Bowl Game Previews: December 29

AJ Fernandez

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! I’m not talking about Christmas, I’m talking about going bowling! Look, we’ve all had a rough year but things feel like they are slowly progressing back to normal. However, even the bowl schedule is a little wonky with some teams declining bids and some having to skip because of team outbreaks.

Barring any unforeseen news, there will be some college football on the TV between Christmas and New Year’s Day. That’s something to celebrate. For once, I don’t think motivation will be something we have to guess about. If these teams are playing, it would seem to be it’s because they want to and for many of these players, it will be the last time to put some plays on tape for NFL evaluators.

Without further ado, let’s dive in to some of the season’s exciting match-ups!

Cheez-It Bowl

#18 Miami vs. #21 Oklahoma St (-2.5)

ESPN, Dec 29 @ 5:30 p.m. EST

Ah, yes the legendary Cheez-It Bowl! My kids should get a kick out of this one. Maybe if I promise them one of those tiny orange crackers for every touchdown, I’ll be able to get them to sit still and be interested in watching with me.

If the ‘Canes are going to be successful, it all starts with quarterback D’Eriq King who is the engine of the offense. After transferring from Houston, he has had a very nice year showcasing his dual-threat ability, leading the team in rushing attempts and racking up 520 rushing yards and four touchdowns in addition to his 2,570 yards through the air and 22 touchdowns. He is an exciting, multi-dimensional college quarterback who should find his way onto an NFL roster but he just announced he’d return for his final year of eligibility.

The rest of the backfield splits work, with Cam’Ron Harris leading the way. He has a strong build at 5’10” 210 pounds, but failed to really take hold of the running back competition with carries divided up between him, and freshmen Donald Chaney Jr and Jaylan Knighton. To his credit, Harris led the team in rushing touchdowns and yards per carry, but seems unlikely to have put enough on paper to declare early for the NFL. He is a favorite among some scouts with a punishing running style and soft hands but I am wary that he didn’t dominate two 18-year-olds.

The wide receiver group does not have a lot of sparkle. Mike Harley logged the best season with a 49-730-6 line. That qualifies as a breakout for some but fails to reach a 30% market share of the receiving production. He is a senior so I am glad he was able to have a good final season but that won’t move the needle for his dynasty prospects. Two juniors Mark Pope and Dee Wiggins round out the top three receivers playing complementary roles.

Of course, we can’t discuss Miami and not highlight Brevin Jordan their star tight end. He is an athletic weapon in the mold of a Jordan Reed type player. Standing 6’3” and coming in a 245 pounds, he is slightly undersized for a traditional in-line tight end but can be a mismatch in the passing game. Despite only playing seven of ten games he finished second on the team in receptions, yards, and touchdowns. He should be a day two pick in the NFL draft and provide exciting fantasy upside as early as 2021.

On the other side of the field, Oklahoma State is a shell of what it has been. In 2018, Tylan Wallace set the Big 12 ablaze with 1,400 receiving yards, and then in 2019 Chuba Hubbard had over 2,000 yards with 21 touchdowns on the ground. This year was saw the stocks of both players drop and the team focused on winning games with their 32nd-ranked defense. Games featuring the Cowboys were once a fantasy bonanza but have turned into grind-it-out slugfests.

The quarterback position was a real problem for Oklahoma State in 2020, as sophomore Spencer Sanders was in and out of the lineup. When he played, he was about the same as he was as a freshman. The good Sanders is an inspiring combination of a solid arm and rushing ability. However, he makes too many mistakes, throwing eight interceptions in eight games. True freshman Shane Illingworth put himself on the map off the bench with a few strong performances considering his age. Both were basically game managers while the Cowboys tried to establish the run.

Chuba Hubbard entered the year as some analyst’s top running back prospect. Rest assured that is no longer the case. Since he has opted out, I won’t go too much into detail as he won’t be playing in this game. Senior LD Brown was mixing in with Hubbard even before the opt-out and looked suitable in the role. He is now also battling an undisclosed injury and his status for the bowl is uncertain. The next man up is JUCO transfer Dezmon Jackson who rewarded daily fantasy players with an explosive 36-236-3 line against Texas Tech. He followed that with another 100-yard performance a week later before missing time with an injury of his own. I expect him back for this game and is a junior to watch.

