Predicting MVPs for Every 2016-17 College Football Bowl Game
MVP warning: You're entering a safe space where there will be no such talk about there being too many bowl games. These final games are a just reward for the hard work that players and coaches put in all season long, and frankly it doesn't matter that most of the games end up being meaningless from a national standpoint.
For the teams involved in each contest, in many cases it's the most important game of the season.
This will be evident in the effort put forth by players who end up doing the most to lead their teams to victory. Without them, a win wouldn't be possible, and that performance will make them a strong candidate to pick up an MVP trophy afterward.
We're taking a stab at picking who the MVP will be in all 40 bowl games, a complement to our bowl predictions, and we encourage you to do the same in the comments section.
New Mexico Bowl: New Mexico vs. UTSA
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Teriyon Gipson, RB, New Mexico
The New Mexico Bowl is an unofficial home game for New Mexico since it's played on the Lobos' field in Albuquerque. Gipson is well-versed in how to navigate that turf for big rushing numbers, as he averaged 12.65 yards per carry in the five home games he played this season.
Gipson, a 5'8”, 182-pound senior, averaged 9.23 yards per carry in 2016. That's tops of any player in FBS who had more than 100 carries, leading to 1,209 yards and 12 touchdowns on just 131 touches. He had six 100-yard games, including 217 yards and three TDs on 13 carries in the season-ending home win over Wyoming.
New Mexico leads the nation in rushing offense, averaging 360.9 yards per game, including 445.5 per game at home. Gipson is one of four players who logged at least 100 carries this season, though he was responsible for the largest helping of the Lobos' FBS-leading 121 rushes of 10 or more yards.
Las Vegas Bowl: Houston vs. San Diego State
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Donnel Pumphrey, RB, San Diego State
Pumphrey has been SDSU's MVP all season long and for most of the last three years of his prolific career. He's run for 2,018 yards in 2016 and has 6,290 yards overall, 107 behind former Wisconsin running back Ron Dayne for the FBS all-time record.
The senior has managed that amount 10 times this season and 30 times for his career, though very rarely has he had to deal with a run defense as strong as that of Houston.
The Cougars allow 97.9 rushing yards per game, third-fewest in the country, with the 2.87 yards per carry yielded ranking only behind Alabama. And that came against a fair share of strong runners as they held Oklahoma's duo of Joe Mixon and Samaje Perine to 71 yards in September and last month limited Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson to just 33 yards on 25 carries, including 11 sacks.
Pumphrey has the chance to end his career by becoming the most-prolific rusher in FBS history, and doing that against the Cougars' stout run defense would make the achievement even more significant.
Cure Bowl: Arkansas State vs. UCF
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Shaquem Griffin, LB, UCF
First-year UCF coach Scott Frost preached major improvements on the offensive side after the Knights scored less than 14 points per game in 2015 while going winless. This season they scored 30.1 per game, but just as important were defensive improvements that saw UCF hold five opponents under 20 points.
Griffin was integral in that effort, leading the American Athletic Conference in sacks (11) and ranking second in tackles for loss (19). A junior, the first-year starter was named the AAC's defensive player of the year.
Co-Sun Belt champion Arkansas State dominated its league but hasn't beaten a nonconference FBS opponent since 2014.
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Camellia Bowl: Appalachian State vs. Toledo
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Clifton Duck, CB, Appalachian State
Appalachian State leaned on its defense to tie for first place in the Sun Belt Conference, allowing 17 points per game while ranking 15th nationally in total defense. That included holding Tennessee to 20 points on the road in September and keeping five opponents under 300 yards of total offense.
Toledo hasn't been limited like that since the 2013 opener against Florida, and this season the Rockets are gaining 7.22 yards per play and are one of 27 FBS teams averaging more than 200 yards per game rushing and passing. Their best offensive weapon has been quarterback Logan Woodside, who leads FBS with 43 touchdown passes.
But Woodside struggled a bit in some of Toledo's biggest games this year, throwing two interceptions apiece at BYU and in the regular-season finale against Western Michigan. Appalachian State picked off 20 passes, third-most in the country, with Duck responsible for five of them.
The freshman also had eight pass breakups, with his 13 total passes defended the most in the Sun Belt.
New Orleans Bowl: Louisiana-Lafayette vs. Southern Mississippi
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Nick Mullens, QB, Southern Miss
Mullens has been through it all during his time at Southern Miss, becoming the starter midway through his freshman year (and near the end of the Golden Eagles' 23-game losing streak) and helping them reach the Conference USA title game as a junior. And this season he had to battle back from a concussion that caused him to miss two games in November.
