FantasyPros Staff | Tue, Dec 27th 2022, 10:43am EST

2022 College Football Bowl Game Player Opt-Out Tracker & Head Coaching Changes

Thor Nystrom tracks players opting out of upcoming bowl games as well as the coaching changes around the college football landscape. Thor will update the article through the remainder of the bowl season to keep you updated on opt-outs and 2023 NFL Draft prospects. News note: On December 16, the NCAA approved a one-time blanket waiver to exempt this year’s bowl games from counting against 2022 redshirt status. Numerous programs went public with their requests. This will allow numerous players who have appeared in four games this season who otherwise would have been withheld to play. Numbers note: My adjusted spreads (ATL) include home-field modifiers, and consider the value-drop from inactive regulars to their projected fill-ins. My adjusted totals (ATT) also take into consideration opt-outs. Check out Thor’s projections for all college football bowl games

2022 College Football Bowl Game Player Opt-Out Tracker & Head Coaching Changes

Camellia Bowl | Montgomery, AL

Tuesday, December 27 | 11:00 AM
Georgia Southern (-3.5) vs. Buffalo | Total: 67
ATL: GSU -3.1 | ATT: 69.5

Buffalo

QB Matt Myers (Transfer portal)
QB Casey Case (Transfer portal)
RB Ron Cook Jr. (Injury)
RB Al-Jay Henderson (Injury)
WR Jamari Gassett (Transfer portal)
TE Trevor Borland (Transfer portal)

Neither RB Cook nor RB Henderson played in the finale against Akron, the game Buffalo won to achieve bowl eligibility. Cook hasn’t played since Nov. 9. The pair combined for 901 rushing yards this season. WR Gassett was the team’s WR3. QB Myers was the team’s running option at quarterback. He was used much-more in that capacity down the stretch with RBs Cook and Henderson down. Myers rushed for 110 yards and three TD in the second-to-last-game against Kent State. But he didn’t suit up for the finale against Akron with one foot already out the door. QB3 Case was a backup, but his loss along with Myers’ leaves Buffalo very thin at QB. If QB1 Cole Snyder were to go down, Buffalo would be down to its fourth-stringer. Georgia Southern

WR Derwin Burgess Jr. (Injury)
WR Amare Jones (Injury)
WR Sam Kenerson (Injury)
LS Mark Langston (Injury)
DL Latrell Bullard (Injury)
CB Derrick Canteen (Transfer portal)

CB Canteen announced his intention to transfer on Dec. 13, but he did not specify whether or not he would stick around to play in this game. It would be a big loss for GSU if Canteen opts-out. Canteen was a national All-Freshman team in his debut campaign. During the regular season, he posted 64 tackles. Canteen was easily GSU’s best cover corner, and also its most-valuable defender overall. GSU has two starting-caliber G5 corners that are still active. But if Canteen is out, you not only lose your best defender, but the depth behind the starters is very thin. WRs Burgess Jr., Jones, and Kenerson, LS Langston, and DL Bullard are out for the season with injuries. WRs Burgess Jr. and Jones were starters. Fortunately, GSU still has its two-best receivers in WRs Jeremy Singleton and Khaleb Hood. But it’s fair to say that GSU QB Kyle Vantrease’s secondary options were slashed following the injuries to Burgess Jr. and Jones.

First Responder Bowl | Dallas, TX

Tuesday, December 27 | 2:15 PM
Memphis (-7.5) vs. Utah State | Total: 61.5
ATL: Memphis -15.3 | ATT: 62

Memphis

RB Brandon Thomas (Injury)
WR Koby Drake (Injury)
WR Joe Scates (Injury)
EDGE Warren Peeples (Transfer portal)
CB Julian Barnett (Unknown)
DB Joshua Hastings (Transfer portal)

RB Thomas was lost for the season in mid-November. Fortunately, Memphis still has two healthy backs of analogous talent in Jevyon Ducker and Asa Martin, so Thomas’ loss has been mitigated. WRs Scates and Drake are questionable for the bowl with injuries. Neither are difference-makers, but both see the field when active. CB/S Hastings began the season as starter but hadn’t played since mid-October – PFF panned his work through the first six games (54.5 grade). Reserve CB Barnett (26 snaps) is out indefinitely for undisclosed reasons. EDGE Peeples only saw 25 snaps in the fall. Utah State

QB Logan Bonner (Injury)
QB Levi Williams (Injury)
RB Robert Briggs (Injury)
RB John Gentry (Transfer portal)
WR Kyle Van Leeuwen (Injury)
WR Xavier Williams (Transfer portal)
DT Phillip Paea (Injury)
DE John Ward (Injury)
CB Ajani Carter (Injury)
CB Michael Anyanwu (Injury)
S Luke Marion (Transfer portal)

RB Calvin Tyler Jr., who ran for 1,043 yards as USU’s RB1, declared for the NFL Draft and was originally reported as having opted-out. But the 2022 second-team All-MWC pick will play in the bowl – as he (very politely) tweeted at me on Wednesday night. This is big news for an Aggies offense that otherwise appeared decimated and was looking at the prospect of starting an RB3 next to its QB3 in the bowl game. Tyler Jr. was the offense’s highest-graded PFF player among those with 200 or more snaps. But if you change the cut-off to 195, he’s actually slightly bested by RB2 Briggs. Unfortunately, Briggs is injured and won’t play. Neither will RB5 Gentry, who didn’t see a snap in the regular season. Gentry was a consensus top-750 overall recruit coming out of high school who USU probably could have used in this game. Interestingly, when the media asked Tyler Jr. about his breakout season, he credited Gentry as being “the most important teammate this year” due to his practice habits. But with Tyler active for the bowl season, Utah State’s running back situation is stabilized. The Aggies can mix in RB3 Pailate Makakona (who took only 48 snaps this year) and RB4 Jordan Wilmore (a Utah transfer who didn’t play in September or October but had seven carries in the finale) behind him. The quarterback room has been decimated for most of the campaign.QB1 Bonner is out for the year with a lower-body injury suffered in September. QB2 Williams is almost assuredly out for this game as well following an ankle injury in late-November. Bonner’s early-season play significantly dropped off in comparison to his previous three seasons. QB3 Cooper Legas will likely start again. Judged against Bonner’s 2022 regression, Legas is only a slight downgrade. Judged against Bonner’s 2021, Legas is a big downgrade. QB Bonner announced he will declare for the 2023 NFL Draft in mid-December. In part because of injuries, the Aggies offense fell from No. 19 last season to No. 92 in the regular season. USU finished No. 99 in scoring and No. 128 in the red zone. USU HC Blake Anderson has expressed confidence that starting CBs Carter and Anyanwu, along with second-string DE John Ward, will be able to return from injuries for the bowl game. WR Van Leeuwen and DT Paea were both lost for the season in September. WR Williams and S Marion were scarcely used in the fall, they’re moving on in search of more playing time. Coaching News Memphis HC Ryan Silverfield – rumored to be on the hot seat – was told he will return next season.

Birmingham Bowl | Birmingham, AL

Tuesday, December 27 | 5:45 PM
East Carolina (-8.5) vs. Coastal Carolina | Total: 62.5
ATL: ECU -5.8 | ATT: 63

Coastal Carolina

QB Bryce Carpenter (Suspension)
C Willie Lampkin (Transfer portal)
DE Josaiah Stewart (Transfer portal)
CB Manny Stokes (Transfer portal)
CB Zxaequan Reeves (Transfer portal)
S Dre Pinckney (Injury)

QB Grayson McCall is in the transfer portal – but in a surprising twist, McCall announced he would play in the bowl game before transferring. McCall returned from a foot injury to start in the Sun Belt title game but clearly wasn’t 100% in that game. If he’s indeed playing in the bowl, the extra three-and-a-half weeks to heal will likely do the foot some good. McCall has been named the Sun Belt’s Player of the Year in three-straight seasons. The drop-off between McCall and QB3 Jarrett Guest is the largest in the nation from a point-spread perspective. QB2 Carpenter is suspended due to an off-field incident. McCall playing in the bowl is the good news for Coastal. The bad news is that the Chants won’t be at full-strength regardless. OC Lampkin was a first-team All-Sun Belt selection who figures to be looking to move up to the P5. Coastal’s backup center took only 18 snaps. Lampkin was easily the team’s best offensive linemen. Without Lampkin, Coastal Carolina will start an offensive line where none of the five starters had a PFF grade of even 65.0. Lampkin transferred to UNC. DE Stewart and CB Stokes were both contributors on defense. Stewart will particularly be missed after he logged 10 TFL during the regular season – he was the team’s best pass rusher. Stewart has signed with Michigan. East Carolina

RB Rahjai Harris (Injury)
TE Ryan Jones (Opt-out)
C Avery Jones (Transfer portal)
EDGE Elijah Robinson (Transfer portal)
S Shawn Dourseau (Transfer portal)

TE Jones’ pass-catching ability will be missed against a rancid Coastal Carolina pass defense. He had a disappointing season, but there’s a qualitative drop-off to his backup nonetheless. OC Jones was another starter. ECU’s backup center only was on the field for nine snaps this season. S Dourseau was a part-timer who logged 227 snaps. Platoon RB Harris was knocked out for the season in October. EDGE Robinson was a little-used backup. Coaching News Coastal Carolina HC Jamey Chadwell accepted the same position at Liberty and will not coach in this game. The Chants hired NC State OC Tim Beck to replace Chadwell, but he will not coach in this game. Coastal named DC Chad Staggs interim coach for the bowl.