Tylan Wallace leads this receiver group and while he had a down season in the box scores, he still thoroughly dominated the receiving production once again with his third straight year accounting for 30% or more of the team receiving yards. He continues to be an intriguing pro prospect and will come at a discount in rookie drafts despite a college profile that screams high-end production. After Wallace, Dillon Stoner may be a slot contributor should he get a look in the league.

Valero Alamo Bowl

#20 Texas (-9.5) vs. Colorado

ESPN, Dec. 29th @ 9 p.m. EST

Texas has long been Sam Ehlinger’s team and he is the local folk hero-turned Texas quarterback. It’s a feel-good story and he’s had a quality career. I don’t think he has much potential at the next level but is a very good college quarterback. His completion percentage took a step back in 2020 as did his game-by-game production. He remains a dual-threat contributor but is more in the mold of a Tim Tebow power runner. He may find tough sledding against a Colorado secondary allowing the sixth-fewest yards per pass attempt in the country.

If Ehlinger has been the face of Texas football, meet the new kid in town. And I do mean kid. True freshman Bijan Robinson is ready to become a household name in this island game. The five-star recruit has forced his way onto the field despite competing against junior Keaontay Ingram and sophomore Roschon Johnson. There is no putting this genie back in the bottle after he tore through the Kansas State defense for 223 yards and three scores on 12 touches in their last game. Robinson is a budding star, showing breakaway speed as well as thunderous power at 6’0” and 222 pounds. Remember, he is still a teenager. The sky is the limit for this awesome talent.

The receiving corps is a muddled mix of players with no one separating themselves from the pack. Leading the group is Brennan Eagles who just announced he will be entering the NFL draft and won’t be participating in the bowl. Three second-year players showed promise this year with Joshua Moore leading the team in receiving touchdowns with seven. A slender guy, he’s listed at 169 pounds but the sophomore put himself on the radar this year. Jake Smith battled injuries and turned in a relatively disappointing season but maybe he can put his best foot forward in the bowl game and start momentum for 2021. One player I’m really excited to watch is redshirt freshman Jordan Whittington, a former five-star recruit who could step up in a big way. There will be targets to go around with Eagles cheering from home, so keep an eye on who pops.

After three straight losing seasons, Colorado had a nice year in 2020. Their rookie coach Karl Dorrell has the Buffaloes at a surprising 4-1 record. The long time NFL assistant has found success in Boulder. They have mainly relied on the run game with sophomore Jarek Broussard carrying the ball 129 times in just five games. He has been nothing short of sensational with a 6.3 yards per carry average for a total of 813 yards and even chipping in seven receptions for 52 more yards. Look for him to have success once again despite a stout Texas front allowing only 3.6 yards per carry. The offense starts and ends with Broussard. True freshman Ashaad Clayton saw the field a little and scored twice, making him a name to watch for the future.

Senior first-time starter Sam Noyer had a nice season at quarterback and is trying to come back from a shoulder injury for the bowl. If he can’t go, Tyler Lytle would step in. We don’t really have any intel on Lytle and I’d imagine it really would just mean more Broussard.

You may recognize the last name of leading receiver Vontae Shenault, the little brother of second-round NFL pick Laviska. The redshirt freshman recorded a team-high 17 receptions and returned punts. If he is anything like his brother, #5 is one to watch. Sophomore Dimitri Stanley led the group in receiving yards and is more of a deep threat with a 15.6 yards per catch average. Finally, we have to highlight the G.O.A.T.’s son, another last name that could ring a bell – Brenden Rice. Yes, that Rice. He was a big-time four-star get for Colorado and the true freshman and has come on a bit towards the end of the season. He had a long touchdown catch for 61 yards against Utah and took a punt to the house, scoring on an 81-yard return.

Enjoy these games and I’ll be back for the bowls on December 30th and 31st!

aj fernandez
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