The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
20 Connecticut players to watch during bowl season
The bowl season kicks off with five games on Saturday and by the time a national champion at the Football Bowl Subdivision Level is crowned on Jan., a total of 78 teams will take the field in 40 postseason games.
While a 1-11 UConn team will miss out on the bowl experience for the third season in a row, Connecticut will still be well represented with 42 Connecticut natives on the rosters of bowl games.
Boston College leads all bowl teams with seven state natives on its roster including New Haven area products C.J. Holmes, Brandon Sebastian and John Tessitore while the Dec. 27 Independence Bowl between Temple and Duke features eight Connecticut products. The list could be longer and even more impressive if Clemson star Christian Wilkins and the others who starred at Connecticut prep schools but did not grow up in the state were included.
Here’s a look at 20 Connecticut natives to watch during the bowl season:
⏩ OL Evan Adams, Syracuse (vs. West Virginia, Dec. 28, 5:15 p.m.): The junior from Norwalk has started 11 of 12 games at right guard for a Syracuse team ranking in the top 20 in total offense and scoring offense.
⏩ DE Zach Allen, Boston College (vs. Boise State, Dec. 26, 1:30 p.m.): Senior from New Canaan is being touted as potential firstround pick in NFL draft. Has led the Eagles in tackles for loss in each of the last two games. Has 199 career tackles and ranks fourth in BC history with 18 1/2 career sacks and is fifth with 40 1/2 tackles for loss.
⏩ WR Tarik Black, Michigan (vs. Florida, Dec. 29, noon): Injuries have slowed dynamic playmaker from Hamden who has missed 17 games in two seasons. Both catches during sophomore season have been in last two games.
⏩ QB Mike Collins, TCU
(vs. California, Dec. 26, 9 p.m.): Has passed for 1,059 yards with six touchdown passes and has three TD runs.
⏩ RB AJ Dillon, Boston College (vs. Boise State, Dec. 26, 1:30 p.m.): Sophomore from New London has run for 1,108 yards and 10 touchdowns despite missing two games and was named first team All-ACC. Already has 12 100-yard rushing games for the Eagles.
⏩ OL Jack Driscoll, Auburn (vs. Purdue, Dec. 28, 1:30 p.m.): Former Hand High star and graduate transfer from UMass has started 11 games at right
tackle for the Tigers.
⏩ TE Scooter Harrington, Stanford (vs. Pittsburgh, Dec. 31, 2 p.m.): Former Greenwich High School star has catches against UC Davis and Oregon State during junior season.
⏩ QB Quentin Harris, Duke (vs. Temple, Dec. 27, 1:30 p.m.): Junior from Wilton has 420 passing yards (376 coming in wins over Baylor and N.C. Central) with 179 rushing yards. He has thrown seven touchdowns with no interceptions with four scoring runs.
⏩ FB Ben Mason, Michigan (vs. Florida, Dec. 29, noon): Former state player of the year from Newtown has 80 yards on 31 carries with seven touchdowns and
had 15-yard reception.
⏩ LB Jarvis Miller, Penn State (vs. Kentucky, Jan. 1, 1 p.m.): Senior from Suffield has eight tackles with a tackle for loss against Appalachian State and fumble recovery versus Pittsburgh.
⏩ DB James Murphy, Miami (vs. Wisconsin, Dec. 27, 5:15 p.m.): All four of his tackles have come in the last five games for the Hurricanes.
⏩ OL Lucas Niang, TCU (vs. California, Dec. 26, 9 p.m.): Started all 12 games at right tackle to earn second team All-Big 12 honors. Was named first team All-Big 12 by Pro Football Focus site.
⏩ DB Jason Pinnock, Pittsburgh (vs. Stanford, Dec. 31, 2 p.m.): Sophomore from Windsor has 15 tackles with interceptions against
Notre Dame and Wake Forest and three pass breakups in the Clemson game.
⏩ LB Koby Quansah, Duke (vs. Temple, Dec. 27, 1:30 p.m.): Junior from Manchester has 96 career tackles including 33 this season. Nine came in season opener against Army and 15 in last two games against Clemson and Wake Forest.
⏩ WR Nico Ragaini, Iowa (vs. Mississippi State, Jan. 1, noon): Another promising New Haven area prospect in the Big Ten, Ragaini’s lone catch as a freshman came against Northern Iowa.
⏩ OL Jaelin Robinson, Temple (vs. Duke. Dec. 27, 1:30 p.m.): Wilbur Cross graduate has started at three different positions on the offensive line as a senior helping Temple finish second in the AAC with just 15 sacks allowed while jumping from scoring 25.1 points per game in 2017 to 35.6 this season.
⏩ DB Brandon Sebastian, Boston College (vs. Boise State, Dec. 26, 1:30 p.m.): Freshman from West Haven has 49 tackles, is second on the Eagles with eight pass breakups to go with two interceptions, a forced fumble and sack.
⏩ DL Tuzar Skipper, Toledo (vs. FIU, Dec. 21, 12:30 p.m.): Senior from Norwich is fourth in the MAC with 8 1⁄2 sacks and his 52 tackles of his 82 tackles have come as a senior.
⏩ OL Andrew Stueber, Michigan (vs. Florida, Dec. 29, noon): Started at right tackle in place of Juwann Bushell-Beatty in Michigan’s loss to Ohio State. Earned praise from Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh for his play when the Wolverines registered a season high 507 yards of total offense.
⏩ WR Isaiah Wright, Temple (vs. Duke. Dec. 27, 1:30 p.m.): Former Holy Cross and Kingswood Oxford star has 33 receptions for 368 yards. Also a dynamic special teams player who earned All-American honors as only Boston College’s Michael Walker has more combined yards on kickoff and punt returns than Wright’s total of 976.