Guaranteed Rate Bowl | Phoenix, AZ

Tuesday, December 27 | 9:15 PM
Wisconsin (-3.5) vs. Oklahoma State | Total: 43
ATL: OSU -2.3 | ATT: 41

Oklahoma State

QB Spencer Sanders (Transfer portal)
RB Dominic Richardson (Transfer portal)
WR Jaden Bray (Injury)
WR Bryson Green (Injury)
WR Braylin Presley (Transfer portal)
WR Langston Anderson (Transfer portal)
C Eli Russ (Transfer portal)
DT Brendon Evers (Opt-out)
DE Trace Ford (Transfer portal)
DE Tyler Lacy (Opt-out)
LB Mason Cobb (Transfer portal)
LB Na’Drian Dizadare (Transfer portal)
CB Thomas Harper (Transfer portal)
S Kanion Williams (Transfer portal)

QB Sanders’ shocking transfer leaves Gunnar Gundy or Garret Rangel at quarterback. Neither of the latter two are appealing options to start this game. Gundy and Rangel combined to complete 52% of passes with a 5/7 TD/INT ratio this year filling in for Sanders. The pair also doesn’t provide the rushing utility that Sanders did. Sanders finished No. 2 on the team in rushing. The leader, RB Richardson, won’t play either after announcing his intent to transfer. WR Bray was shut down and will take a redshirt this season. WR Green didn’t play in the finale against West Virginia with an undisclosed injury. WR Braylin Presley was a reserve. OSU can still go three-wide with a trio that had 500-or-more snaps this fall with WRs Brennan Presley, John Paul Richardson, and Braydon Johnson – but depth has obviously taken a big hit. DE Lacy was a 285-pound edge-setter who also chipped in 6.5 sacks the past two years. DE Ford and LB Cobb were starters and team leaders. Cobb had 96 tackles in the fall – he has transferred to USC. DE Brock Martin, a second-time All-Big 12 selection, declared for the NFL Draft but announced he would play in this game. If he changed course, OSU would be in deep trouble on the edge. Wisconsin

QB Graham Mertz (Transfer portal)
QB Deacon Hill (Transfer portal)
RB Isaac Guerendo (Transfer portal)
RB Braelon Allen (Injury)
WR Stephan Bracey (Transfer portal)
WR Markus Allen (Unknown status)
TE Jaylan Franklin (Transfer portal)
TE Clay Cundiff (Injury)
TE Cam Large (Injury)
TE Cole Dakovich (Injury)
OT Logan Brown (Transfer portal)
OG/TE Tyler Beach (Opt-out)
OC Joe Tippman (Opt-out)
NT Keeanu Benton (Opt-out)
LB Tristan Monday (Transfer portal)
LB Nick Herbig (Opt-out)
CB Semar Melvin (Transfer portal)
CB Jay Shaw (Opt-out)
CB Justin Clark (Opt-out)
S Titus Toler (Transfer portal)

QB Mertz, the longtime Badgers starter, is out the door. There were reports he would transfer to Kentucky to take over Will Levis’ former post, but Mertz is taking additional visits before making anything official. The Badgers are down to Chase Wolf and Myles Burkett at quarterback. That’ll probably come down to whether Wisconsin wants to reward the veteran Wolf in his last collegiate game or take the evaluation opportunity to get an extended look at the youngster Burkett. RB Allen’s status is an open question mark. Allen seemed to shoot down rumors that he could transfer with a tweet after the regular season insinuating he was committed to Wisconsin. But Allen has a right leg injury that has tagged him with a questionable designation for this game. RB Guerendo’s loss will be felt more on special teams, where he was the kick returner. WR Allen entered the portal, pulled out, and then returned to school. It is unclear if Allen will play in the bowl game. TE Cundiff and TE Large were lost for the season earlier in the campaign. Between those losses, TE Franklin’s transfer, and TE Dakovich’s up-in-the-air health status, the Badgers are down to Jack Eschenbach and Hayden Rucci at TE. OC Tippman was a longtime starter along the offensive line who the NFL is highly interested in. Wisko’s OC2 took only 28 snaps this year. OG Beach and OT Brown were part-time starters. OG Michael Furtney entered the transfer portal but pulled out to return – it appears he will be active for the bowl. NT Benton’s loss deprives the Badgers of their interior space-clogger. Defensive end is the only position on the entire roster where Wisko appears to still be at full-strength. The Badgers have only one remaining starter at corner, and the depth at that position is shot. Three-of-the-four top safeties are still around. That group may get more nickel responsibilities in this one. Coaching News New Wisconsin HC Luke Fickell won’t coach in this game, but alluded to being around to help. He may get some input on personnel decisions, such as the starting quarterback decision. Fickell hired ex-UNC OC Phil Longo to call plays in 2023, but Longo’s system won’t be installed until the offseason. More topically to this game, Wisconsin’s interim HC Jim Leonhard, a favorite of players and the fanbase alike, will leave the program after this game following conversations with Fickell. The players figure to give Leonhard strong effort in Leonhard’s last game with the school before moving on.

Military Bowl | Annapolis, MD

Wednesday, December 28 | 1:00 PM
Duke (-3) vs. UCF | Total: 62.5
ATL: UCF -5.5 | ATT: 61.5

Duke

WR Darrell Harding Jr. (Transfer portal)
LB Rocky Shelton II (Transfer portal)
CB Tony Davis (Transfer portal)

All three were little-used reserves. UCF

QB Mikey Keene (Transfer portal)
QB John Rhys Plumlee (Injury)
WR Ryan O’Keefe (Transfer portal)
WR Jordan Johnson (Transfer portal)
WR Amari Johnson (Injury)
TE Jordan Davis (Injury)
LB Terrence Lewis (Transfer portal)
LB Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste (Transfer portal)
CB Davonte Brown (Transfer portal)
CB Travion Shadrick-Harris (Transfer portal)

QB Plumlee was badly beaten-up at the end of the regular season, failing to complete or play in five of UCF’s last six games. His most recent injury, following a concussion and a shoulder issue, is a hamstring strain. Plumlee’s status is especially important to monitor with QB2 Keene in the transfer portal. UCF’s freshman QB3 Thomas Castellanos played poorly in the finale when called upon. SI’s UCF blog wrote on Dec. 5: “[Plumlee is] no place near healthy right now” and “the hamstring is truly not responding to treatment. … In short, Castellanos will be far more prepared to play against Duke than he was Tulane.” Take that for what it’s worth. The team has been sparse with updates. Plumlee did announce he’s returning to UCF next season. WR O’Keefe, LB Jean-Baptiste and CB Brown were all starters. O’Keefe, who was the team’s leading receiver with 73 catches, transferred to Boston College. Jean-Baptiste, who was third on the Knights in tackles, transferred to Ole Miss. Brown stayed in-state and signed with Miami. Coaching News UCF OC Chip Lindsey accepted the same job at UNC on Dec. 15, replacing Phil Longo, who jumped to Luke Fickell’s new Wisconsin staff.

Liberty Bowl | Memphis, TN

Wednesday, December 28 | 4:30 PM
Arkansas (-3) vs. Kansas | Total: 68.5
ATL: Kansas -2.1 | ATT: 73.5

Arkansas

QB Malik Hornsby (Transfer portal)
QB Kade Renfro (Injury)
RB James Jointer (Transfer portal)
WR Jadon Haselwood (Opt-out)
WR Ketron Jackson (Transfer portal)
WR Warren Thompson (Transfer portal)
TE Trey Knox (Transfer portal)
C Ricky Stromberg (Opt-out)
DT Isaiah Nichols (Transfer portal)
EDGE Eric Thomas Jr. (Transfer portal)
LB Drew Sanders (Opt-out)
LB Bumper Pool (Opt-out)
CB Keuan Parker (Transfer portal)
S Myles Slusher (Transfer portal)
S Jalen Catalon (Injury)
S Khari Johnson (Transfer Portal)

QB KJ Jefferson announced he’s returning to school next season. That was awesome news for the Hogs for 2023, and also crucial for their viability in this game. The rest of the news for Arkansas is not as good. WR Haselwood broke out with 59 catches, 702 yards and seven TD this fall. WR Jackson was also a starter – he’s off to Baylor in the portal. WR Thompson was a highly-used rotational receiver would would have started in this game if he hadn’t also decided to transfer prior to it. In conjunction with TE Knox’s defection – to South Carolina – QB Jefferson will be very light on receiving weapons in the bowl against Kansas. OC Stromberg and LB Sanders were both first-team All-SEC performers and impact starters. Sanders finally made “The Leap” in 2022, posting 9.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and 103 tackles. DT Nichols and LB Pool were also starters. Pool might not be the splashiest of players, but he was an ultra-reliable in the Hogs’ front-seven for years, posting 90-plus tackles in four-straight seasons. S Slusher quit the team after not seeing eye-to-eye with the staff about an incident that occurred in the fall. Slusher has committed to Louisville. S Catalon, the other starting safety, underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in September. Nickel defender Johnson, who played in 10 games this season while starting three, transferred to Boston College. This is a lot of vacated snaps for a team that was extremely inconsistent this fall as was. Kansas

RB Daniel Hishaw (Injury)
WR Steven McBride (Transfer portal)
WR Lawrence Arnold (Injury)
TE Will Huggins (Injury)
OG James Livingston (Injury)
LB Eriq Gilyard (Transfer portal)
LB Gavin Potter (Transfer portal)
DB Jarrett Paul (Transfer portal)
K Jacob Borcila (Injury)

RB Hishaw suffered a season-ending injury in October. WR Arnold hurt his leg in the finale against Kansas State – his status is unclear. K Borcila is questionable with an unknown injury. LB Gilyard was a rotational linebacker who didn’t pan out as the team had hoped after transferring in from UCF – he’s now off to UConn. OG Livingston, TE Huggins, and LB Potter barely played this fall and likely won’t play in the bowl. WR McBride and DB Paul, also reserves, have transferred to Hawaii and Appy State, respectively. Coaching News Arkansas DC Barry Odom took the UNLV head coaching job. Not only did HC Sam Pittman fire strength and conditioning coach Jamil Walker after the Missouri loss, but Pittman promised more staff changes were coming. Former Arkansas strength and conditioning coach Jamil Walker was fired.

Holiday Bowl | San Diego, CA

Wednesday, December 28 | 7:00 PM
Oregon (-14.5) vs. North Carolina | Total: 73
ATL: Oregon -15.1 | ATT: 80

Oregon

QB Jay Butterfield (Transfer portal)
RB Byron Cardwell (Transfer portal)
RB Sean Dollars (Transfer portal)
WR Seven McGee (Transfer portal)
WR Dont’e Thornton (Transfer portal)
TE Terrell Tilmon (Transfer portal)
OT Bram Walden (Transfer portal)
OT Dawson Jaramillo (Transfer portal)
DE Bradyn Swinson (Transfer portal)
LB Noah Sewell (Opt-out)
LB Justin Flowe (Transfer portal)
LB Jackson LaDuke (Transfer portal)
LB Adrian Jackson (Transfer portal)
CB Christian Gonzalez (Opt-out)

Oregon QB Bo Nix confirmed he will play in the bowl, and also that he’s returning next season, both crucial developments for the Ducks. LB Flowe and WR Thornton were former ballyhooed recruits who played rotational roles. Thornton was relied upon more down the stretch – it’s possible his enormous catch radius could be missed against what will be a rancid UNC secondary. Flowe is off to Arizona, while Thornton’s fellow rotational WR McGee chose to transfer to FCS Jackson State. RB Cardwell was hurt most of the season and Oregon managed to have one of the nation’s most dangerous rushing offenses anyway. RB Dollars functioned as RB3. TE Tilmon and OTs Jaramillo and Walden barely played. LB Noah Sewell, a a five-star recruit and three-year starter, declared for the NFL draft and opted-out. Sewell posted 215 tackles, 20.5 TFL and 7.5 sacks over 33 career games. CB Gonazalez was a standout starter and All-Conference performer. Gonzalez, who posted a sterling 81.2 PFF grade during the fall, was the team’s most valuable defender. He finished the 2022 regular season with four interceptions and seven pass breakups. North Carolina

QB Jacoby Criswell (Transfer portal)
RB Devon Lawrence (Transfer portal)
RB Caleb Hood (Injury)
RB British Brooks (Injury)
WR Josh Downs (Opt-out)
DT Jahlil Taylor (Transfer portal)
DT Keeshawn Silver (Transfer portal)
EDGE Chris Collins (Transfer portal)
LB Raneiria Dillworth (Transfer portal)
LB Sebastian Cheeks (Injury)
LB Noah Taylor (Injury)
CB Tony Grimes (Transfer portal)
CB Storm Duck (Transfer portal)
CB Dontae Balfour (Transfer portal)
S Cam’Ron Kelly (Transfer portal)
K Jonathan Kim (Transfer portal)