He also suffered a hand injury in October yet continued to play despite a bone popping out of the thumb on his throwing hand in the middle of the game.
"I remember I saw the bone pop out and he said, 'Just push the bone back in and tape it. I think I can throw the ball,'" Southern Miss coach Jay Hopson told Patrick Magee of the Sun Herald.
In between, Mullens set almost every school passing record. In 2016 he's thrown for 2,926 yards and 22 touchdowns and his 11,648 career yards are 39th in FBS history.
Miami Beach Bowl: Central Michigan vs. Tulsa
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James Flanders, RB, Tulsa
There were two dozen players who ran for at least 1,300 yards in FBS this season, and two of them are on Tulsa's roster. Flanders (1,529) and D'Angelo Brewer (1,330) combined for 2,859 yards and 24 touchdowns in 2016 as the Golden Hurricane ranked eighth in the country in rushing while going 9-3.
Flanders appeared in only six games last season before becoming the primary back for Tulsa as a senior. He's had seven 100-yard rushing games, including a 249-yard, five-touchdown performance in a road win over Memphis, and last time out had 39 carries for 197 yards and two scores in an overtime win against Cincinnati.
Central Michigan has allowed its fair share of rushing yards this season, with three opponents topping the 200-yard mark. Flanders and Brewer figure to get a lot of work, but it will be Flanders who ends up with the biggest runs.
Boca Raton Bowl: Memphis vs. Western Kentucky
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Mike White, QB, Western Kentucky
In winning a second consecutive Conference USA title, Western Kentucky went from a three-year starter at quarterback in Brandon Doughty to one who'd previously had a starting job at another school but needed a change of scenery. White played in 2013-14 at South Florida, throwing for 2,722 yards and 11 touchdowns during that time.
He passed those numbers by the end of October with the Hilltoppers, who led FBS in yards per play at 7.64. White, a junior, had a lot to do with that, his 4,027 passing yards fifth-most in FBS along with 34 TDs and six interceptions on 67.4 percent passing. With South Florida, White had 16 interceptions in only 31 fewer attempts than he's had with Western Kentucky.
The Hilltoppers are blessed with two standout senior wide receivers in Taywan Taylor and Nicholas Norris. Western Kentucky doesn't have its coach anymore, as Jeff Brohm left for Purdue, but White will continue what Brohm developed for at least one more game.
Poinsettia Bowl: BYU vs. Wyoming
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Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming
Wyoming was among the biggest surprises in college football this season, a team that was 2-10 a year ago that went on to win its half of the Mountain West Conference. Allen's emergence as a reliable passer—after one notable early hiccup—was as key to that rise as anything.
The sophomore threw for 2,996 yards and 26 touchdowns and ran for seven scores after missing almost the entire 2015 season with a broken clavicle. Twenty of his TDs came in Mountain West play, including three in the conference title game loss to San Diego State.
Smith was also intercepted twice in that game, part of his 13 picks for the year that included five in a September loss at Nebraska. All but three of his picks came in Wyoming losses.
BYU intercepted 19 passes this season but also ranks 100th overall in pass defense, allowing 255.9 yards per game.
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Colorado State vs. Idaho
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Nick Stevens, QB, Colorado State
Colorado State ended up trying out three different quarterbacks this season, with one (freshman Collin Hill) suffering a season-ending knee injury. Stevens began the year as the Rams' starter and finished up in that same role, but in between he was benched and became a different player while sitting out.
Over his final six starts, the junior averaged 235.7 passing yards with 14 touchdowns and just one interception. He completed 72.6 percent of his throws, helping Colorado State with four of six with the two losses on the road by a combined five points.
The Rams averaged 43.3 points per game during that stretch, compared to 24.8 in the first half of the season. More of the former should continue against an Idaho team that ranked 112th in FBS in pass defense.
Bahamas Bowl: Eastern Michigan vs. Old Dominion
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Pat O'Connor, DE, Eastern Michigan
The Bahamas Bowl is one of three bowl games pitting teams who were not part of the postseason last year, but it goes far beyond that with these clubs. This is Eastern Michigan's first bowl appearance since 1987, while Old Dominion is going bowling for the first time in program history.
