Predicting the MVPs of Each SEC Bowl Game
The national narrative is that it was a "down year" in the SEC, and there is plenty of merit to that, considering that behind undefeated Alabama, there was no other league team with fewer than four losses.
But it also speaks to parity in the conference, and 12 SEC programs are participating in bowl season, with 11 of those having at least six victories and Mississippi State getting in due to its stellar Academic Progress Rate scores.
For some of these teams, it'll be a chance to showcase some little-known stars such as Bulldogs quarterback Nick Fitzgerald, Vanderbilt running back Ralph Webb and Arkansas tight end Jeremy Sprinkle. For Tennessee QB Joshua Dobbs and Florida linebacker Jarrad Davis, this is a swan song to the college game.
Others will use the bowl game as a springboard to future stardom, and several of those guys made this list, too.
So let's take a look at each SEC team's MVP for the postseason games to come.
Mississippi State: Nick Fitzgerald
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One of the emerging stars in the league may well be Mississippi State sophomore quarterback Fitzgerald, who is proving there is life after Dak Prescott in Starkville.
Though the Bulldogs must find him some playmakers on offense for the future, Fitzgerald is doing just fine carrying his team on his shoulder pads, even if the program did only win five games this year.
The Richmond Hill, Georgia, native finished with 2,287 passing yards, 1,243 rushing yards and 35 total touchdowns on the season, and he's the kind of player who can shred a MAC defense like Miami (Ohio). The Redhawks were 26th nationally in total defense, but they haven't played many SEC athletes.
It was a resurgent second half of the year, as Miami went from 0-6 to winning its final six games to surge into a bowl game, but the Bulldogs are just too talented to let them hang around for long in the St. Petersburg Bowl on Dec. 26.
Fitzgerald will show off, and this will be a game that catapults his name on to the tips of tongues heading in to 2017. You may not know him now, but you will when his big game starts the SEC's bowl season off in style.
Vanderbilt: Zach Cunningham
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A big key to Vanderbilt taking the next step in the SEC is the development of sophomore quarterback Kyle Shurmur, who made some important strides during the last few games of the season.
But winning a bowl game would be a huge deal on the West End of Nashville, and that's why head coach Derek Mason's team is going to fall back on old reliable against North Carolina State in the Independence Bowl on Dec. 26. That's going to be running the football and controlling the game defensively.
Mason's pedigree is on the defensive side of the ball, and he has one of the two or three best defenders in the league in redshirt junior linebacker Zach Cunningham. At 6'4", 230 pounds, his athleticism is off the charts, and his speed is flat-out freakish for his size.
The first-team All-American and Butkus Award finalist has made his imprint on virtually every game this year, and the Wolfpack are going to have to take some chances considering they sputtered on offense this year and were ranked 88th overall nationally in that category.
Cunningham already is deemed a can't-miss pro prospect, expected to go in the top 10 of the NFL draft, according to Draft Wire's Luke Easterling. The linebacker checked in at ninth on Easterling's list, going to New Orleans.
He'll be the best player on the field in the bowl game, and he's a safe bet to make a game-changing play to win the game for the Commodores.
Texas A&M: Josh Reynolds
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With the news that Texas A&M senior quarterback Trevor Knight told the Houston Chronicle's Brent Zwerneman that he will "absolutely" play in the Texas Bowl on Dec. 28, that could be huge news for the Aggies.
Kansas State is a gritty opponent, but the Wildcats had tremendous trouble against the pass this year, allowing nearly 270 yards per game and ranking 110th nationally. With Knight flinging the ball all over the field, that is the best chance coach Kevin Sumlin's team has of ending a disappointing season on a positive note.
After the Aggies were among the Top Four teams in the initial College Football Playoff rankings, they slumped to end the season at 8-4, and there are plenty of grumbles in College Station. The future is even murkier with Knight out of eligibility.
But that won't be the case in the bowl, and he has plenty of weapons at his disposal. Perhaps the biggest is junior receiver Josh Reynolds, who finished the year with 885 yards and 10 touchdowns. While Christian Kirk may be the possession guy, Reynolds is the big-play star.
If Knight has a lot of luck throwing the ball, you can bet Reynolds will be on the receiving end. Given Knight's propensity to be a gunslinger with a lot of mistakes to go along with his successes, that could propel a receiver into the limelight for postgame honors.
Reynolds is the safe bet here.
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South Carolina: Rico Dowdle
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Not many SEC programs recruited running back Rico Dowdle despite a standout high school career in North Carolina.
He proved that was a mistake with a breakout first season for the Gamecocks.
The compact, bowling-ball back became a major weapon for head coach Will Muschamp's young team, amassing more than 700 yards on the ground and helping make things a lot easier for fellow freshman Jake Bentley when he took over at quarterback late in the year.
If the Gamecocks are going to beat high-powered South Florida and slow down quarterback Quinton Flowers, they've got to churn out some yards on the ground, control the clock and turn time-consuming possessions in to touchdowns.
