running back named Justin Henderson. He’s over 1,000 combined yards on the season rushing and receiving and will be fed the ball in this contest versus a very disappointing Miami defense. In dynasty, Henderson looks like a training camp player who could be worth a taxi squad spot if he declares for the 2020 NFL Draft.

Miami, 6-6, has been up and down all year with instability at the quarterback position. Is it going to be N’Kosi Perry, Jarren Williams, or possibly Tate Martell? They will have to get this one done without their top rusher DeeJay Dallas who’s out with an injury. Miami has lost eight of their last nine bowl games while La Tech has won its past five. This is essentially a home game for La Tech, it’s going to take a lot for the Hurricanes to pull this victory out.

WHO TO WATCH

All eyes will be on sophomore tight end Brevin Jordan. Jordan is a top-three option in devy at the position. He currently leads the team in receiving yards and is second in receptions. He is dealing with an injury and at the time of this article, is still a true game-time decision. If he plays, you won’t be able to take your eyes off number nine, if he doesn’t, we’ll all get to see just how anemic this offense is without him on the field. Jordan is poised to be a high pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

QUICK LANE BOWL – EASTERN MICHIGAN VS. PITTSBURGH

The 6-6 Eagles take on the 7-5 Panthers in a matchup that does not boast any devy or dynasty potential. The leading rusher for the Pitt Panthers is AJ Davis with 532 yards and four touchdowns. If you forced me to pick a player who could potentially make a practice squad one day, I would point to wide receiver Taysir Mack.

On the Eastern Michigan side of the ball, it’s much of the same. Fifth-year senior Shaq Vann leads the team in rushing with 667 yards and eight touchdowns, while Arthur Jackson III leads the Eagles in receiving yards with 679.

WHO TO WATCH

Enjoy your Christmas leftovers and get ready for some good showdowns on the 27th.

December 27

MILITARY BOWL – NORTH CAROLINA VS. TEMPLE

The Mack is Back is back in a bowl game! This is Mack Brown’s second season as the head coach of the Tar Heels after being out of the game for six years. North Carolina has been so close to pulling off major victories this season. They were a two-point conversation away from taking down Clemson, two points away from a win at Virginia Tech and seven points away from taking down nationally-ranked Virginia. This is a team this is on the rise in the ACC and their quarterback play is a big reason why.

Temple is led by quarterback Anthony Russo, wide receivers Branden Mack, Isaiah Wright, and Jadan Blue. These three pass catches have accounted for over 70 percent of the team’s receptions and receiving yards. Temple is going to throw the ball and they should with these talented pass catchers.

WHO TO WATCH

Temple has a true freshman running back who many people have no idea about, but he’s player I am very intrigued by. Re’Mahn Davis stands 5’9” 210 pounds and leads the team in rushing with 900 yards on the dot, while averaging 5.1 yards per carry. He is a very well-rounded runner with a nice blend of size and speed. If he performs well in this contest, he could put himself on the devy radar with some late-round consideration in startups next year.

If you don’t know who Sam Howell is, after this game you will. He is arguably the best freshman quarterback in the country. I know you’ve head of Box Nix, Jayden Daniels, and even Kedon Slovis, but Howell might be better than all of them. He can make every throw, has shown well in primetime games, and this could be his coming out party nationally. Howell’s dynasty outlook is a locked and loaded high-round draft pick next year in devy superflex formats.

PINSTRIPE BOWL – MICHIGAN STATE VS WAKE FOREST

Michigan State 6-6 takes on Wake Forest 8-4 in a game that will be missing the most explosive player on either side of the ball, wide receiver Sage Surratt who’s out with an injury. It has not been a good year for the Spartans, especially on offense. They are missing weapons all over the field at every level. Wake Forest is led by quarterback Jamie Newman, who’s passed for 23 touchdowns on the season. This game will not be one of the more exciting contests on the slate. If you like watching paint dry, this game should be at the top of your list.

WHO TO WATCH

If he’s cleared for the game, Elijah Collins is the name to pay close attention to. The 6’0” 217-pound rusher has shown flashes behind a very young and inexperienced offensive line. He has carried the ball 201 times for 892 yards and five touchdowns in 2019. He is someone who is more than deserving of early-round devy draft capital in startups next spring. He is explosive and powerful with soft hands.