With all that newness, the chances for an offense-fueled shootout is very possible. Yet we've gone with a defensive player for our MVP choice since O'Connor's play has been an important part of Eastern Michigan's rise in 2016.
O'Connor, a senior, had eight sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss while forcing five fumbles this season.
Armed Forces Bowl: Louisiana Tech vs. Navy
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Ryan Higgins, QB, Louisiana Tech
Navy could have ended up in the Cotton Bowl had it managed to beat Temple for the American Athletic Conference title, but a loss there and to rival Army last week has the Midshipmen sliding at the wrong time of the year. And heading into a matchup with one of the most dangerous—and underrated—passers in the country.
Higgins ranked third in the country with 4,208 passing yards this season despite not playing in Louisiana Tech's opener. The senior, who started for the Bulldogs in 2013 before getting passed over by graduate transfer passers the last two seasons, tossed 37 touchdowns with five games of 400-plus yards and a pair of 500-yard outings.
Navy has yielded 25 TD passes this year along with 12 pass plays of 40 or more yards. Higgins had 18 of those this season, including 13 that went for 50-plus yards.
Dollar General Bowl: Ohio vs. Troy
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Jordan Chunn, RB, Troy
Troy last played in a bowl game in 2010, when it beat Ohio 48-21 in the New Orleans Bowl behind a big passing effort from quarterback Corey Robinson. This time around the Trojans will turn to the ground game to try to get to 10 wins for the first time since moving to FBS in 2001.
That means handing off to Chunn and hoping the 6'1”, 231-pound junior can bust through Ohio's sixth-ranked run defense, which has held nine of 13 opponents to less than three yards per carry.
Chunn has rushed for 1,232 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2016, averaging 4.76 yards per carry. He has five 100-yard games, including 129 yards and two TDs against co-Sun Belt champion Appalachian State.
Hawaii Bowl: Hawaii vs. Middle Tennessee
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Diocemy Saint Juste, RB, Hawaii
Hawaii didn't finish the regular season with a winning record but because it played 13 games its 6-7 mark was good enough to get a bowl invite. And with that contest being at home, the Rainbow Warriors have a built-in advantage against a Middle Tennessee team that's traveling several thousand miles to get there for Christmas Eve.
Another edge the Warriors have is how well Saint Juste tends to run at home. The 5'8”, 195-pound junior had 836 yards and averaged 5.97 yards per carry this season, with 477 yards (and a 6.28 per-carry rate) coming on the island.
Middle Tennessee allowed at least 200 rushing yards to seven different teams this year, only two of which ended up being bowl-eligible.
St. Petersburg Bowl: Miami (Ohio) vs. Mississippi State
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Gus Ragland, QB, Miami
Miami is the first team in FBS history to start out 0-6 and then win its next six games, and turning to Ragland as the starter was a major part of this feat. The sophomore didn't appear in the Redhawks' first six games, but once he took over the job they never lost (and he rarely made a mistake).
Ragland threw for 1,274 yards with 15 touchdowns and zero interceptions, completing 62.4 percent of his throws. He was one of three QBs in the country who didn't throw a pick and none had more attempts (149).
Mississippi State ranked 120th this season in pass defense, its 31 TDs allowed the fifth-most in the country.
Quick Lane Bowl: Boston College vs. Maryland
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Harold Landry, DE, Boston College
Points are always at a premium in games involving Boston College, with its offense among the most ineffective in the country and its defense among the most stingy. The Eagles managed to go 6-6 despite getting outscored by 66 points for the season because in their wins that defense was ironclad.
Landry was a key part of that effort, his 15 sacks tied with Florida State's DeMarcus Walker for most in FBS this season. The junior also had 20.5 tackles for loss and forced seven fumbles.
Maryland, itself outscored by 43 points while going 6-6, yielded 41 sacks this season. That's tied with Miami (Ohio) for the most of any bowl participant and tied for 121st nationally.
Independence Bowl: North Carolina State vs. Vanderbilt
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Zach Cunningham, LB, Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt won its final two games to become bowl-eligible by unleashing an offense that for much of the season was nonexistent. The 83 points in wins over Ole Miss and Vanderbilt accounted for 29.4 percent of the Commodores' season scoring.
Before they discovered how to move the ball and find the end zone the Commodores relied on their defense to keep games close. Cunningham was at the center of that unit, his 16.5 tackles for loss two more than the next two highest Vandy players had combined.
