Washington Huskies in the 2011 Alamo Bowl: 5 Players You Need to Know

The Washington Huskies, who surprised most of the college football world by pulling out seven wins this season, are facing off against the Baylor Bears in the Alamo Bowl this postseason. 

Led by a young, yet talented, QB in Keith Price, Washington defeated two strong teams in Cal and Utah on their way to third place in the Pac-12 North. Price and the Huskies' offense was impressive in tough losses to Stanford, Oregon and USC. 

However, Price didn't do this all alone. He had some help from some big-time playmakers on both offense and defense. As the Alamo Bowl creeps closer, some of those guys deserve some credit as well.

We take a look at the top five athletes on the Huskies' side that you'll need to know once the 29th comes around.  

Jermaine Kearse

The senior WR has been QB Keith Price's top target all season. Pulling down 42 receptions for just over 500 yards and six TDs. Kearse is a danger to score every time he catches the ball. 

Kearse also has two carries for 13 yards and one TD. He has great hands and a talent for finding holes in defensive zones. Price should continue to make Kearse his main man in the receiving corps in his last college game. 

Cort Dennison

Hailing from Salt Lake City, this senior LB leads the team in tackles on the year. Dennison totaled 113 tackles, one sack, 6.5 TFL and one interception on the season. 

Easily one of the best players on the squad, he is the key to the run defense for the Huskies. A solid part of the zone pass defense as well, Dennison is what makes his side of the ball tick. 

Watch for him to make some big-time plays in the Alamo Bowl.

Chris Polk

A junior out of Redlands, CA, No. 1 has been a constant threat to opponents all year. Gaining over 1,300 yards on 263 carries for 11 TDs, Polk is dangerous.

His running ability masks just how good a receiver he really is, allowing him to make 300 yards on 29 receptions for four TDs. Polk matches up well against any defensive front. If he can break through, his speed will easily carry him to the end zone. 

Sean Parker

Also No. 1, Sean Parker is a dangerous defensive back. He leads the team in interceptions with four and has the second-most tackles for the Huskies with 41 solo and 35 assisted.

He has faced off all year against top-notch receivers and will continue that trend in this season's Alamo Bowl. His main opponent will be Kendall Wright and head coach Sarkisian will be wise to have Parker man-up on him all game. Shutting down Wright would be a huge step towards stopping Griffin III and a powerful Baylor offense.

Keith Price

Starting for the first time this season, the sophomore from Compton, CA, has really impressed. Throwing for 2,625 yards, 29 TDs and only 11 interceptions, Price completed just under 70 percent of his passes and owned a QB rating of 157.9.

Those are extremely similar to Terrelle Pryor's stats from last season. This future superstar is the next big thing in Seattle. 

He should really show up in this huge bowl game on a national stage, but will have a tough time out-shining the Heisman winner. Placing third in a tough Pac-12 North, Price is a great asset to coach Sarkisian and Washington and will be so for the next few years.