TEXAS BOWL – OKLAHOMA STATE VS. TEXAS A&M

It’s only appropriate for a team from the state of Texas to be featured in the Texas Bowl. The 7-5 Aggies led by Jimbo Fisher will take on the 8-4 Mike Gundy-led Cowboys. Gundy is 9-4 in bowl games, and Oklahoma State enters this one on a three-game bowl winning streak. The second year of the Jimbo Fisher era finds the Aggies back in a bowl game looking for their second straight bowl victory. If anything, this will be a game that has the potential for shootout capability. The Aggies – led by Kellen Mond and Isaiah Spiller – can score points at a premium and we all know what Oklahoma State can do on offense.

WHO TO WATCH

Chuuuubbbbaaaaaa! That’s right, the nation’s leading rusher is playing and ready to do work in this contest. Chuba Hubbard is 64 yards away from a 2000-yard rushing season, and could have that on the first snap of the game given his elite speed and true home-run ability. It’s unclear if he will enter the NFL Draft and I’m sure a lot will ride on his performance in this one. Either way, he is one of the top running back prospects in college football.

HOLIDAY BOWL – IOWA VS. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

I can’t think of a team in college that’s had a more embarrassing end-of-season than the USC Trojans. From reports of their head coach Clay Helton being fired and potentially being replaced by Urban Meyer, to USC keeping Helton only to watch the once-storied program fishing dead last in the Pac-12 in recruiting during the early signing period. That’s right, Oregon State and Washington State all had better recruiting classes than SC.

Luckily, they have a very talented roster and they’ll need every drop of it to fend off an Iowa team that finished the season on a three-game winning streak, knocking off the seventh-ranked Minnesota Gophers at the time in route to their finish.

WHO TO WATCH

Michael Pittman Jr. is a player we should all be keeping our eyes on. The Biletnikoff Award finalist is wrapping up a fantastic senior season that saw him produce monster numbers. He will participate at the Senior Bowl and looks poised to see his NFL Draft stock rise during the pre-draft process.

CHEEZ-IT BOWL – AIR FORCE VS. WASHINGTON STATE

Thank you for your service and everything you do for this country members of the Air Force, however, Anthony Gordon and Max Borghi are coming for you! The Falcons are led by head coach Troy Calhoun who’s coaching in his tenth bowl game since taking over the program in 2007.

The Mike Leach led Cougars are coming into this one with six win and six losses, as they’ve had quite the up and down season. Air Force and Washington State can both score points at a rapid pace, and both defenses don’t mind giving points up, so this should be a fun matchup.

WHO TO WATCH

The redshirt senior quarterback should thank Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Gardner Minshew and his recent success coming from this Air Raid offense, because Gordon is receiving some legitimate NFL love right now. He has thrown for over 5000 yards and 45 touchdowns in 2019; and will be taking his talents to the Senior Bowl.

Borghi, currently in a class that doesn’t look anywhere close to the 2020 crop of running backs, leads the way as a true three-down threat. Did I mention he has 134 career receptions already and counting? Borghi is good folks.

https://twitter.com/RayGQue/status/1208064041182224384?s=20

December 28

CAMPING WORLD BOWL – NOTRE DAME VS. IOWA STATE

For those who haven’t seen the 7-5 Iowa State Cyclones play football, you’re in for a treat. They are a fun team that can score points very quickly. The 15th-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish are going into the contest with a 10-2 record. Led by Chase Claypool and Ian Book. Book has thrown for over 2,700 yards and 33 touchdowns on the season. Wide receiver Claypool has 12 touchdowns and 891 yards.

The Cyclones are led by sophomore sensation Brock Purdy. He’s passed for 3,760 passing yards and 27 touchdowns on the season. He has legit weapons on offense on all three levels. Wide receiver Deshaunte Jones has 72 catches for 832 yards two touchdowns, and tight end Charlie Kolar leads all pass catches with seven touchdowns.

WHO TO WATCH

Get ready for a show, because one of the freshmen running backs in the nation is ready for his coming-out party. Breece Hall is a future star in the making. He rushed for 842 yards and nine touchdowns on only 169 carries while averaging five yards per carry. What I like about Hall’s game is he shown to be a very reliable pass-catcher out of the backfield evidenced by his 19 receptions on the season. Notre Dame poses a legitimate test for this entire offense, but these guys are young and talented and explosive.

COTTON BOWL CLASSIC – PENN STATE VS MEMPHIS

The 12-1 Memphis Tigers take on the No 10 team in the nation, the 10-2 Penn State Nittany Lions. Penn State heads into their fifth straight bowl game under head coach James Franklin. Memphis is in their sixth straight bowl, but they’ve lost their last four.