The 6'4”, 230-pound junior also had 119 tackles with seven games of 10 or more takedowns, including 19 in a key midseason win over Georgia.
Heart of Dallas Bowl: Army vs. North Texas
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Ahmad Bradshaw, QB, Army
Bradshaw nearly left the program before the start of this season, but he ended up regaining the starting job he had for most of 2015. And last weekend he scored one of the biggest touchdowns in Army history, a nine-yard run in the fourth quarter to end a 14-game losing streak to Navy.
That was Bradshaw's seventh rushing TD of this season to go with four rushing scores. He wasn't the Black Knights' leading rusher—that's sophomore Andy Davidson, who has 908 yards and 11 TDs—but as the person who operates the triple-option he's the most important player on the field. Under his guidance Army ranks second in FBS in rushing at 327.8 yards per game.
North Texas, which is bowl-eligible despite a 5-7 record because of a lack of six-win schools, ranks 105th against the run and allowed 302 rushing yards to Army in October. Bradshaw had 90 yards and a TD in that game but he also threw four interceptions, contributing to the 35-18 home loss.
Military Bowl: Temple vs. Wake Forest
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Jahad Thomas, RB, Temple
Temple is fresh off its first conference title since the 1960s, winning at Navy to claim the American Athletic Conference. Since then the Owls have had to say goodbye to their head coach as Matt Rhule left to coach Baylor, but he left behind a 10-win team that will want to finish off its momentous season with another victory.
For Thomas, that means continuing his late-season surge to wrap up his career in style. The senior had run for 918 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2016, with 214 yards and three TDs in the last two contests.
Thomas and Ryquell Armstead have split carries in the backfield but Thomas also contributes by being an adept pass-catcher. He has 32 receptions for 426 yards and six TDs.
Holiday Bowl: Minnesota vs. Washington State
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Luke Falk, QB, Washington State
Even before Minnesota announced it was suspending 10 players, including several members of its secondary, for the Holiday Bowl against Washington State it was a safe bet Falk would be in line for a good night. Now it's as close to a lock as you'll get during bowl season.
The junior is fourth in FBS with 4,204 passing yards and his 71 percent completion rate is second only to Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield (71.2). He's thrown 37 touchdowns, one off the school record he established in 2015.
Falk was intercepted three times in Wazzu's last game, against Pac-12 champion Washington, but Minnesota only picked off eight passes in 436 attempts. Three of those were by players who are on the Golden Gophers' suspended list.
Cactus Bowl: Baylor vs. Boise State
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Jeremy McNichols, RB, Boise State
Need a touchdown scored? Just turn to McNichols, who leads FBS with 27 TDs after tying for second nationally with 26 last year.
Primarily a running back, the junior has rushed for 1,663 yards and 23 TDs but also has 32 catches for 450 yards and four scores. He has three games this season in which he's run for and caught at least one TD, and in a 28-27 win over BYU he ran for 140 yards and a score and also had 109 receiving yards with a TD.
Baylor, which enters this game on a six-game losing streak after starting 6-0, has allowed 262 points during that skid.
Pinstripe Bowl: Northwestern vs. Pittsburgh
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James Conner, RB, Pittsburgh
Everything Conner has done this season has been newsworthy, and that would be the case even if he hadn't run for 1,060 yards and 16 touchdowns along with four rushing scores. The junior's career was in major jeopardy a year ago when, while rehabilitating a season-ending knee injury, he announced he was diagnosed with cancer.
Conner beat both challenges to return to Pittsburgh for 2016, and after leading the team in rushing and TDs he's already announced he'll turn pro following the Pinstripe Bowl. Now it's time for him to go out with a bang.
The Panthers offense has become explosive of late, scoring 76 points in their regular-season finale while averaging 42.3 points per game overall. Northwestern is 23rd in scoring defense, yielding 22.1 points per game, but its run defense has been susceptible at times.
Russell Athletic Bowl: Miami (Florida) vs. West Virginia
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Rasul Douglas, CB, West Virginia
Miami's Brad Kaaya is among the top NFL passing prospects in the country, sitting 38th in Bleacher Report draft expert Matt Miller's latest rankings. He hasn't officially declared for the draft yet, but this potential final game of his career could serve as a launching point.
Douglas will be among the West Virginia defenders trying to prevent Kaaya from having a big game, something he's managed to stop other notable quarterbacks from doing this season while tying for the FBS lead with eight interceptions.