That type of game has Dowdle written all over it.
Look for Muschamp to turn to his young surprise star-in-the-making, and if he responds, he very well could help South Carolina to its seventh win in a major upset in the Birmingham Bowl on Dec. 29.
Considering the Bulls will be without head coach Willie Taggart, who has gone to Oregon to become the Ducks' next coach, this could be an ideal environment for the upstart Gamecocks to forget about the season-ending setback to Clemson and get a big win to enter the offseason.
Arkansas: Jeremy Sprinkle
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This wasn't the senior season Arkansas' Sprinkle expected.
The 6'6", 256-pound pass-catcher played second fiddle to Hunter Henry throughout his first three years in Fayetteville, but everybody expected a breakout season for the physical specimen following Henry's selection in the NFL draft.
What transpired was Sprinkle winding up with just six more catches than he had all of last season, finishing with 33 catches for 380 yards and four touchdowns. It wasn't a disappointing year at all, but Sprinkle should have been a bigger part of the offense and a weapon for quarterback Austin Allen.
Tight ends coach Barry Lunney told the Times Record's Nate Allen that Sprinkle is committed to going out and finishing with a flurry.
"I think he also knows quite frankly that everything he does is very scrutinized as a potential NFL player," Lunney said. "So I think he is very committed to going out and playing his best game of the season."
That would be big news for a Razorbacks team that needs a breakout game from a big-time player in order to beat a strong Virginia Tech team in the Belk Bowl on Dec. 29.
Georgia: Nick Chubb
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After suffering a gruesome knee injury in 2015 against Tennessee, running back Nick Chubb returned this year and found sledding a bit more difficult than many expected he would. The former megastar was a shell of himself at times during the season.
That he finished with 988 rushing yards in the regular season is a testament to what kind of talent he is.
He and backfield mate Sony Michel already announced they'd return to Athens for their senior seasons, perhaps making the Bulldogs the favorites for next year's wide-open SEC East. Following a month of rest, this could be the beginning of the real comeback for Chubb.
It's just a matter of time before he's electrifying again, and after getting a much-needed break, the explosion could return. If that happens, it'll give Bulldogs fans a ton of excitement about just what to expect from their former All-American in the future.
You'd be a fool to doubt Chubb's skills or his work ethic, and the fact that he stayed upright much of the year after shredding his knee is remarkable. Another offseason of rehab will do that leg well, and he will want to prove to everybody (not the least of which NFL scouts) that he can be a star again.
His return to form should start as early as the Liberty Bowl showdown with TCU on Dec. 30.
Tennessee: Joshua Dobbs
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Dobbs' career wasn't appreciated as much as it should have been in Knoxville. The polarizing quarterback carried the Volunteers at times while head coach Butch Jones rebuilt the program.
Though his senior season was marred by disappointment in an 8-4 campaign, a big reason for that was Tennessee's injury-riddled defense. If anything, Dobbs enjoyed his best collegiate season, garnering second-team All-SEC honors and putting up some gaudy numbers.
He threw for 2,655 yards, ran for 713 more and accounted for 35 touchdowns to lead a high-octane Tennessee offense. The senior from Alpharetta, Georgia, was the most consistent dual-threat quarterback in the league, even if freshman Jalen Hurts of Alabama got most of the headlines.
That final year could make Dobbs the Prescott of 2017, as he has the skill set for an NFL team to take a shot on him in the draft. Considering his intelligence is unquestioned, Dobbs is a lump of clay several offensive coordinators in the league probably can't wait to get their hands on.
But first, Dobbs will end his UT career in the Music City Bowl against Nebraska on Dec. 30, and the Cornhuskers are a solid defensive team, so this won't be easy. All that said, Dobbs will be surrounded with plenty of playmakers such as running backs Alvin Kamara and John Kelly and receiver Josh Malone.
Dobbs makes it all tick. Expect him to have a big game in his finale.
LSU: Derrius Guice
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With Leonard Fournette's decision to skip the Citrus Bowl on Dec. 31 against Louisville to prepare for the NFL draft, that means it's Derrius Guice's show for LSU.
An injury-riddled year kept Fournette from being the difference-making star much of the season for coach Ed Orgeron's team, and Guice proved he is the next big thing on the Bayou, winding up with All-SEC honors as a sophomore.
He may just wind up contending for the Heisman Trophy that Fournette never won, and this will be an opportunity for Guice to show the nation he could be the next star running back in the SEC.
Given the national attention that will be on this game, you know Guice will want the spotlight, and it is an ideal time to seize the stage.
The Cardinals have experienced their share of defensive issues at times despite finishing the year 11th nationally in rush defense. Case in point: Kentucky's talented trio of quarterback Stephen Johnson and running backs Boom Williams and Benny Snell Jr. all had more than 50 rushing yards in the Wildcats' win.
So, it can be done, and Guice may be the most talented back they've faced all year.