Scoring shouldn’t be scarce in this contest as both quarterbacks can throw the ball and have the weapons to make plays before and after the catch. Brady White has passed for 3,560 yards and 33 touchdowns. On the other side of the ball, Sean Clifford has passed for 2,521 yards and 22 touchdowns. This game will feature two talented pass catchers in KJ Hamler and Damonte Coxie. Coxie has 68 receptions for 1,114 yards and nine touchdowns. The speedster Hamler leads the Nittany Lions with 54 receptions for 858 yards and eight touchdowns.

WHO TO WATCH

Kenneth Gainwell is one of the best players in the country who nobody has heard of. He leads the team in rushing with 1,425 yards and 12 touchdowns while adding 44 receptions for 532 yards. When you start looking at 2021 eligible running back prospects, Gainwell should be firmly in the top-five mix.

FIESTA BOWL – CLEMSON VS. OHIO STATE (COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF SEMIFINAL)

And here we go! The college football playoffs officially kick off with the defending National Champion Clemson Tigers taking on one of the most potent and explosive teams in the nation. Dabo Sweeney vs. Ryan Day, Justin Fields vs. Trevor Lawrence, Travis Etienne vs. JK Dobbins, the twin towers Tee Higgins and Justyn Ross vs. Jeffrey Okudah and the monster that is Chase Young.

There are so many different storylines in this game and I don’t think you’ll find a better matchup of future NFL stud quarterbacks than this game. Lawrence followed up his historic Freshman season by throwing for 3,172 yards and 34 touchdowns to eight interceptions. He ended the season throwing for at least three touchdowns in six straight games. He has the look and makeup of not only a franchise NFL quarterback, he could be the best since Andrew Luck, and that’s not hyperbole.

If Trevor Lawrence is the future number one pick, then Heisman Trophy Finalist Justin Fields is the number two pick. He is a dual-threat monster who is much more passer than runner. On the season, he has thrown for 2,953 yards, 40 touchdowns and ONE interception; while adding 471 yards and ten touchdowns on the ground.

WHO TO WATCH

The correct answer is everyone! Both sides of the ball, the kickers, the water boys, this is a fantastic matchup we get here, but if I have to narrow it down to players who are going to be scoring fantasy points for us then you have to go with the running backs, Travis Etienne and JK Dobbins.

Etienne has rushed for 1,500 yards on the dot, on only 182 carries. He’s averaged 8.2 yards per carry and what’s even more incredible is that he’s only touched the ball seven times in the fourth quarter all season long.

Dobbins has been a man on a mission in 2019. After a disappointing 2018 campaign, he’s looked at times like the absolute best running back in the country.

https://twitter.com/RayGQue/status/1182328801310777344?s=20

PEACH BOWL – LSU VS. OKLAHOMA (COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF SEMIFINAL)

The Heisman Trophy winner vs. the Heisman Trophy runner-up. Joe Burrow deserves an entire segment of his own. What he’s done this year has been truly remarkable. I don’t need to re-hash all of his statistical accolades; you can look those up and marvel at them during some downtime. What he’s done from a leadership standpoint, how he’s been embraced by not only Louisiana but nationally has been so fun to watch.

He’s going to be the number one pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, and should be the first pick in superflex drafts next spring. He’s elevated the entire offense. Ja’Marr Chase won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top receiver. Justin Jefferson has been fantastic playmaker opposite of Chase and looks like a future second-round pick, and let’s not forget the ultra-talented Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who looks like he’ll miss this game. Hopefully, if LSU can win this game, he’s back for the championship.

https://twitter.com/RayGQue/status/1203008714833383424?s=20

The Sooners have a dynamic dual-threat signal-caller and future NFL draft pick, Jalen Hurts. The transfer from Alabama has been efficient and dynamic when called upon. He has 3,634 passing yards and 32 touchdowns while adding over 1,200 yards on the ground and 18 touchdowns.

Biletnikoff Award finalist CeeDee Lamb is one of the best NFL draft-eligible prospects in the 2020 class. He leads the Sooners in every receiving category with 58 receptions for 1,208 yards and 14 touchdowns. Kennedy Books is second to Hurts in rushing yards but leads the backfield in rushing categories.

https://twitter.com/RayGQue/status/1197334490366009346?s=20

WHO TO WATCH

LSU freshman cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. Grant Delpit won the Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back, but a lot of that is based on name recognition. Make no mistake Stingley Jr. is the best DB on that team and probably one of the best in the county. On the season, he has six interceptions and 21 passes defended. He leads the SEC in both categories and his matchup versus CeeDee Lamb is going to be a fantastic showdown between elite college football talent.

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