The senior, who had one pick all of 2015, has victimized Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield, BYU's Taysom Hill and TCU's Kenny Hill this season.
Foster Farms Bowl: Indiana vs. Utah
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Joe Williams, RB, Utah
Williams was down a ways on Utah's running back depth chart entering his senior year, managing 22 carries or 75 yards in the Utes' first two games. After that he opted to walk away from the sport, announcing his retirement in mid-September, only to be called back into service later in the season when several other ball-carriers got injured.
He responded by rushing for 1,110 yards and nine TDs in the Utes' final six games, including 332 yards and four TDs in a road win over UCLA.
Williams' last game was on Nov. 26, which means he'll have had more than a month off before facing Indiana on Dec. 28. That will make him fresh for another big game against an Indiana defense that has yielded 200-plus rushing yards three times in 2016.
Texas Bowl: Kansas State vs. Texas A&M
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Jordan Willis, DE, Kansas State
The Big 12 gets more attention for its offensive stars, yet Willis still managed to stand out in that league while helping Kansas State win eight games, including six in the league. His 11.5 sacks were most in the Big 12.
The 6'5”, 258-pound senior also had 16.5 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and a fumble return. With his help, the Wildcats topped the conference in run defense by allowing 112.6 yards per game.
Texas A&M averaged 217.5 rushing yards per game but failed to get over 200 in its four losses. Under coach Kevin Sumlin, the Aggies are 13-22 when rushing for 199 or fewer yards, compared with 29-0 when getting at least 200.
Birmingham Bowl: South Carolina vs. South Florida
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Quinton Flowers, QB, South Florida
Louisville's Lamar Jackson won the Heisman Trophy for, among many reasons, his great running ability. It's the same reason Flowers has been so successful in leading South Florida to its first 10-win season in program history, though he's gotten far less attention for it.
Flowers has the opportunity to shine against an SEC team while adding to his 46 rushing plays of 10 or more yards, which is sixth-most in FBS, and South Carolina is 111th in that category by allowing 86 such runs.
The junior has run for 1,425 yards and 15 touchdowns while also throwing for 2,551 yards and 22 TDs. His 331.3 yards per game of total offense is 10th in the country.
Belk Bowl: Arkansas vs. Virginia Tech
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Austin Allen, QB, Arkansas
Based on how this season has gone for Arkansas, it is due to win the Belk Bowl over Virginia Tech. The Razorbacks have traded wins and losses in their last nine games, losing most recently at Missouri, so by that pattern they should win this one.
But that will require Allen to have another big game like he's had quite often in 2016. The junior has thrown for 3,152 yards and 23 touchdowns with four 300-yard games and four with three TD passes.
Allen has eight of his 12 interceptions in Arkansas' five losses. Virginia picked off 13 passes this year, its victims including Clemson's Deshaun Watson and Tennessee's Joshua Dobbs.
Alamo Bowl: Colorado vs. Oklahoma State
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James Washington, WR, Oklahoma State
Colorado has one of the best pass defenses in the country, ranking 13th nationally by allowing just 182.5 yards per game. It intercepted 15 passes and only allowed two receptions for 50 or more yards.
Washington has five of those all by himself, enabling him to average 19.5 yards per catch in 2016. He had nine touchdowns and five 100-yard games, including a 296-yard effort against Pittsburgh in September.
Colorado is hard to throw against, but Washington is difficult to contain because of his speed and ability to get behind the defense.
Liberty Bowl: Georgia vs. TCU
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Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia
The last time Chubb played in a bowl game he established a school record for such contests, rushing for 266 yards and three touchdowns against Louisville in the 2014 Belk Bowl. Chubb didn't participate in Georgia's TaxSlayer Bowl victory over Penn State last season because he was recovering from a major knee injury a few months earlier.
Chubb's return to action this season has been a mixed bag, some due to the play-calling and the opponents the Bulldogs faced but he also was inconsistent overall. The junior ran for 988 yards and seven TDs, averaging 4.77 yards per carry, but he had four games where he failed to gain four yards per rush.
He also had some big outings, such as the 222 yards and two TDs he produced against North Carolina and 121 yards with two scores against South Carolina. TCU, which allows 182.8 rushing yards per game, gave up 234.5 per game in its losses.
Sun Bowl: North Carolina vs. Stanford
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Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford
Because Stanford lost three games during the first half of the season, with McCaffrey getting neutralized during those setbacks, he and the Cardinal quickly fell off the national radar. Without as many eyes watching them, they won their final six games as McCaffrey returned to the form he showed in 2015 as a Heisman Trophy finalist.