QB Drake Maye announced he would return to UNC next season – he’ll start. Maye was the ACC Player of the Year, ACC Offensive Player of the Year, ACC Rookie of the Year and ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year. Unfortunately, his top target, WR Downs, declared for the NFL Draft and opted out. Downs, a first-team All-ACC selection and second-team All-American, is one of the best receivers in America – he recorded 94 catches and 11 TD in 2022. His absence hurts. Though it could be argued it’s in some ways canceled-out by Oregon’s loss of CB Gonzalez. RB Brooks, a projected potential starter in the preseason, was knocked out before the campaign with a knee injury. RB Hood is questionable with an undisclosed injury. LB Cheeks, who barely played, is out for the year with a shoulder injury. EDGE Collins finished No. 13 on the defense in snaps, but PFF panned his work – he has transferred to Minnesota. LB Taylor, indisputably one of the defense’s top-three defenders through the first eight games, saw his season end with a lower-body injury in late-October. UNC’s secondary was ravaged by defections – CB Grimes, CB Duck, and S Kelly were all starters. This is not good news for an awful-as-was Tar Heels defense. CB Ladaeson DeAndre Hollins, who entered the portal but pulled out to return, figures to see a ton of playing time in the bowl. K Kim was the team’s kickoff specialist. Coaching News Both teams will be without their offensive play-callers. Oregon OC Kenny Dillingham took Arizona State’s HC job. The Ducks have tabbed offensive assistants Junior Adams and Drew Mehringer play-callers for this game. UNC OC Phil Longo left to become Luke Fickell’s new OC at Wisconsin. UNC OL coach Jack Bicknell Jr. followed Longo to Wisconsin. HC Mack Brown named WR coach Lonnie Galloway passing-game coordinator and TE coach John Lilly running-game coordinator for the bowl game.

Texas Bowl | Houston, TX

Wednesday, December 28 | 8:00 PM
Ole Miss (-3.5) vs. Texas Tech | Total: 70 ATL: Miss -4.1 | ATT: 72

Texas Tech

QB Donovan Smith (Transfer portal)
QB Behren Morton (Injury)
TE Mason Tharp (Injury)
OG Michael Shanahan (Transfer portal)
OT Ethan Carde (Transfer portal)
DT Philip Blidi (Transfer portal)
LB Tyree Wilson (Injury)
LB Bryce Ramirez (Injury)
S Reggie Pearson Jr. (Transfer portal)
S Kobee Minor (Transfer portal)

LB Wilson had posted seven sacks and 15 TFL prior to suffering a season-ending injury on Nov. 12 against Kansas. That was a devastating loss – no other way to put it. Wilson, headed to the NFL next season, is a favorite of ESPN’s Jordan Reid. The 6-foot-6, 275-pound edge terror currently ranks No. 11 overall on Mel Kiper’s big board. QB Tyler Shough is expected to start with youngster QB Behren Morton still on the mend from his ankle injury. Morton is considered questionable – if he’s active, it’ll be as the QB2. The Red Raiders will be without the services of QB3 Smith, who transferred to Houston in hopes of taking over for the departing Clayton Tune. Texas Tech starting senior OL Weston Wright announced he’s heading to the NFL after the bowl game, but that he would play in it. TE Tharp, a starter, is questionable with an undisclosed injury. OG Shanahan and OT Carde were buried on the depth chart. DT Blidi was a rotational linemen whose work can be replaced. LB Ramirez is out for the season after suffering a serious leg injury in his first-career start back in September. S Pearson was a starter who played heavy snaps, but PFF panned his work with a ghastly 53.4 grade. Nickel defender Minor likely would have been in line for heavier snaps in the bowl – especially after he played quasi-starter minutes the last two games – but he’s also looking for a new home. Ole Miss

QB Luke Altmyer (Transfer portal)
RB Isaiah Woullard (Transfer portal)
WR Dannis Jackson (Transfer portal)
WR Bralon Brown (Transfer portal)
TE Michael Trigg (Injury)
OG Jalen Cunningham (Transfer portal)
EDGE Demon Clowney (Transfer portal)
EDGE Brandon Mack (Transfer portal)
LB Jaron Willis (Transfer portal)
CB Miles Battle (Transfer portal)
S MJ Daniels (Transfer portal)
K Caden Costa (Suspension)

TE Trigg was a difference-maker, but he was knocked out for the campaign in early-October with a broken collarbone. K Costa has been serving a one-year suspension for use of banned substances. It’s possible he could be cleared for return in the bowl, but it’s unclear if that will happen. QB Altmyer, WR Jackson, and DE Clowney were all reserves. CB Battle, however, played 322 snaps in all 12 regular season games, posting 33 tackles with five passes defended and an interception. The rest of the players above wouldn’t have seen big roles in this game – it’s possible HC Lane Kiffin pushed most of them out the door to clear room for his already-famous portal machinations. Coaching News Mississippi OL coach Jake Thornton left to join Hugh Freeze’s Auburn staff.

Pinstripe Bowl | Bronx, NY

Thursday, December 29 | 1:00 PM
Minnesota (-10) vs. Syracuse | Total: 42
ATL: Minny -12.2 | ATT: 45.5

Syracuse

RB Sean Tucker (Opt-out)
FB Chris Elmore (Injury)
WR Courtney Jackson (Transfer portal)
WR Isaiah Jones (Injury)
WR Anthony Queeley (Transfer portal)
OT Matthew Bergeron (Opt-out)
DT Terry Lockett (Injury)
DE Steve Linton (Transfer portal)
EDGE Stefon Thompson (Injury)
CB Garrett Williams (Injury)
CB Darian Chestnut (Transfer portal)
S Ja’Had Carter (Transfer portal)

RB Tucker is an enormous loss. A second-team AP All-American in 2021, Tucker posted 3,804 scrimmage yards and 31 total TD during his career. He was a first-team All-ACC pick last year and a second-team All-ACC selection in 2022. An explosive back who could threaten the high-4.3s in the forty, Tucker is likely to be a Day 2 pick in the spring. The offense suffered another big blow on Dec. 20 when starting LT Bergeron entered the 2023 NFL draft and announced he wouldn’t play in the Pinstripe Bowl. Lauded by scouts for his length, movement, and four-year-starter experience, Bergeron is the No. 5 tackle in Mel Kiper Jr.’s position rankings. WR Jackson had 15 catches and DE Linton posted six TFL this season, each in timeshares. CB Williams was a standout starter until being lost for the season in Game 7 with a knee injury – he’s off to the NFL. CB Chestnut was the team’s best cover corner in the fall – he’s portal-bound. CB Jeremiah Wilson entered the transfer portal but pulled out and returned – he’s likely to see the field plenty in the bowl due to the aforementioned losses. Unfortunately, starting S Carter has also moved on. FB Elmore (16 snaps), WR Jones (69), WR Queeley (27), DT Lockett (92), and EDGE Thompson (22) didn’t factor in much this fall and are all out for the bowl. Elmore, a skilled fullback whose season was wrecked by health, declared for the draft. Minnesota

QB Tanner Morgan (Injury)
WR Chris Autman-Bell (Injury)
DT Gage Keys (Transfer portal)
EDGE Austin Booker (Transfer portal)
LB Braelen Oliver (Transfer portal)
CB Jalen Glaze (Transfer portal)
S Michael Dixon (Transfer portal)
S Steven Ortiz (Transfer portal)

QB Morgan hasn’t played in over a month with what is suspected to be his second concussion of the season. HC PJ Fleck has not addressed his bowl status. If Morgan can’t go, QB2 Athan Kaliakmanis will draw his fourth-straight start and fifth of the season. I’m told that Morgan has been an extremely limited participant in bowl practices, but has not been ruled out internally. One idea that was forwarded to me is that Morgan could be given limited snaps in the game if able to go as a sort-of farewell in his last collegiate game. LB Oliver and S Dixon were key contributors on defense. WR Autman-Bell was the Gophers’ best receiver prior to undergoing season-ending surgery in October – that development left Minnesota’s receiving corps decimated (the Gophers moved aggressively to address that in the portal over the past few weeks, signing two projected starting WRs). DT Keys, EDGE Booker, CB Glaze and S Ortiz were all reserves. Coaching News Syracuse OC Robert Anae left for the same job at NC State. Syracuse responded by elevating QB coach Jason Beck to OC. Beck will call plays in the bowl. Syracuse DC Tony White left for the same job at Nebraska. Minnesota RB coach Kenni Burns left to become Kent State’s new head coach. Burns had also been Minnesota’s assistant HC since 2019. Burns first joined Fleck’s staff as RB coach at Western Michigan, so this is a MAC homecoming of sorts for him.

Cheez-It Bowl | Orlando, FL

Thursday, December 29 | 4:30 PM
Florida State (-9) vs. Oklahoma | Total: 65.5
ATL: FSU -12.9 | ATT: 67

Oklahoma

QB Nick Evers (Transfer portal)
RB Eric Gray (Opt-out)
WR Theo Wease (Transfer portal)
WR Trevon West (Transfer portal)
TE Daniel Parker Jr. (Suspension)
OT Wanya Morris (Opt-out)
OT Anton Harrison (Opt-out)
DT Jalen Redmond (Opt-out)
LB Clayton Smith (Transfer portal)
LB Shane Whitter (Injury)
CB Joshua Eaton (Transfer portal)
CB Kendall Dennis (Transfer portal)

RB Gray was the Sooners’ bellcow running back. He was one of the best backs in America this year. Gray’s 90.6 PFF grade was elite territory. The platoon of RBs Jovantae Barnes and Marcus Major is a huge downgrade. Speaking of huge downgrades, OT Harrison and OT Morris, the team’s starting tackles, are also out the door. Each were solidly above-average Power 5 starters. It’s fair to be concerned about Oklahoma’s fill-in offensive line without them. WR Wease had 19 catches. TE Parker Jr., a half-timer, is on an indefinite suspension. DT Redmond led the team in snaps among interior defensive linemen during the regular season – but he’s more a worker bee than a star. LB Whittier, a little-used backup, is out for the season with a shoulder injury. CBs Eaton and Dennis also didn’t see the field much in the fall. Florida State

WR Winston Wright Jr. (Injury)
WR Darion Williamson (Injury)
OT Lloyd Willis (Transfer portal)
DT Shambre Jackson (Transfer portal)
EDGE George Wilson Jr. (Transfer portal)
LB Stephen Dix Jr. (Injury)
CB Sam McCall (Transfer portal)

FSU QB Jordan Travis announced he will return next season. In addition to Travis, EDGE Jared Verse and S Jammie Robinson announced they would play in the bowl game. The upshot for the rest of the list: Very, very little useable pieces from the fall will be inactive for the bowl. WR Wright Jr. missed the season with a leg injury suffered in a car accident. Wright will not play in this game, but he’s already announced he will return to school next year. WR Williamson was knocked out for the season in September. OT Willis was a little-used backup. LB Dix Jr. is out for the year with a shoulder injury. DT Jackson and EDGE Wilson Jr. scarcely saw the field. WR Keyshawn Helton, LB Amari Gainer, and LB/S Sydney Williams – a trio of reserves – are all in the transfer portal but are still practicing with FSU and have said they intend to play. All played 80 or less snaps this fall.

