2011 Bowl Schedule: Underrated Playmakers to Watch for in December

All the focus of the bowl season is on the January and BCS games, but there are only 12 of them.

That leaves 20-plus games of players to watch outside of the BCS and January matchups.

And that, of all things, gives us reason to be excited about the games starting Dec. 17.

Here are some underrated players worth watching in the month of December.

Marvin McNutt: WR, Iowa

Insight Bowl: Dec. 30, 10 p.m. (ESPN)

The Hawkeyes' wide receiver isn't as well known as he should be, but he's been a playmaker all season long.  He recorded 78 catches for 1,269 yards and 12 touchdowns on the season, and has 28 total touchdowns for his career.

He has great size and will be an NFL Draft pick.

Leonard Johnson: CB, Iowa State

Pinstripe Bowl: Dec. 30, 3:20 p.m. (ESPN)

The cornerback prospect stands 5-foot-10, 202 pounds, and is part of a defense that recorded 24 takeaways this season, including five interceptions off Oklahoma State's Brandon Weeden and Oklahoma's Landry Jones.

Johnson will line up opposite Rutgers' Mohamed Sanu.  The Scarlet Knights' receiver caught 109 balls this season and is a fringe first-round pick.  This will be a great matchup to watch.

Desmond Trufant: CB, Washington

Valero Alamo Bowl: Dec. 29, 9 p.m. (ESPN)

Another big matchup for a cornerback, Trufant will get the opportunity to line up opposite one of the fastest rising draft prospects in the country, Baylor's Kendall Wright.

The brother of Marcus Trufant, Desmond stands 6-foot-1 and has a great opportunity to show off against the Heisman Trophy winner and his top target.

Michael Egnew: TE, Missouri

AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl: Dec. 26, 5 p.m. (ESPN)

The Tigers' tight end has had a down year with James Franklin under center, but he's still a special playmaker.  Egnew has great size at 6-foot-6, 245 pounds, and will be an NFL draft pick.

It will be a great to watch him take on the athletic UNC linebackers.

2011-2012 Bowl Schedule

Date	When	Where	Bowl	Matchup	Network
12/17	2 p.m. EST	University Stadium: Albuquerque, New Mexico	Gildan New Mexico	Temple vs. Wyoming	ESPN
12/17	5:30 p.m. EST	Bronco Stadium: Boise, Idaho	Famous Idaho Potato Bowl	Ohio vs. Utah State	ESPN
12/17	9 p.m. EST	Mercedes-Benz Superdome: New Orleans Louisiana	R+L Carriers New Orleans	San Diego State vs. Louisiana-Lafeyette	ESPN
12/20	8 p.m. EST	Tropicana Field: St. Petersburg Florida	Beef "O" Brady's St. Petersburg	Florida International vs. Marshall	ESPN
12/21	8 p.m. EST	Qualcomm Stadium: San Diego, California	S.D. County Credit Union Poinsettia	TCU vs. Louisiana Tech	ESPN
12/22	8 p.m. EST	Sam Boyd Stadium: Las Vegas, Nevada	MAACO Las Vegas	Arizona State vs. Boise State	ESPN
12/24	8 p.m. EST	Aloha Stadium: Honolulu, Hawaii	Sheraton Hawaii	Nevada vs. Southern Miss	ESPN
12/26	5 p.m. EST	Independence Stadium: Shreveport, Louisiana	AdvoCare V100 Independence	Missouri vs. North Carolina	ESPN2
12/27	4:30 p.m. EST	Ford Field: Detroit Michigan	Little Ceasars	Western Michigan vs. Purdue	ESPN
12/27	8 p.m. EST	Bank of America Stadium: Charlotte, North Carolina	Belk	Louisville vs. NC State	ESPN
12/28	4:30 p.m. EST	RFK Stadium: Washington D.C.	Military Bowl Presented By Northrop Grumman	Toledo vs. Air Force	ESPN
12/28	8 p.m. EST	Qualcomm Stadium: San Diego, California	Bridgepoint Education Holiday	California vs. Texas	ESPN
12/29	5:30 p.m. EST	Florida Citrus Bowl: Orlando, Florida	Champs Sports	Florida State vs. Notre Dame	ESPN
12/29	9 p.m. EST	Alamodome: San Antonio, Texas	Valero Alamo	Washington vs. Baylor	ESPN
12/30	noon EST	Gerald J. Ford Stadium: Dallas, Texas	Bell Helicopter Armed Forces	BYU vs. Tulsa	ESPN
12/30	3:20 p.m. EST	Yankee Stadium: Bronx, New York	New Era Pinstripe	Rutgers vs. Iowa State	ESPN
12/30	6:40 p.m. EST	LP Field: Nashville, Tennessee	Franklin American Mortgage Music City	Mississippi State vs. Wake Forest	ESPN
12/30	10 p.m. EST	Sun Devil Stadium: Tempe, Arizona	Insight	Iowa vs. Oklahoma	ESPN
12/31	noon EST	Reliant Stadium: Houston, Texas	Meineke Car Care of Texas	Texas A&M vs. Northwestern	ESPN
12/31	2 p.m. EST	Sun Bowl: El Paso, Texas	Hyundai Sun	Georgia Tech vs. Utah	CBS
12/31	3:30 p.m. EST	Liberty Bowl: Memphis, Tennessee	AutoZone Liberty	Cincinnati vs. Vanderbilt	ABC
12/31	3:30 p.m. EST	AT&T Park: San Francisco, California	Kraft Fight Hunger	Illinois vs. UCLA	ESPN
12/31	7:30 p.m. EST	Georgia Dome: Atlanta, Georgia	Chick-fil-A	Virginia vs. Auburn	ESPN
2/1	noon EST	Cotton Bowl: Dallas, Texas	TicketCity	Houston vs. Penn State	ESPNU
2/1	1 p.m. EST	Raymond James Stadium: Tampa, Florida	Outback	Michigan State vs. Georgia	ABC
2/1	1 p.m. EST	Florida Citrus Bowl: Orlando Florida	Capital One	Nebraska vs. South Carolina	ESPN
2/1	1 p.m. EST	EverBank Field: Jacksonville, Florida	Taxlayer.com Gator Bowl	Ohio State vs. Florida	ESPN2
2/1	5 p.m. EST	Rose Bowl: Pasadena, California	Rose Bowl presented by Vizio	Wisconsin vs. Oregon	ESPN
2/1	8:30 p.m. EST	University of Phoenix Stadium: Glendale, Arizona	Tostitos Fiesta	Stanford vs. Oklahoma State	ESPN
3/1	8:30 p.m. EST	Louisiana Superdome: New Orleans Louisiana	Allstate Sugar	Michigan vs. Virginia Tech	ESPN
4/1	8:30 p.m. EST	Sun Life Stadium: Miami, Florida	Discover Orange	West Virginia vs. Clemson	ESPN
6/1	8 p.m. EST	Cowboys Stadium: Arlington, Texas	AT&T Cotton	Kansas State vs. Arkansas	FOX
7/1	1 p.m. EST	Legion Field: Birmingham, Alabama	BBVA Compass Bowl	SMU vs. Pittsburgh	ESPN
8/1	9 p.m. EST	Ladd-Peebles Stadium: Mobile, Alabama	GoDaddy.com	Arkansas State vs. Northern Illinois	ESPN
9/1	8:30 p.m. EST	Louisiana Superdome: New Orleans, Louisiana	Allstate BCS National Championship Game	LSU vs. Alabama	ESPN