A year after setting the FBS single-season all-purpose yardage record, McCaffrey again leads the nation in that category at 211.5 yards per game. That includes 1,603 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns, with 1,083 yards and 10 scores during the six-game win streak.
Music City Bowl: Nebraska vs. Tennessee
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Tommy Armstrong Jr., QB, Nebraska
Armstrong battled injuries late this season and his numbers are down, but with a month to get healthy expect the senior to put together his best effort in his final game. Unfortunately, though, he won't have his top target (and roommate), as senior receiver Jordan Westerkamp is out with a knee injury.
That means Armstrong will have to turn to others like sophomore Stanley Morgan Jr. and seniors Alonzo Moore and Brandon Reilly. It also means he may need to run more, adding to the 512 yards and eight touchdowns he's managed on the ground this year.
Armstrong has also thrown for 2,180 yards and 14 TDs. Tennessee allowed 736 passing yards in its final two games.
Arizona Bowl: Air Force vs. South Alabama
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Arion Worthman, QB, Air Force
At 322.8 yards per game, Air Force is third in FBS in rushing offense. The Falcons can throw the ball a bit, too, though since Worthman replaced Nate Romine as starting quarterback the ground game has become even more potent thanks to his running ability.
The sophomore has run for 603 yards and six touchdowns in his five starts, which is fourth-best on the team. He has three 100-yard games and ran for 212 yards with two TDs against San Jose State.
South Alabama, which ranked 98th in run defense, allowed 353 rushing yards in its most recent game.
Citrus Bowl: Louisville vs. LSU
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Derrius Guice, RB, LSU
Lamar Jackson just won the Heisman Trophy, which makes him the obvious choice for this game's MVP, right? Well, that's assuming Louisville's quarterback can lead his team to victory, which isn't a given against an inspired LSU defense that is going to want to show it can take down the best player in the country.
Because of this, Guice is our choice for the award. And that's a change from our original pick of Leonard Fournette, who on Friday announced he was skipping the bowl game to prepare for the NFL draft. The same ankle injury that's limited him to seven games in 2016 is mostly to blame for this decision.
That opens the door for Guice to continue doing what he's done all year, step up for Fournette and be just as good if not better. Guice has run for 1,249 yards and 14 touchdowns, going for a school-record 285 yards and four scores in the regular-season finale against Teas A&M.
Louisville's run defense has been mostly good this year but was beaten for 229 yards in the regular-season finale against Kentucky.
TaxSlayer Bowl: Georgia Tech vs. Kentucky
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Justin Thomas, QB, Georgia Tech
Since Georgia Tech upset rival Georgia to end the regular season it's had a run of bad luck in the form of several players announcing their transfer. That includes leading rusher Marcus Marshall, who had 624 yards and six touchdowns.
With one less option for the Yellow Jackets' triple option that will put more pressure on Thomas to produce. He's managed to make this happen most of the time in 2016 by rushing for 562 yards and five TDs but also throwing for 1,454 yards and eight TDs. He averaged 10.9 yards per attempt, which would have ranked second in FBS had Thomas attempted a few more throws to qualify for national rankings.
Kentucky has struggled to defend the run this season and has given up some big passing plays, things Thomas will try to doubly exploit.
Outback Bowl: Florida vs. Iowa
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Eddy Pineiro, K, Florida
Florida's 23.4 points per game this season are only slightly more than the Gators managed a year ago, the first of their two consecutive SEC East Division titles. They've scored 12 fewer touchdowns than in 2015 but improved kicking has made up the difference.
Pineiro has connected on 18-of-22 field goals and all 29 extra-point attempts. Last season Florida's three kickers—including a dental student who joined the team midway through—were 7-of-17 on field goals and missed five PATs.
The Gators haven't missed a field goal since Oct. 29 and Pineiro's three kicks at LSU were essential to that 16-10 victory. In a game that figures not to have much scoring, his accuracy could be the difference.
Orange Bowl: Florida State vs. Michigan
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Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State
Cook is Florida State's career rushing leader and has the single-season record of 1,691 yards set in 2015. Another 72 and he'll break that mark and put the finishing touches on what's been a tremendous run with the Seminoles.
Getting that many against Michigan's stout run defense won't be easy, though. The Wolverines are 13th in FBS against the run, allowing 3.14 yards per game with only seven touchdowns, but in their last game Ohio State had 206 yards and three TDs.