Alamo Bowl | San Antonio, TX

Thursday, December 29 | 8:00 PM
Texas (-4) vs. Washington | Total: 67
ATL: Pick ‘em | ATT: 63.5

Texas

QB Hudson Card (Transfer portal)
RB Bijan Robinson (Opt-out)
RB Roschon Johnson (Opt-out)
WR Troy Omeire (Transfer portal)
WR Isaiah Neyor (Injury)
WR Jaden Alexis (Injury)
TE Jahleel Billingsley (Opt-out)
OG Logan Parr (Transfer portal)
OT Andrej Karic (Transfer portal)
EDGE DJ Harris (Transfer portal)
EDGE Prince Dorbah (Transfer portal)
EDGE Devin Richardson (Transfer portal)
LB DeMarvion Overshown (Opt-out)
CB Jamier Johnson (Transfer portal)
S JD Coffey III (Transfer portal)

Texas lost RBs Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson and LB DeMarvion Overshown to NFL Draft opt-outs. With that, Texas goes from arguably the best running back room in America to a very inexperienced one. RB Robinson led the nation in yards from scrimmage with 1,894. He rushed for 1,580 yards and 18 TD in 2022. This puts more pressure on QB Quinn Ewers to succeed through the air against Washington – fortunately, the Huskies’ secondary is terrible. Redshirt freshman RB Jonathon Brooks is expected to be RB1 against the Huskies. True freshman RB Jaydon Blue, a top-60 overall recruit, is likely to mix in behind him. WR Neyor was a celebrated transfer from Wyoming who was lost for the season in summer camp with a knee injury. WR Alexis, a backup, is also out for the season with a knee injury. WR Omeire didn’t see the field much. OG Parr and OT Karic were also backups. LB Overshown logged 95 tackles and four sacks this fall. And for whatever it’s worth, his backups really struggled when Overshown was suspended for the first half of the Texas Tech game for targeting. It’s also additionally worth noting that LB Overshown and RB Johnson were key special teams pieces for the Longhorns who have contributed on numerous units for years. Both will be replaced by inexperienced backups on those units. TE Billingsley is an odd opt-out, and an odder NFL Draft early-declaree. Despite having two years of eligibility remaining, and despite serving a six-game suspension to begin the season and as Ja’Tavion Sanders’ backup to conclude it, Billinglsey forgoing the opportunity to portal to a better opportunity. Billinglsey only had three catches for 38 yards as a Longhorn. This came after Billinglsey fell out of favor with Alabama HC Nick Saban following 37 catches with the Ride. Texas’ other opt-outs really hurt… Billinglsey’s, to be blunt, doesn’t matter. Sanders is the better in-game option, and Gunnar Helm and Juan Davis are fine off-the-bench options. Texas is awaiting word on multiple other players still contemplating their futures. That group includes ILB Jaylan Ford, WR Jordan Whittington, DL Moro Ojomo, and DL Keondre Coburn. Per a report, those four are still practicing with the team. Washington

WR Junior Alexander (Transfer portal)
TE Jack Westover (Injury)
DT Kuao Peihopa (Transfer portal)
S Cameron Williams (Transfer portal)

QB Michael Penix Jr. announced he will play in this game and return to school next year. Penix was emphatic about playing because he’s never played in a bowl. TE Westover, a starter, is questionable with a concussion. It’s not a huge downgrade to TE Devin Culp – whom Westover split snaps with this fall – if Westover can’t go. The three others listed above played limited snaps off the bench during the regular season.

Mayo Bowl | Charlotte, NC

Friday, December 30 | 11:00 AM
Maryland (-1.5) vs. North Carolina State | Total: 47.5
ATL: NC State -3.6 | ATT: 43

Maryland

QB Billy Edwards Jr. (Injury)
WR Dontay Demus Jr. (Opt-out)
WR Jacob Copeland (Opt-out)
WR Rakim Jarrett (Opt-out)
TE CJ Dippre (Transfer portal)
TE Weston Wolff (Transfer portal)
OG Ja’Khi Green (Transfer portal)
DT Zion Shockley (Transfer portal)
DT Austin Fontaine (Transfer portal)
EDGE Tyler Baylor (Transfer portal)
LB Ahmad McCullough (Transfer portal)
CB Deonte Banks (Opt-out)
S Isaiah Hazel (Transfer portal)
S Shane Mosley (Transfer portal)

QB1 Taulia Tagovailoa was nicked-up in the latter-half of the campaign but did in the regular season finale against Rutgers. He is expected to start. QB2 Edwards Jr. is questionable with an ankle injury. Maryland’s awesome receiving corps was decimated by the opt-outs of star WRs Demus Jr., Jarrett, and Copeland. That group combined for 87 catches this season for 1,080 yards this fall. All are NFL talents. Maryland still has one standout receiver who’ll be active for the bowl game in WR Jeshaun Jones. Outside of Jones, the Terps are very thin on the offensive perimeter. In addition to Jones, the Terps need TE Corey Dyches to step up. Dyches platooned with TE Dippre this season but will get all the work in the bowl game. Dippre is getting a ton of attention in the portal, with Ohio State and Alabama, among others, fighting over him. LB McCullough was Maryland’s fourth-leading tackler. CB Banks was an honorable mention all-Big 10 honoree in 2022. Both were obviously relied-upon, valued starters. The Terps did get good news on that side of the ball when edge-rushing OLB Durell Nchami would play in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl before beginning draft preparations. Nchami is second on the team with six TFL. OG Green, TE Wolff, DT Hazel, DT Fontaine, S Hazel, S Mosley, were all backups. NC State

QB Devin Leary (Transfer portal)
QB M.J. Morris (Injury)
RB Demie Sumo-Karngbaye (Injury)
WR Devin Carter (Transfer portal)
WR Tyler Baker-Williams (Injury)
WR Jasiah Provillon (Transfer portal)
TE Trent Pennix (Injury)
OC Grant Gibson (Injury)
DT Joshua Harris (Transfer portal)
EDGE Claude Larkins (Transfer portal)
EDGE Savion Jackson (Injury)
CB Devan Boykin (Injury)
CB Joshua Pierre-Louis (Transfer portal)

QB Leary is recovering from a season-ending injury suffered in October, so his decision to hop into the portal doesn’t change the equation on the Wolfpack side. With QB2 Morris missing the last two games with a lower-body injury, and NC State having soured on former backup Jack Chambers, QB4 Ben Finley took over for the last two games. Morris’ status for the bowl is uncertain, but he’ll assuredly start if able. Finley didn’t look good in his first action against Boston College, but he turned it around in the finale against UNC, going 27-of-40 for 271 yards with two TD and no INT. Morris has returned to practice in advance of this game. But some in the media don’t believe he has a good chance to play. HC Dave Doeren has declined to name a starter for the bowl or address the situation further. Starting OC Gibson will miss this game with injury. So will DE Jackson, who was shut down for the campaign with a knee injury. Recent reports are optimistic that CB Boykin and WR Baker-Williams can return for the bowl from injury. News hasn’t been as optimistic about RB Sumo-Karngbaye or TE Pennix. Starting WR Carter opted-out to begin searching for his next school in the transfer portal. Limited to eight games in 2022 with injury, Carter caught 25 balls for 406 yards and two TD. He finished his career with 118 receptions, 1,906 yards and 10 TD. Portal defections WR Provillon, DT Harris, EDGE Larkins, CB Pierre-Louis were reserves. The Wolfpack have a few more rumored opt-outs, but as of this update on Dec. 18, all are expected to play. That list includes LB Drake Thomas, DL Cory Durden, LB Isaiah Moore, CB Tanner Ingle, iOL Chandler Zavala, and WR Thayer Thomas. Coaching News NC State OC Tim Beck left to take Coastal Carolina’s HC gig. NC State HC Dave Doeren announced offensive play-calling would be a “collective effort” in the bowl between QB coach Kurt Roper, WR coach Joker Phillips, and TE coach Todd Goebbel.

Sun Bowl | El Paso, TX

Friday, December 30 | 1:00 PM
UCLA (-4) vs. Pittsburgh | Total: 54.5
ATL: UCLA -10.4 | ATT: 63

Pittsburgh

QB Kedon Slovis (Transfer portal)
QB Nick Patti (Injury)
QB Nate Yarnell (Illness)
RB Izzy Abanikanda (Opt-out)
WR Jaylon Barden (Transfer portal)
WR Jaden Bradley (Transfer portal)
WR Jared Wayne (?)
OT Gabe Houy (Opt-out)
OT Carter Warren (Opt-out/Injury)
DT Calijah Kancey (Opt-out)
EDGE John Morgan III (Transfer portal)
EDGE Nate Temple (Injury)
EDGE Sam Williams (Transfer portal)
EDGE Deslin Alexandre (Opt-out)
EDGE Habakkuk Baldonado (Injury)
LB SirVocea Dennis (Opt-out)
S Brandon Hill (Opt-out)
S Judson Tallandier II (Transfer portal)

QB1 Slovis is looking for a new home in the transfer portal. QB2 Patti, hampered by a leg injury for most of the campaign, is the leader-in-the-clubhouse to make the start based on the team’s most-recent bowl practices. HC Pat Narduzzi recently told the media that Patti and QB3 Nate Yarnell have been going head-to-head in practices to determine the bowl starter. But Yarnell, who did not attempt a pass this season, has been under the weather with an unspecified illness, allowing Patti to seize the early lead in the open competition. Over his four-year career, Patti is 51-for-87 for 558 yards and a 4/1 TD/INT rate. Pitt skewed more towards the run this fall thanks to the breakout of RB Abanikanda, a first-team All-ACC selection. But Abanikanda, who led the ACC in rushing with 1,431 yards, has also opted-out. The only silver-lining here is that Pitt’s RB room was arguably the deepest on the team: RBs Rodney Hammond Jr., C’Bo Flemister, and Vincent Davis aren’t as talented as Abanikanda, but they’ll make up a solid three-headed monster in the bowl. Unfortunately, the offensive line they’ll be running behind took a shot when OTs Houy and Warren opted-out (Warren may not have been able to play due to injury anyway). Warren began the year as the starting LT. When he got hurt in Week 4, Houy entered the lineup at RT, with Matt Goncalves shifting to LT. We know that Pitt will be down to OT4 at right tackle (Branson Taylor?). At present time it does appear that Pitt’s interior offensive line will be intact for the bowl. Starting senior LG Marcus Minor confirmed he would play in the game. He’ll be joined by C1 Jake Kradel and RG Blake Zubovic in the starting lineup to his right, with C2 Owen Drexel the interior insurance policy (Kradel shifts to guard when Drexel enters the game). WRs Barden and Bradley each played off the bench, but their losses are more depth-related. WR Wayne has made no announcement, but it felt a bit ominous when Pitt HC Pat Narduzzi declined to comment on his bowl status when asked by the media. Wayne was the offense’s second-best player behind Abanikanda this fall. Pitt’s defense lost even more talent to defections than its offense. DT Kancey, an All-American, had been out with a shoulder injury. He decided to shut it out to begin NFL Draft preparations. Kancey is an elite defender who posted a 91.5 PFF grade this fall. DE Morgan got big interest in the portal immediately after entering – he’s expected to garner a six-figure NIL package. Morgan’s Pitt career ended with 14.5 sacks. He posted a 77.5 PFF grade in the fall. DE Alexandre, who posted 8.5 hurries and 5.5 sacks this fall, opted-out to begin draft prep, as did starting ILB Dennis, a first-team all-ACC selection. Dennis previously was relied on to make Pitt’s pre-snap calls on defense. With cluster defections along the defensive EDGE, Pitt could really use DE Baldonado. But Baldonado missed the past few games of the regular season and has accepted an invite to the Shrine Game – his status for this game is unknown. SS Hill is another starter who opted-out to declare for the NFL Draft. Hill was more of a workmanlike solid-starter. The only good piece of news on defense is that starting nickel Erick Hallett II – who declared for the draft – announced he would play in this game. This is a metric-ton of vacated talent and production lost. Not only is Pitt out a small handful of starters on both sides of the ball, it will also be playing without all four of its captains (Slovis, Warren, Alexandre, Dennis). UCLA

