LOCALS ABOUND IN UPCOMING BOWL GAMES

Boise State DB Skinner headlines today’s action, with 65 locals on rosters

No fewer than 65 players with local ties are on bowl-bound college football rosters, as bowl season kicks into high gear today with seven games.

And if you like watching players with a San Diego connection and want the biggest bang for your TV-viewing buck, tune in and catch Boise State in tonight’s Frisco Bowl against North Texas.

Boise State has nine local players and all see action.

JL Skinner (Point Loma) is the Broncos’ headliner. The senior defensive back has 65 tackles — including 13 vs. UTEP and 12 vs. Oregon State — four interceptions and four pass break ups. He has been invited to the East-West Shrine Game and the Senior Bowl. A first-team All-Mountain West selection, he was on the Bronko Nagurski and Jim Thorpe Award Watch Lists.

Skinner is joined on the defensive side of the ball by MLB Ezekiel Noa (Helix) and edge Demitri Washington (Santa Fe Christian).

Noa has 51 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 4½ sacks, an interception, three forced fumbles and a pair of pass breakups.

Washington has 35 tackles, six

TFL and 4½ sacks.

Freshmen Jayden Virgin (Mt. Carmel), an edge rusher, and LB Marco Notaraini (Torrey Pines) also have seen action on defense.

Offensively, Garrett Curran (Granite Hills) is the starter at left guard. The 6-foot-5, 305pound senior has played in 40 games for the Broncos

Junior running back Elelyon Noa (Helix) has 33 carries for 133 yards and has a pair of pass receptions for 16 yards. Noa transferred from Utah State to play with his brother.

Sophomore WR Cole Wright (Carlsbad) has a pair of receptions and freshman TE Matt Lauer (Torrey Pines) has played in all 13 games with four catches.

Today’s games

SMU and BYU meet in the New Mexico Bowl. BYU is led by RB Chris Brooks (El Camino), who was known as Chris Brown in high school. He has 111 carries for 725 yards and five TDs to go along with 10 pass receptions for 98 yards. Brooks, a senior, transferred from Cal where he gained 1,734 yards and 14 TDs and had 50 catches. DB D’Angelo Mandell (Del Norte) has 17 tackles for BYU and DB Malik Moore (Point Loma) has nine tackles. Freshman Nathaniel Gillis (Steele Canyon) is redshirting. SMU lists

Capsules for today’s seven bowl games, plus Friday’s results.