Bowl Predictions 2012: Stars Who Will Falter Under Postseason Spotlight

Star players have led their teams to great heights during the 2012 season.

They've led their teams to the postseason, to a shot at playing in––and winning––a bowl game.

But each one of these games is going to have a winner and a loser, and due largely in part to these studs coming up short in the weeks to come, their teams will fail to end the 2012 season on a high note.

Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville Cardinals

Louisville's sophomore sensation has completed 69 percent of his passes for 3,452 yards and taken care of the ball incredibly well, throwing only seven interceptions to his 25 touchdown passes on the year.

But he's not faced a defense quite as stout as Florida's, and that is going to pose a major problem for the Cardinals' offense in the Sugar Bowl.

While Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel completed nearly 77 percent of his passes against the Gators earlier this season, Florida held him to only 173 yards through the air and without a passing touchdown.

Bridgewater is a quality player, but he's no Johnny Football.

With Louisville's running game being what it is––nothing special––Bridgewater's struggles against Florida will lead to a lopsided victory for the Gators.

Jordan Lynch, QB, Northern Illinois

No player in the nation had as many yards from scrimmage as Lynch, who picked up 4,733 (2,962 passing, 1,771 rushing) to go along with 43 touchdowns (24 passing, 19 rushing) and only five interceptions.

But Lynch has never seen a defense quite like the one that Florida State is going to roll out against the junior signal-caller in the Orange Bowl.

His entire game is predicated on his ability to run the ball––and it just so happens that Florida State has the third-best run defense in the country.

No offense to the Kent State Golden Flashes––the best team that Lynch has faced all year––but it's fair to say that Lynch hasn't really been tested this season.

That's going to change when he finds himself going head-to-head with future NFL studs, a meeting that won't end well for Lynch and the Huskies.

Aaron Murray, QB, Georgia

It's been a knock on Murray for quite some time––he struggles in big games.

We saw evidence of that again this year.

Murray finished the season with a 65.4 percent completion percentage, throwing for 3,466 yards and 31 touchdowns with only eight interceptions.

Against Top 25 teams, Murray completed only 46.6 percent of his passes for 524 yards, two touchdowns and five interceptions.

While Georgia isn't going up against Alabama's defense again, Nebraska has a solid unit that will give Murray fits in the Capital One Bowl.