QB Chase Artopoeus (Transfer portal)
DT Martin Andrus Jr. (Injury)
DT Hayden Harris (Transfer portal)
CB Kobey Fitzgerald (Transfer portal)

DT Andrus Jr., a valued rotational piece on the defensive line, was lost for the season in September to a leg injury. The others listed above were scantily-used. QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson, RB Zach Charbonnet, and WR Jake Bobo are all status-checks on the Bruins side. That trio has all been practicing in advance of this bowl game. None have officially stated one way or the other whether they will play as of this update on Dec. 22. On that day, Dec. 22, I asked a source close to the situation to peg the odds of those three playing. The response I got?: 75% for DTR, 10% for Charbonnet, 100% for Bobo. This source told me that he believes Thompson-Robinson and Bobo will ultimately decide to play, but guessed that Charbonnet would ultimately decide against it. To repeat: This was one informed source’s estimation of the current situation as of early-afternoon Dec. 22. One other thing I should add: My adjusted line above covers all “official” opt-out information listed above — those have been accounted for. It does not include modifications for the guys who haven’t announced yet. If or when UCLA has opt-outs – and/or if Pitt has any additional ones – my adjusted line will shift. But I’ll add this: It would take more than the opt-outs of DTR, Charbonnet, and Bobo for my adjusted line to get down to what sportsbooks are currently offering on the Bruins. Coaching News UCLA DC Bill McGovern has missed five straight games with a health issue.

Gator Bowl | Jacksonville, FL

Friday, December 30 | 2:30 PM
Notre Dame (-2) vs. South Carolina | Total: 51.5
ATL: South Carolina -2.2 | ATT: 53

Notre Dame

QB Drew Pyne (Transfer portal)
QB Tyler Buchner (Injury)
WR Avery Davis (Injury)
WR Tobias Merriweather (Injury)
WR Joe Wilkins Jr. (Transfer portal)
TE Michael Mayer (Opt-out)
TE Kevin Bauman (Injury)
TE Eli Raridon (Injury)
TE Cane Berrong (Transfer portal)
DT Jacob Lacey (Transfer portal)
EDGE Isaiah Foskey (Opt-out)
EDGE Ositadinma Ekwonu (Transfer portal)
DB Jayden Bellamy (Transfer portal)
CB Cam Hart (Injury)

TE Mayer and EDGE Foskey are huge, huge losses. Mayer was a matchup nightmare who will go in Round 1 in the spring. Despite consistently drawing double- or even triple-teams this fall, Mayer posted a 67-809-9 receiving line as the only Irish receiving weapon that scared opponents. Foskey was easily the team’s best pass-rusher with 12 sacks. It was his second-straight season with 11-or-more. DT Lacey had two sacks and five tackles against Cal, but he announced in October his intention to transfer – he ultimately signed with Oklahoma. QB Pyne’s defection – for Arizona State – leaves the Irish with an uncertain quarterback situation. QB Tyler Buchner, who started the season as starter, suffered what was thought to be a season-ending shoulder injury in September. But Buchner returned to practice earlier this month in a limited capacity. He is said to be slowly ramping up activities. ND HC Marcus Freeman said Buchner could play in a bowl game if he proves he’s healthy enough in practices. If not, it’ll be QB3 Steve Angeli. WR Davis, a projected starter, was lost for the season before it began with a knee injury. WR Merriweather, who played 68 snaps in the fall, is questionable with a concussion. TEs Raridon and Bauman were both lost for the season with injuries early-on, and TE Berrong has transferred. All three were backups but could have seen more time in the bowl game with Mayer’s defection. CB Hart was one of the Irish’s two starting outside corners. He has been ruled out for this game with a shoulder injury suffered against Boston College. Though he won’t play in the bowl, Hart said he will return to school next fall. The Irish have a strong starter on the other side in CB Benjamin Morrison, and also a solid starting nickel CB in TaRiq Bracy. Technically, the top outside-corner backup is Jaden Mickey. Mickey started for Hart against USC and got lit up. Per PFF, Mickey has allowed receptions on 12 of 15 targets this season for an average of 20.3 YPR. CB Clarence Lewis has been the better player in 2022 – and far better in coverage – but the staff has used Lewis as a rotational fill-in interchangeably in the slot and on the outside as needed. If it was me, I would start CB Lewis on the outside in this game, with CB Mickey coming off the bench to spell the outside corners. If nickel CB Bracy got hurt, I would shift Lewis inside and bring in Mickey to finish the game at the outside spot he was shifting-in from. But at least as of the USC game, this didn’t seem to be the prerogative of the staff. If Mickey is starting again, I’m hunting the props on the uSC receiver projected to line up across from him. South Carolina

RB Marshawn Lloyd (Transfer Portal)
RB Christian Beal-Smith (Injury)
RB Lovasea Carroll (Injury)
WR Josh Vann (Injury)
WR Corey Rucker (Transfer portal)
WR Jalen Brooks (Unknown)
TE Jaheim Bell (Transfer portal)
TE Austin Stogner (Transfer portal)
TE Traevon Kenion (Retirement)
TE/WR Chad Terrell (Injury)
OT Dylan Wonnum (Opt-out)
DT Zacch Pickens (Opt-out)
EDGE Terrell Dawkins (Injury)
EDGE Gilber Edmond (Transfer portal)
LB Mohamed Kaba (Injury)
CB Cam Smith (Opt-out)
CB Darius Rush (Opt-out/Injury)
CB Joey Hunter (Transfer portal)
S R.J. Roderick (Transfer portal)
S David Spaulding (Injury)
S Tyrese Ross (Transfer portal)
S Devonni Reed (Opt-out)

QB Spencer Rattler, who is coming off two sensational showings, announced that he will play. That’s the good news. The bad news is South Carolina got hit with the defections of numerous key contributors at other positions. RB1 Lloyd is an NFL talent who is now looking for a new home. RB2 Beal-Smith was limited in practices as of mid-December, with his right foot heavily taped. I’ve also been told that Beal-Smith has been moving around campus in a walking boot. Beal-Smith’s presence at practice suggests he’s hoping to play. But as of mid-December, he’s clearly nowhere near 100-percent. Backup RB Carroll has been ruled out with an undisclosed injury. The Gamecocks had an embarrassment of riches with receiving tight ends this fall, but no longer after both TE Bell and TE Stogner entered the portal – they’re headed to Florida State and back to Oklahoma, respectively. Backup TE Kenion was expected to take heavy snaps in the bowl game in their stead – but Kenion announced his retirement from the game in the days that followed. Keep in mind that TE/WR Terrell was lost before the season to a torn ACL. The Gamecocks are so far down on the depth chart at that position at this point that it’s difficult to guess who will play, just as it’s difficult to guess at whether South Carolina will attempt to write tight ends out of the gameplan for Notre Dame in deference for more receivers on the field. Of course, the Gamecocks have questions at that position, too. WR Vann is nursing a knee sprain from the regular season finale against Clemson – he’s considered questionable to play. HC Shane Beamer said WR Brooks is dealing with an “off the field issue” but is practicing and will travel to the bowl game – Beamer added that Brooks’ availability for the game has not yet been decided. Starting RT Wonnum is off to the NFL and won’t play. Wonnum started 40 of 42 career games with the Gamecocks. EDGE Edmond was another starter, though PFF graded his 2022 work a poor 59.4. DT Pickens declared for the draft and opted-out. Pickens, likely a mid-rounder, started all 12 games and posted 42 tackles, four TFL and 2.5 sacks. EDGE Dawkins and LB Kaba, both little-used backups, are likely out with injuries. CB Smith was one of the nation’s top cover corners, and a first-round candidate in April. He opted out to begin his pre-draft preparation after declaring for the NFL Draft. Smith had 11 passes defended last season. Smith’s partner on the opposite boundary, CB Rush, followed-suit by declaring for the draft on Dec. 15. Rush had an additional reason to opt-out – he’s been mending from a hamstring injury. S Reed, who started his only season after coming over as a graduate transfer from Central Michigan, won’t play after declaring for the draft. The 5-foot-11, 200-pounder had 39 tackles during the regular season. That makes three secondary starters out for South Carolina. Two regular starting defensive backs will play: Marcellus Dial and Nick Emmanwori. DQ Smith, who started several times in the fall due to injuries, is going to draw another as well. South Carolina did get good news with the NCAA’s blanket-waiver announcement for bowl games. That means that QB2 Luke Doty and S Spaulding – who began the year as the starting nickel – can play in this game while still using a redshirt for this season. Each had appeared in four games during the regular season. Spaulding has been out for the last two months due to a foot injury, but the program thinks he has a shot to return for the bowl. Coaching News South Carolina OC Marcus Satterfield left for Nebraska. Gamecocks HC Shane Beamer said he will not announce an offensive play-caller for the bowl prior to the game.

Arizona Bowl | Tucson, AZ

Friday, December 30 | 3:30 PM
Ohio (-1) vs. Wyoming | Total: 42.5
ATL: Wyoming -0.4 | ATT: 44

Ohio

QB Kurtis Rourke (Injury)
RB O’Shaan Allison (Injury)

QB Rourke, PFF’s highest-graded quarterback this season (92.0) and the MAC Offensive Player of the Year, is out for the year after suffering a torn ACL and meniscus on Nov. 15 against Ball State. QB2 CJ Harris, who started the last two games, posting a 59.0 PFF grade in six appearances total, will draw another start. This is obviously a massive downgrade. RB Allison was expected to assume a much-larger role in 2022, but he was lost for the season right before it began with a shoulder injury. Wyoming

RB Titus Swen (Transfer portal)
RB Joey Braasch (Transfer portal)
RB Dawaiian McNeely (Injury)
RB D.Q. James (Injury)
WR Joshua Cobbs (Transfer portal)
DE Oluwaseyi Omotosho (Transfer portal)
CB Keonte Glinton (Transfer portal)
CB Cam Stone (Transfer portal)

The run-first Cowboys are in a pickle at the running back position. RB1 Swen is the biggest loss. He ran for 1,039 yards and eight TD this fall. He was dismissed from the team right after the finale against Fresno State. Swen originally entered the portal, but reversed-course and said he would declare for the NFL Draft. But not only is the bellcow runner out for this game, but so are his top-three backups. RB Braasch transferred, and RB McNeely and RB James are both expected to miss the game with injuries. WR Cobbs was the team’s leading receiver, DE Omotosho was No. 3 in sacks, and CB Stone led the team in interceptions. CB Glinton suffered an injury early this season.