Kentucky: Jordan Jones
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It may be a surprising pick considering Kentucky isn't known for its defense, but Jordan Jones is one of the best defensive players you haven't heard of in the SEC.
Not only did he lead the Wildcats with 100 total tackles, he also had 14 tackles for loss and four sacks. The 6'2", 220-pound linebacker is a difference-maker, and he's going to have to be a huge part of this game plan if UK is going to stop Georgia Tech's triple-option attack.
This game is going to be all about gap control and defensive discipline, and while it's going to be a tall task for coach Mark Stoops to get his defense ready for such a unique challenge, Jones is the kind of player who can be an X-factor for the Wildcats in the TaxSlayer Bowl on Dec. 31.
Getting to a bowl game is a big step for Stoops' program in his fourth season, and getting to an eight-win marker would be another major push forward. In order to do that, the Wildcats are going to need a great game on the defensive side of the ball.
Don't be surprised if Jones makes several key plays if UK is going to pull this one out. Just don't expect him to talk about it. The defender rarely conducts interviews and actually whispered answers to questions in one of his teammates' ears in one talk with the media, according to SEC Country's Joe Mussatto.
That may be an uncommon deal, but a player as good as Jones can get away with it.
Florida: Jarrad Davis
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Florida's Jan. 2 Outback Bowl date against Iowa promises to be a defensive slugfest.
The Hawkeyes and Gators showdown just has one of those 16-13 finals written all over it.
Second-year coach Jim McElwain hasn't been able to work his offensive magic in Gainesville yet, but the Gators defense carried them to the SEC Championship Game in each of the past two seasons. Though the East division was down, Florida had plenty of defensive firepower to at least represent the division.
Many of those defenders will be testing the NFL waters after this season, and one of those likely will be junior defensive back Teez Tabor, who should be a high draft pick. But Iowa just doesn't throw the ball enough for Tabor to be a major factor.
That's why the selection here goes to Jarrad Davis, a senior linebacker who gutted it out through an ankle injury in the SEC Championship Game loss to Alabama and was still a major factor despite hobbling off after virtually every series.
The break will be big for him, and Davis will spend his final game with the Gators in style, leading an opportunistic UF defense in tackles. Don't deny his ability to create a game-turning turnover as well. This is the kind of battle Davis has owned in his career, and he'll make his mark on this one, too.
Auburn: Kamryn Pettway
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If there were a breakout star in the SEC this season, it was Auburn sophomore running back Kamryn Pettway.
The 6'0", 240-pound former fullback was way down the depth chart to start the season and wound up rushing for 1,123 yards after several injuries forced him into action. Now, he actually could head to the NFL, though, it appears he'll return to the Plains in 2017.
That's huge news for the Tigers, who should be able to ride the workhorse no matter who the quarterback is in the bowl game or next season.
While Sean White is expected back for the Sugar Bowl against Oklahoma on Jan. 2, the Tigers need to feed the ball to Pettway if they're going to win what would be a huge game for head coach Gus Malzahn as AU works toward the future.
Auburn's game is controlling the pace on offense and letting its defense take over games. The best way to do that is to let Pettway overpower folks and impose his will as the clock winds down. Injuries late in the season slowed down his pace, but Pettway should be healthy after a monthlong rest.
If he's able, Pettway needs the ball at least 25 times against the Sooners. If that happens, Auburn has a good chance to pull an upset.
Alabama: Minkah Fitzpatrick
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There is no good way to attack Alabama, but perhaps the best chance No. 4 Washington has of pulling off an upset against the top-ranked Tide in the College Football Playoff semifinal on Dec. 31 is to air it out.
Of course, that opens the Huskies and star sophomore quarterback Jake Browning up to the relentless pass rush of guys such as consensus All-American Jonathan Allen, Ryan Anderson, Tim Williams and others in a laundry list of future NFL draft picks head coach Nick Saban can deploy.
But Washington knows it won't be able to control the game running the ball, and given a month to prepare, head coach Chris Petersen should be able to devise ways for Browning to deliver some downfield strikes.
If that's the case, it'll give Alabama's secondary plenty of chances to prove it's not a weak link.
With star safety Eddie Jackson out for the year, the defensive backs are led by former top prospects such as Minkah Fitzpatrick, Ronnie Harrison and Marlon Humphrey. Those guys aren't short on talent, and while they don't get the headlines as the front seven, they still corral their share of big plays.
Don't be surprised if Fitzpatrick or one of his counterparts grabs an interception and takes it back to the house for a game-changing play. This is a showcase game for the secondary, and one of those guys will step up with a big game. Fitzpatrick is the guess here.
Quotes and information gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. Statistics obtained from cfbstats.com, unless otherwise noted. Recruiting information obtained from Scout.com, unless otherwise noted.
Brad Shepard covers SEC football and is the Tennessee lead writer for Bleacher Report. Follow Brad on Twitter: @Brad_Shepard.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
