25. Shedeur Sanders, QB Jackson State
He couldn’t come though in overtime, but he got the team there. He completed 30-of-40 passes for 349 yards and four scores and ran for a touchdown in the 41-34 loss to North Carolina Central in the Cricket Celebration Bowl.
24. Dee Winters, LB TCU
The TCU defense might have struggled in the second half, but Winters was terrific throughout with seven tackles – all solo stops with three tackles for loss and a key interception for a touchdown in the 51-45 win over Michigan in the College Football Playoff Semifinal Fiesta Bowl.
23. Michael Pratt, QB Tulane
He might have been outplayed by Caleb Williams, but he came up with the big drives in the miraculous final minutes. He only completed 8-of-17 passes, but they went for 234 yards with two scores, and he ran 15 times for 83 yards, in the 46-45 win over USC in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl.
22. Ivan Pace Jr., LB Cincinnati
He tried to do it all by himself with a game-leading 16 tackles with a sack in the 24-7 loss to Louisville in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl.
21. Emeka Egbuka, WR Ohio State
Good all season long, he raised his game in the biggest moment, making a game-high eight catches for 112 yards and a score in the 42-41 loss to Georgia in the College Football Playoff Semifinal Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
20. Dylan Horton, DE TCU
There might not have been a whole lot of defense played in the epic shootout, but Horton had himself a game making six tackles with four sacks and a broken up pass in the 51-45 win over Michigan in the College Football Playoff Semifinal Fiesta Bowl.
19. Jammie Robinson, S Florida State
All over the field, he made a game-high 13 tackles – ten solo stops – with a sack and a fumble recovery in the 35-32 win over Oklahoma in the Cheez-It Bowl.
18. Tyler Shough, QB Texas Tech
So that’s what he can do when healthy? Shough always had the talent, but he hasn’t been able to show it off enough thanks to a slew of injuries over his career. He was the man in the 42-25 TaxAct Texas Bowl win over Ole Miss, completing 24-of-39 passes for 242 yards and a score with a pick. He also came up with a game-high 111 rushing yards and two scores on 25 carries.
17. Jordan Ferguson, DE Middle Tennessee
Talk about doing everything, the 271-pound defensive end was second on the team with five tackles, came up with a massive tackle for loss late in the fourth quarter to all but end the game, picked off a pass, and caught a touchdown throw in the 25-23 win over San Diego State in the EasyPost Hawaii Bowl.
16. Diego Pavia, QB New Mexico State
Forget the stats – 17-of-29 for 167 yards and two touchdowns with one pick, and 65 rushing yards – the guy who was questionable for the game took a pounding, threw a key block when needed, and he converted third down after third down with his legs. Bowling Green knew what was coming, and couldn’t stop him when he converted three third downs in the final six minutes to run out the clock in the 24-19 win in the Quick Lane Bowl.
15. Jawhar Jordan, RB Louisville
Maurice Turner led the team in rushing yards, but Jordan was more explosive with 115 yards on nine carries with touchdown runs of 49 and 41 yards in the 24-7 win over Cincinnati in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl.
14. CJ Stroud, QB Ohio State
He might not have been able to pull it out, but he got the offense in a position for it all to come down to one kick. Brilliant, he completed 23-of-34 passes for 348 yards and four touchdowns with no picks, and ran for 34 yards, in the 42-41 loss to Georgia in the College Football Playoff Semifinal Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
13. Bryce Young, QB Alabama
He only completed 15 passes in his 21 tries, but he made them count throwing for 321 yards and five touchdowns – averaging over 15 yards per pass – in the 45-20 win over Kansas State in the Allstate Sugar Bowl.
12. Jordan Travis, QB Florida State
The Seminoles had a fight on their hands, but Travis was able to pull them through with a great fourth quarter and a massive game, completing 27-of-38 passes for 418 yards and two touchdowns with a pick in the 35-32 win over Oklahoma in the Cheez-It Bowl.
11. Brad Roberts, FB Air Force
The pounding Air Force fullback kept running up the middle to dare Baylor stop him and the rest of the offense – it didn’t work out well for the Bears. He carries it 37 times for 116 yards and two touchdowns in the 30-15 win in the Armed Forces Bowl.
100 Best Players of the Bowl Season
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