Orange Bowl | Miami Gardens, FL

Friday, December 30 | 7:00 PM
Clemson (-6) vs. Tennessee | Total: 63.5
ATL: Clemson -8.1 | ATT: 73

Tennessee

QB Hendon Hooker (Injury)
WR Jalin Hyatt (Opt-out)
WR Cedric Tillman (Opt-out)
WR Jimmy Calloway (Transfer portal)
WR Jimmy Holiday (Transfer portal)
TE Miles Campbell (Transfer portal)
DT Jordan Phillips (Transfer portal)
CB Warren Burrell (Injury)

QB1 Hooker is out for the year with a torn ACL. QB2 Joe Milton went 11-of-21 for 147 passing yards in the finale against Vanderbilt. Milton flamed out at Michigan and lost his starting job at Tennessee to Hooker almost immediately after winning it out of camp. Milton is a physically gifted quarterback who lacks accuracy and has a propensity to make wonky decisions. WR Hyatt and Tillman both declared for the NFL Draft in mid-December and opted-out of the bowl game. Tillman had 64 receptions for 1,081 yards and 12 TD last year and then 15 catches for 230 receiving yards and a TD in Tennessee’s first two games this season. But Tillman suffered an ankle injury the following week and missed a month-and-a-half of game action. He played in three games at the end of the regular season. With Tillman on the shelf, WR Hyatt broke out as one of the nation’s most dangerous slot receivers. Hyatt posted a 67-1267-15 the and broke the single-season Tennessee record for TD catches. He’s a top-50 possibility in the spring. CB Burrell was a Week 1 starter but was lost for the season in September with an upper-body injury. Stud OT Darnell Wright declared for the NFL Draft but says he will play in this game. Clemson

QB DJ Uiagalelei (Transfer portal)
RB Kobe Pace (Transfer portal)
WR Beaux Collins (Injury)
WR Decari Collins (Transfer portal)
WR EJ Williams (Transfer portal)
EDGE Myles Murphy (Opt-out)
EDGE Xavier Thomas (Injury)
EDGE Justin Foster (Unknown)
EDGE Kevin Swint (Transfer portal)
LB Sergio Allen (Transfer portal)
LB Vonta Bentley (Transfer portal)
LB Trenton Simpson (Opt-out)
CB Malcolm Greene (Injury)
CB Fred Davis II (Transfer portal)

The Cole Klubnik kicks off officially in the bowl game. Klubnik relieved a struggling Uiagalelei in the ACC title game against UNC and led Clemson to the win. This spurred DJU’s transfer decision. Clemson is the only team I upgraded in power rankings due to a quarterback change for the bowl – Klubnik is better, and probably has been since the day he stepped on campus. QB Hunter Johnson is now listed as Klubnik’s backup. RB Pace was third on the depth chart prior to entering the transfer portal. Clemson now lists RB Domonique Thomas RB3 behind Will Shipley and Phil Mafah. WR Beaux Collins recently underwent surgery and is done for the season. Along with the defections of WRs Decari Collins and EJ Williams, the Tigers’ receiving room has taken a hit. In bowl practices, Joseph Ngata, Adam Randall and Antonio Williams have been working as the starters. WRs Brannon Spector and Cole Turner will rotate in behind them. Clemson doesn’t have much behind those five. DE Murphy and LB Simpson opted-out and declared for the NFL Draft in mid-December. Murphy is ranked by ESPN’s Matt Miller as the No. 5 overall player in the draft. Murphy, a first-team All-ACC honoree in 2022, posted 36 TFL and 18.5 sacks over three years. LB Simpson is ranked by ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. as the No. 3 inside linebacker in the upcoming draft. The 6-foot-3, 225-pounder is expected to run a 4.4 forty and reach 40 inches in the vertical. Last year, as a sophomore, Simpson posted 12.5 TFL and 6.5 sacks. This year, Simpson led the ACC in competition-percentage against (18.8%) in coverage and also pressure rate (14%). The good news for Clemson? DT Bryan Bresee, DE K.J. Henry, DE Justin Mascoll and DT Tyler Davis are all practicing and have said they plan to play in the bowl game. But with DE Thomas out for the year with a foot injury and DE Foster with an unknown ailment, Clemson is thin at DE behind Henry and Mascoll. EDGE Swint, LB Allen, LB Bentley, CB Greene, and CB Davis were all backups. Greene was knocked out for the season last month with a groin injury. Coaching News Tennessee OC/TE coach Alex Golesh left to become South Florida’s new HC. Vols HC Josh Heupel will likely call plays in the bowl.

Sugar Bowl | New Orleans, LA

Saturday, December 31 | 11:00 AM
Alabama (-6) vs. Kansas State | Total: 56
ATL: Bama -4.3 | ATT: 56.5

Alabama

RB Trey Sanders (Transfer portal)
WR Traeshon Holden (Transfer portal)
WR Christian Leary (Transfer portal)
WR JoJo Earle (Transfer portal)
WR Aaron Anderson (Transfer portal)
OG Javion Cohen (Transfer portal)
OG Tanner Bowles (Transfer portal)
OT Amari Knight (Transfer portal)
OT Tommy Brockermeyer (Transfer portal)
OT Damieon George Jr. (Transfer portal)
DT Justin Eboigbe (Injury)
LB Demouy Kennedy (Injury)
CB Khyree Jackson (Transfer portal/Suspension)

Alabama got hit hard by transfer defections. But the Tide got sensational news on Dec. 16 when HC Nick Saban announced no player is expected to opt-out of the bowl game. The list of possibilities he was alluding to includes QB Bryce Young, RB Jahmyr Gibbs, EDGE Will Anderson, CB Malachi Moore, S Jordan Battle, and S Brian Branch. Things could always change in the interim, of course, but those players are all taking part in bowl-preparation practices. OG Cohen – off to TCU – was a starter, and an above-average one at that. WR Holden played 308 snaps as part of the receiver rotation, WR Earle played 223 (Nos. 4 and 6 among the WR corps in snaps). EDGE Eboigbe was the only other portal defection who played over 100 snaps in the fall (117). DL Eboigbe and LB Kennedy are out for the season with injuries. Kansas State

QB Adrian Martinez (Injury)
WR Malik Knowles (Injury)
LB Krew Jackson (Transfer portal)
CB Ekow Boye-Doe (Injury)
CB TJ Smith (Transfer portal)

QB Martinez is reportedly close to a return, but he hasn’t played in over a month and is likely covered in rust. K-State will likely roll with QB Will Howard regardless. Howard is the clearly superior passer. If Martinez can play, though, watch for him as a running option in sub-packages. WR Knowles and CB Boye-Doe both suffered injuries in the Big 12 title game. Each is expected to play, however. CB Smith, who played 201 snaps as a rotational nickel defender, had one of the defense’s worst PFF grades (55.9). LB Jackson was a little-used backup. Coaching News Alabama S coach Charles Kelly left to become Colorado’s DC under Coach Prime.

Music City Bowl | Nashville, TN

Saturday, December 31 | 11:00 AM
Iowa (-2) vs. Kentucky | Total: 31
ATL: Iowa -6.0 | ATT: 26

Iowa

QB Alex Padilla (Transfer portal)
QB Spencer Petras (Injury)
RB Gavin Williams (Transfer portal)
WR Arland Bruce IV (Transfer portal)
WR Keagan Johnson (Transfer portal)
TE Sam LaPorta (Injury)
OL Josh Volk (Transfer portal)
LB Jestin Jacobs (Transfer portal)
CB Cooper Dejean (Injury)
CB Terry Roberts (Transfer portal)
S Reggie Bracy (Transfer portal)
S Kaevon Merriweather (Opt-out)

QB1 Petras has been shut down for the season with a shoulder injury. With QB2 Padilla also in the portal, Iowa will be down to QB3 Joey Labas, who has never attempted a pass. Labas will be backed up by QB4 Carson May. WR Johnson transferred to Kansas State. LB Jacobs was a standout but got knocked out for the season with injury in September – he committed to Oregon. CB Roberts played starter snaps through four games but walked away to retain a redshirt in 2022. But it hasn’t all been bad news for the Hawkeyes. Iowa HC Kirk Ferentz says CB Cooper DeJean and TE Sam LaPorta are expected to return from injuries to play against Kentucky. Both were first-team All-Big Ten performers in 2022. LaPorta was one of three John Mackey Award finalists. In addition to LaPorta, Iowa has been given several indications from 2023 NFL Draft prospects that they will indeed play in this game: LB Jack Campbell, CB Riley Moss and LB Seth Benson. S Merriweather, a two-star recruit who turned into a four-year contributor, was a standout starter and an all-American. He opted-out to prepare for the NFL Draft. He was No. 2 on the team with three interceptions during the regular season. Kentucky

QB Will Levis (Opt-out)
RB Chris Rodriguez (Opt-out)
RB Kavosiey Smoke (Transfer portal)
RB Ramon Jefferson (Injury)
WR Chris Lewis (Transfer portal/Injury)
WR Chauncey Magwood (Transfer portal)
WR DeMarcus Harris (Transfer portal)
WR Tayvion Robinson (Injury)
TE Keaton Upshaw (Transfer portal)
OG John Young (Transfer portal)
OT Kiyaunta Goodwin (Transfer portal)
CB Carrington Valentine (Opt-out)

Kentucky will start either backup QB Kaiya Sheron or Destin Wade with QB Levis out the door to prepare for the NFL Draft. Some consider Levis a top-3 overall NFL Draft prospect. I do not – let’s return to that in the spring – but it’s indisputable that Kentucky will greatly miss him in this contest. Wade has never started. Sheron went 15-of-27 for 178 yards and a 2/1 TD/INT rate in a 24-14 loss to South Carolina with Levis on the shelf in the fall. Earlier in December, some media members around the team expected Wade to start. The coaching staff won’t say, but is now forwarding the idea that Wade could be used in sub-packages, which might be a hunt that Sheron will make his second start of the season. The Wildcats made a big splash at that position in the portal by signing QB Devin Leary. Kentucky was one of the Power 5’s most-aggressive portal teams in December Kentucky’s methodical offense is going to miss RB Rodriguez – C-Rod was easily UK’s best offensive player. Despite being suspended for the first month of the season, Rodriguez finished with 904 rushing yards and six TD over the last eight games. RB Smoke’s defection leaves the running back room very thin. RB Jefferson was knocked out for the season before it even started. RB Jutahn McClain (238 yards this season) will start. The Wildcats are praying McClain can handle bunches of touches without going down in this game. WR Robinson was not UK’s most consistent receiver, but he was the team’s most dangerous after the catch. His status for this game is unclear due to an unknown injury. WRs Lewis, Magwood, and Harris, TE Upshaw, OG Young were all reserves. CB Valentine declared for the NFL Draft and opted-out of this game. Valentine, a two-year starter, was the team’s best cornerback. Coaching News Kentucky OC Rich Scangarello and RB coach/co-special teams coordinator John Settle were both fired after the regular season. The Wildcats tabbed associate HC and TE coach Vince Marrow as play-caller for the bowl. Marrow had a startling proclamation that he may come to regret: “We will score points.” To be fair, Marrow had some success as a play-caller in a 23-21 win over NC State in the 2020 Gator Bowl. Marrow mentioned that Eddie Gran will also aid in the play-calling preparation effort.