Cook has eight 100-yard games this season, including two over 200 yards. He's faced three top-10 run defenses (Boston College, Louisville and North Carolina State) but averaged just 75.7 yards per game in those contests.
Cotton Bowl: Western Michigan vs. Wisconsin
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Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan
Davis is the all-time FBS leader in receiving yards with 5,205. He took over the top spot in Western Michigan's final regular-season game, a win over Toledo that earned it the Mid-American's West Division title, and then he added eight catches for 144 yards to beat Ohio for the Broncos' first MAC title in 28 years.
Unbeaten Western Michigan has already beat two Big Ten schools this year, with Davis tallying 11 catches for 167 yards in wins over Northwestern and Illinois. Those are two of the three games he's played this year without a TD, with 91 catches for 1,427 yards and 18 scores overall.
Wisconsin's defense has intercepted 21 passes, second-most in FBS, but in the Big Ten title game the Badgers were torched for 384 yards and four TDs.
Rose Bowl: Penn State vs. USC
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Ronald Jones II, RB, USC
Penn State won its final 10 games to claim the Big Ten title, using some big second halves to pace that run. Most of this was on the offensive end since the Nittany Lions struggled to defend the run after halftime in 2016.
Four teams ran for at least 200 rushing yards against Penn State and USC stands to be the fifth if Jones can keep up his play of late. The sophomore, who led the Trojans with 1,027 yards and 11 touchdowns, had 819 yards with 10 TDs over the last six games.
Jones' best quarter in 2016 has been the third, when he's averaged 8.05 yards per carry, but he was also strong in the fourth in games that mattered. Penn State allowed 5.38 yards per carry and 13 TDs in the fourth quarter of games this season.
Sugar Bowl: Auburn vs. Oklahoma
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Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma
The last time Oklahoma played in the Sugar Bowl its quarterback had a career game against an SEC opponent. Mayfield ended up replacing that passer as the Sooners' starter and now he has a chance to match what Trevor Knight did in the 2014 Sugar Bowl against Alabama.
Mayfield, a Heisman Trophy finalist, has thrown for 3,669 yards and 38 touchdowns while rushing for six scores. He's accounted for 87 TDs in his two years with Oklahoma since transferring from Texas Tech and this year he leads FBS in passing accuracy at 71.2 percent. His 197.75 passer rating is in line to be the best ever, assuming he can solve Auburn's defense.
The Tigers are 16th nationally in pass efficiency defense and has allowed only 12 TDs, giving up two or more passing scores just three times in 2016. Mayfield has had at least two TD passes every game this season.
Peach Bowl: Alabama vs. Washington
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Jonathan Allen, DL, Alabama
With two of the top-10 defenses squaring off it makes sense that a defensive player will be the one who ends up being the most important to his team's victory. There are no shortages to choose from on either team, but we can't go wrong taking the best defender on the No. 1 defense in the country.
Allen, a senior who has won the Bednarik and Nagurski awards given to the nation's top defensive player, has been unstoppable this season. He has 8.5 sacks, 13 tackles for loss and 15 quarterback hurries along with a pair of fumble recoveries. Those resulted in touchdowns of 75 against Ole Miss and 30 against Texas A&M in two of the Crimson Tide's biggest victories this year.
Washington averages 44.5 points per game and its plus-21 turnover margin is best in the country. But the Huskies haven't faced a defense like Alabama's or a player who is as capable of disrupting as Allen.
Fiesta Bowl: Clemson vs. Ohio State
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J.T. Barrett, QB, Ohio State
As their quarterbacks go, so do Clemson and Ohio State. Barrett and Clemson's Deshaun Watson are two of the top players in the country at their position, each with the ability to affect a game with their passing and running ability.
Only one can win MVP, though, and since we picked Ohio State to win this semifinal game it stands to reason that Barrett will be a big reason why that happens. He's been huge in almost every win he's been a part of the past three seasons, including the double-overtime win against Michigan that locked up a playoff spot for the Buckeyes.
Barrett's extra effort on a fourth-down run in the second OT made that victory possible. This game figures to go down to the wire and turn on a few plays like that, and Barrett's experience dealing with tough opponents all season long will help him here.
All recruiting information courtesy of Scout.com, unless otherwise noted. All statistics provided by CFBStats, unless otherwise noted.
Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.
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