CFP Semifinal (Fiesta) | Glendale, AZ

Saturday, December 31 | 3:00 PM
Michigan (-7.5) vs. TCU | Total: 58.5
ATL: Michigan -4.6 | ATT: 62

TCU

WR Quincy Brown (Injury)
WR Caleb Medford (Transfer portal)

TCU is at full-strength. WR Brown has been out since early-September with a knee or ankle injury that appears to be season-ending. He and WR Medford combined for only 44 snaps this fall. Michigan

QB Cade McNamara (Transfer portal)
QB Alan Bowman (Transfer portal)
RB Blake Corum (Injury)
TE Erick All (Transfer portal)
TE Colston Loveland (Injury)
TE Louis Hansen (Transfer portal)
LS William Wagner (Injury)
DT Mazi Smith (Legal)
DT George Rooks (Transfer portal)
EDGE Mark Morris (Injury)
EDGE Eyabi Okie (Injury)
S Caden Kolesar (Injury)

RB Corum has been shut down for the CFP with a knee injury. Corum was a consensus All-American and finished seventh in the Heisman voting. He ran for 1,463 yards and 18 TD on 5.92 YPC before going down with a knee injury in the second-to-last regular season game against Illinois. Corum tried to play through the injury but had only two carries for six yards against Ohio State before the plug was pulled. TE Colston Loveland got hurt on a special teams play in the Big 10 title game and is questionable to play. QB McNamara and TE All, who were already out for the season with injuries, each recently transferred to Iowa. Yes, QB Bowman is still around, and yes, he still has remaining eligibility. The Wolverines replaced him on the roster with the even-better traveled QB Jack Tuttle, keeping their where-is-he-now? quota alive in the QB room. Following DT Smith’s arrest for felony gun charges and in advance of the Big 10 title game, Michigan did not choose to suspend Smith. Smith’s sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 29, two days prior to Michigan playing TCU. I’ve heard that Smith and the university are both extremely confident that the charges will be dropped. EDGE Morris, the Big Ten defensive lineman of the year, missed the Big 10 title game with what was described as a “tweak” of a nagging undisclosed injury. Banged-up throughout November, Morris still leads the Wolverines with 7.5 sacks. EDGE Okie was injured on the last play of that game chasing Purdue QB Aidan O’Connell out of bounds. Each of their statuses needs to be monitored in the lead-up to the TCU game. LS Wagner is out for the season with an undisclosed injury. Backup S Kolesar is out for the season with a knee injury, backup DT Rooks is looking for a new home in the portal.

CFP Semifinal (Peach) | Atlanta, GA

Saturday, December 31 | 7:00 PM
Georgia (-6.5) vs. Ohio State | Total: 62 ATL UGA -7.5 | ATT: 65

Ohio State

RB TreVeyon Henderson (Injury)
RB Miyan Williams (Injury)
RB Evan Pryor (Injury)
WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Injury)
OG Matt Jones (Injury)
LB Teradja Mitchell (Transfer portal)

RB Henderson will miss the CFP after announcing on Dec. 13 that he would undergo season-ending foot surgery. Banged-up throughout the campaign – he’d been playing through a fracture and torn ligament in his foot since September – Henderson missed three of the last four regular season games. Henderson ran for 1,248 yards with 15 TD last season. OSU RB2 Williams was able to return from a right leg injury to play against Michigan in the finale. Like Henderson, Williams dealt with injuries all season, so his status bears monitoring. The Buckeyes’ RB depth has been an issue all season after previous RB3 Pryor was knocked out for the season before it began in August. Also out for the bowl is WR Smith-Njigba, whose season is over due to his problematic hamstring. Smith-Njigba will now try to rehab in advance of the pre-Draft process. Smith-Njigba posted a ridiculous 95-1606-9 receiving line in 2021 before a lost campaign in 2022. Starting OG Jones missed the Michigan game with injury – it’s unclear if he’ll be able to return for the CFP. LB Mitchell played only one defensive snap in the fall. Georgia

WR Ladd McConkey (Injury)
TE Arik Gilbert (Undisclosed)
OG Tate Ratledge (Injury)
OT Warren McClendon (Injury)
DT Bill Norton (Transfer portal)
EDGE Nolan Smith (Injury)
S Dan Jackson (Injury)

WR McConkey left the SEC title game with a knee injury. OT McClendon was also injured in that game. It’s unclear if either will be able to return for the tilt with the Buckeyes. OG Ratledge is playing through shoulder pain – his status likely isn’t affected for the CFP unless a serious aggravation of the injury occurs. TE Gilbert has scarcely played this season and isn’t likely to see the field in the CFP. EDGE Smith was the team’s best edge-rusher. He suffered a pectoral tear against Florida and is out for the season. Smith was Georgia’s second-best defender to DT Jalen Carter by any measure you choose – PFF grade, NFL scouts’ words, the eyeball test, et al. S Jackson is presumed out for the season with a foot injury. He had posted a sterling 80.7 PFF grade in 126 snaps before going down in October. DT Norton played only 46 snaps off the bench – he transferred to Arizona.

ReliaQuest Bowl | Tampa, FL

Monday, January 2 | 11:00 AM
Mississippi State (-1) vs. Illinois | Total: 46
ATL: MSU -4.9 | ATT: 51

Mississippi State

RB Dillon Johnson (Transfer portal)
RB Ke’Travion Hargrove (Transfer portal)
RB J.J. Jernighan (Transfer portal)
RB Ke’Travion Hargrove (Transfer portal)
WR Rara Thomas (Transfer portal)
WR Zavion Thomas (Transfer portal)
WR Scoobie Ford (Transfer portal)
S Collin Duncan (Unclear)
S Dylan Lawrence (Transfer portal)

CB Emmanuel Forbes and S Jackie Matthews both declared for the NFL draft – but have importantly announced that they plan to play in this against Illinois. S Duncan also declared for the draft, but didn’t specify whether or not he would play in the bowl. Duncan was the defense’s second-highest graded starter behind Forbes. Considering that Forbes and Matthews were very clear in their intentions to play, while Duncan has not been, our current best guess is that Duncan will not play – but that’s just a guess as of this writing (Dec. 24). WR Rare Thomas posted 44 catches this fall as one of the team’s four starting receivers. Mississippi State has the depth to cover for his loss – even with the losses of buried-on-the-depth chart WRs Zavion Thomas and Ford – but the Bulldogs’ receiving corps greatly underwhelmed this fall and WR Rara Thomas was the highest-graded pass-catcher of the top-four snap-getters in that group. RB Johnson was one-half of MSU’s RB platoon. Johnson (81.2 PFF grade) slightly outplayed RB Jo’quavious Marks (75.8). Marks will need to shoulder more usage in the bowl, especially with RB4 Jernighan and RB6 Hargrove also out the door. This means that redshirt freshman Simeon Price will have to prepare for more usage. Illinois

RB DD Snyder (Transfer portal)
RB Josh McCray (Injury)
RB Aidan Laughery (injury)
RB Chase Brown (Opt-out)
TE Luke Ford (Opt-out)
LB Ezekiel Holmes (Injury)
CB Devon Witherspoon (Opt-out)
CB Tahveon Nicholson (Injury)
S Sydney Brown (Opt-out)

CB Witherspoon and S Brown opted-out and declared for the NFL Draft on Dec. 17. Each was named to First-Team All-Big 10 for their work in the regular season. Witherspoon was PFF”s No. 2 graded Power 5 cornerback. Witherspoon led the country in completion percentage against (33.8) and forced incompletions (16), per PFF. A consensus all-American in 2022, Witherspoon is a projected first-round pick. CB Brown started all five seasons he was on campus. During the 2022 regular season, Brown tied for the FBS lead with six interceptions. Last year, Minnesota HC P.J. Fleck compared the hard-hitting Brown to Hall of Famer Troy Polamalu. CB Brown’s twin brother, RB Chase Brown, opted-out of the bowl on Dec. 23, similarly declaring his intention to enter the NFL Draft. RB Brown was the offense’s workhorse bellcow, leading the P5 in the regular season with 1,643 rushing yards to go with 10 TD. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. currently lists Brown as the No. 9 RB in the class. For whatever it’s worth, Kiper ranks S Sydney Brown as the No. 7 safety in the draft. It’ll likely be RB Reggie Love III’s show in the bowl. Love has shown workmanlike efficiency in the past. This year, with Brown assuming so much usage, Love was only used sporadically, totaling just 276 yards. At least he’ll be fresh for all the touches that figure to be coming his way. TE Ford, a projected UDFA, was a somewhat surprising addition to Illinois’ opt-out list. The 6-foot-6, 265-pound Ford had 10 receptions for 88 yards in 2022. Despite the meager receiving production, Ford was a valued blocker in the Illini’s physical downhill ground attack. A top prospect coming out of high school, Ford originally signed with Georgia before returning home to finish his career at Illinois. C Bret Bielema is lobbying hard for star CB Quan Martin to play in this game. Martin is the last of Illinois’ stars who has yet to announce – all the others have ultimately decided to opt-out. Illini DL Johnny Newton, meanwhile, said he will play in the bowl game. Backup RBs McCray and Laughery are both questionable with injuries. LB Holmes and CB Nicholson were previously ruled out for the season with injuries. Coaching News Mississippi State HC Mike Leach died on Dec. 12 following complications to a heart condition. The day before, Leach collapsed at his home in Starkville. At the time of his death, Leach ranked No. 5 among active coaches in wins. Among the FBS’ single-season passing yardage leaders, four-of-the-top-nine were coached by Leach. Leach was 61. MSU’s administration, who initially had tabbed DC Zach Arnett as interim HC for the bowl, hired Arnett as permanent head coach in the aftermath of the tragedy. Arnett’s signature 3-3-5 scheme performed well this season, putting him in a position to become the FBS’ youngest HC at 36. Prior to joining Leach’s Mississippi State staff in 2020, Arnett logged nine seasons as an assistant at San Diego State under former HC Rocky Long. Meanwhile, Illinois DC Ryan Walters accepted the Purdue head coaching job on Dec. 13. He replaces Jeff Brohm. Walters was a finalist for the Broyles Award this season. The Illini defense took incredible leaps in the regular season, becoming a dominant unit that finished No. 1 in fewest points allowed and No. 2 in fewest yards allowed. The 36-year-old Walters becomes the fourth-youngest HC in the FBS.

Cotton Bowl | Arlington, TX

Monday, January 2 | 12:00 PM
USC (-2) vs. Tulane | Total: 64
ATL: USC -2.9 | ATT: 68.5

Tulane

QB Justin Ibieta (Injury)
RB Cameron Carroll (Injury)
WR Dea Dea McDougle (Injury)

QB Ibieta and RB Carroll, both backups, are out for the season with shoulder and leg injuries, respectively. WR McDougle, a Maryland transfer, left the team last month, per HC Willie Fritz. USC

QB Caleb Williams (Injury)
RB Travis Dye (Injury)
WR Michael Jackson III (Injury)
WR Jordan Addison (Injury)
C Brett Neilon (Injury)
OG Andrew Vorhees (Injury)
DT Kobe Pepe (Transfer portal)
EDGE Romello Height (Injury)
LB Ralen Goforth (Transfer portal)
LB Julien Simon (Transfer portal)

There were rumors early-on that USC QB Caleb Williams could sit with a hamstring injury. Williams has been emphatic with the media that he will play in the game if he’s physically able. I heard the same thing – that Williams will play if he’s healthy – shortly after this matchup was announced. RB Dye is out for the year with a knee injury suffered in November. Dye averaged 6.1 YPC over the first 10 games. WR Addison, a Round 1 possibility in the spring, will miss the bowl game with his ankle injury, per HC Lincoln Riley. Addison, the 2021 Biletnikoff Award winner, is expected to declare for the 2023 draft – and to be 100-percent healthy for the NFL Combine if so. Addison posted a 59-875-8 line in 11 games this season. Starting OC Neillon and OG Vorhees both won’t play due to injury, per HC Riley. Both were fabulous in 2022, and both are of great interest to NFL scouts. Riley said Vorhees is rehabbing with an eye towards draft prep. LB Goforth posted 43 tackles as part of the LB rotation, but he’s skipped town to join rival Washington. WR Jackson III is questionable with an undisclosed injury. EDGE Height was lost for the season in September with a shoulder issue. DT Pepe and LB Simon were rarely-used backups.

Citrus Bowl | Orlando, FL

Monday, January 2 | 12:00 PM
LSU (-14.5) vs. Purdue | Total: 57
ATL: LSU -15.3 | ATT: 55.5

LSU

QB Jayden Daniels (Injury)
RB Armoni Goodwin (Injury)
WR Jack Bech (Transfer portal)
WR Kyren Lacy (Injury)
WR Jaray Jenkins (Opt-out)
WR Chris Hilton Jr. (Injury)
TE Kole Taylor (Transfer portal)
OG Xavier Hill (Transfer portal)
OT Cam Wire (Transfer portal)
OT Marcus Dumervil (Transfer portal)
DT Maason Smith (Injury)
NT Jaquelin Roy (Opt-out)
EDGE B.J. Ojulari (Opt-out)
EDGE Ali Gaye (Opt-out)
EDGE Desmond Little (Transfer portal)
LB Kolbe Fields (Transfer portal)
LB Phillip Webb (Transfer portal)
CB Jay Ward (Opt-out)
CB Sevyn Banks (Injury)
CB Jaelyn Davis-Robinson (Transfer portal)
CB Damarius McGhee (Transfer portal)
CB Mekhi Garner (Opt-out)
S Derrick Davis Jr. (Transfer portal)

QB Daniels played hurt at the end of the regular season. Following the finale against Texas A&M in late-November, he was in a walking boot. And though Daniels was able to start the SEC Championship a week later, he limped off the field and didn’t finish it. After the game, HC Brian Kelly confirmed Daniels aggravated the ankle injury. Kelly said Daniels would need 7-10 days to fully recover. Ostensibly, that should mean Daniels will be healthy for this game. If he’s not, QB2 Garrett Nussmeier will draw the start. That’s undoubtedly a downgrade, though Nussmeier did flash arm talent in his looks this fall. WR Jenkins declared for the NFL Draft and said he won’t play in the bowl game. He posted 27 catches for 404 yards and six TD in 2022. WR Lacy suffered an undisclosed injury against Texas A&M and left the game early. WR Bech’s season was interrupted by injuries – he posted 16 catches for 200 yards and one TD. Bech transferred to TCU. Fortunately, LSU WR Kayshon Boutte, the team’s most dangerous receiver, surprisingly announced he will return for the 2023 season. Boutte, along with WRs Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr., will need to play heavy snaps in this game. EDGE Ojulari declared for the NFL Draft and opted-out. Ojulari was followed by EDGE Gaye and NT Roy, who each made the same decisions. And with that, DT Mekhi Wingo remained as LSU lone remaining starting defensive lineman left standing for the bowl game. Ojulari formed a scary pass-rushing duo with young LB Harold Perkins this fall – it’ll be Perkins’ responsibility to pick up the slack in the bowl game. Ward also started, but posted a measly 53.5 PFF grade this fall. CB Ward and CB Garner also declared and will sit. Garner had 43 tackles and a team-high eight pass deflections in his one year starting at LSU after transferring over from ULL. Garner accepted an invitation to the Shrine Bowl. CB Bank is questionable with a spinal cord bruise. RB Goodwin is out for the season with a knee injury. WR Hilton Jr. underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in October. DT Smith was shut down in September with a torn ACL. Purdue

QB Aidan O’Connell (Opt-out)
RB Kobe Lewis (Transfer portal)
RB King Doerue (Injury)
WR Charlie Jones (Opt-out)
WR Elijah Canion (Injury)
WR Broc Thompson (Injury)
TE Payne Durham (Opt-out)
OG Spencer Holstege (Transfer portal)
DT Greg Hudgins III (Transfer portal)
CB Cory Trice (Opt-out)
S Chris Jefferson (Personal)

Purdue has been decimated by opt-outs. QB O’Connell, WR Jones, TE Durham, LG Holstege and CB Trice were all starters. All but Holstege declared for the draft and opted-out – Holstege is transferring to UCLA. QB O’Connell, a second-team All-Big Ten selection, led the conference in the regular season with 290.8 YPG passing. He finished with 22 TD and 3,490 yards this fall. WR Jones led the nation with 110 catches, adding 1,361 yards receiving and 12 TD, in his first year at the school after transferring from Iowa. Jones was a semifinalist for the 2022 Biletnikoff Award. TE Durham, a second-team All-Big Ten honoree, posted a 56-560-8 receiving line. Between the defections of O’Connell, Jones, and Durham, a once-scary Purdue passing attack is now toothless. Sixth-year QB2 Austin Burton will start in place of O’Connell, with redshirt junior QB3 Michael Alaimo the backup. It doesn’t help Purdue that WRs Canion and Thompson – expected to be larger contributors this year – were limited to 59 combined snaps in the fall due to injury. It would be surprising if either is back for the bowl. Unfortunately, the defense didn’t escape opt-outs unscathed. CB Trice had 10 pass deflections and two interceptions in 2022. S Jefferson, who began the season as a fellow-starter in the secondary, left the team in October to focus on his mental health. Coaching news Former HC Jeff Brohm left to take the head coaching position at his alma mater Louisville. Interestingly, Purdue named his brother, OC Brian Brohm, interim HC for the bowl game. DC Ron English did immediately follow Jeff Brohm to Louisville – English won’t coach in this game. Purdue hired Illinois DC Ryan Walters to replace Brohm. Walters is not involved with bowl prep.

Rose Bowl | Pasadena, CA

Monday, January 2 | 4:00 PM
Utah (-2.5) vs. Penn State | Total: 51.5
ATL: Utah -0.7 | ATT: 61

Penn State

QB Christian Veilleux (Transfer portal)
RB Keyvone Lee (Injury)
WR Parker Washington (Opt-out)
WR Jaden Dottin (Injury)
OT Olumuyiwa Fashanu (Injury)
DT Rodney McGraw (Transfer portal)
EDGE Davon Townley Jr. (Transfer portal)
CB Joey Porter Jr. (Opt-out)
CB Jeffrey Davis (Transfer portal)

WR Washington, who missed the last two games with injury, declared for the NFL Draft and opted out. He had 46 catches for 611 yards and two TD this fall. All-time in Penn State history, Washington ranks No. 9 in catches, No. 12 in yardage and No. 16 in receiving TD. The 5-foot-10, 212-pounder could be a Day 2 pick. CB Porter Jr. declared for the draft and opted-out. One of the nation’s best cover corners, Porter was rarely tested by opposing quarterbacks. He was a second-team All-American in 2022. The 6-foot-2, 194-pounder is a likely first-round pick in the spring. LT Olumuyiwa Fashanu missed the last four games and is up in the air for this one. He did surprisingly announce that he’ll return to school next year, so his status is only health-dependent. Fashanu was a potential top-50 pick. Fashanu is an elite pass-blocker. DE Nick Tarburton declared for the NFL Draft but announced on social media he will play in the Rose Bowl first. RB Lee and WR Dottin, both backups, are out indefinitely with undisclosed injuries. Utah

RB Tavion Thomas (Opt-out)
TE Dalton Kincaid (Opt-out)
EDGE Tyler Wegis (Transfer portal)
LB Ethan Calvert (Transfer portal)
CB Malone Mataele (Transfer portal)
CB Clark Phillips III (Opt-out)

TE Kincaid declared for the NFL Draft and opted-out on Dec. 12. This wasn’t a huge surprise. Kincaid was clearly compromised in the Pac-12 title game, moving gingerly. His draft stock soared as much as any other tight end in the nation this season, so you can’t blame him for not playing if not 100-percent. RB Thomas declared for the draft and opted out late last month. He is a good back, but Utah has a solid three-man committee backfield even without him. The Utes’ RB depth is still a strength. CB Phillips’ opt-out hurts the most. He was one of the nation’s stickiest cover corners. CB Mataele stopped playing heavy snaps around mid-season. EDGE Wegis and LB Calvert were little-used backups. Go premium to view top prop bets based on Cover Probability, Expected Value & Star Rating

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2022 College Football Bowl Game Player Opt-Out Tracker & Head Coaching Changes

2022 College Football Bowl Game Player Opt-Out Tracker & Head Coaching Changes

Camellia Bowl | Montgomery, AL

First Responder Bowl | Dallas, TX

Birmingham Bowl | Birmingham, AL

Guaranteed Rate Bowl | Phoenix, AZ

Military Bowl | Annapolis, MD

Liberty Bowl | Memphis, TN

Holiday Bowl | San Diego, CA

Texas Bowl | Houston, TX

Pinstripe Bowl | Bronx, NY

Cheez-It Bowl | Orlando, FL

Alamo Bowl | San Antonio, TX

Mayo Bowl | Charlotte, NC

Sun Bowl | El Paso, TX

Gator Bowl | Jacksonville, FL

Arizona Bowl | Tucson, AZ

Orange Bowl | Miami Gardens, FL

Sugar Bowl | New Orleans, LA

Music City Bowl | Nashville, TN

CFP Semifinal (Fiesta) | Glendale, AZ

CFP Semifinal (Peach) | Atlanta, GA

ReliaQuest Bowl | Tampa, FL

Cotton Bowl | Arlington, TX

Citrus Bowl | Orlando, FL

Rose Bowl | Pasadena, CA

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