This year’s college bowl season is in full swing, but the biggest day, in terms of number of games, is the day traditionally famous for its bowl games, New Year’s Day. With six games, January 1st is the busiest day of the bowl season, and has something for everybody. Fans of the non-powerhouse conferences get the Heart of Texas Bowl, while fans of the big boys get the Rose and Fiesta Bowls. As interesting as the games themselves promise to be will be the individual performances, with stars being born and boys becoming men. For several players, these games are their last chances to prove something and put their stamp on the season. These players have a little bit more to play for.
TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl: Stanley Jean-Baptiste, Cornerback, Nebraska
The draft class at cornerback has strength at the top, but beyond the top four or five, there is room for movement. With tremendous size for the position and a solid skill base, the Nebraska Senior could boost his stock a lot with a solid performance against the Georgia Bulldogs. Georgia, even without Aaron Murray, is a good passing team and Nebraska’s secondary will be tested early and often. Just as important for Jean-Baptiste, he’ll need to show a willingness to make tackles versus Todd Gurley out of the backfield.
Heart of Dallas Bowl: Devante Davis, Wide Receiver, UNLV
There aren’t a lot of NFL prospects in this game, but Davis might be one to watch. The UNLV star broke several school records in a season in which the Junior had over 1,000 yards and 14 touchdowns. He has terrific size at 6’3” and 210 lbs. He probably won’t enter the 2014 draft, but a big game on a national stage would make it easier for scouts to remember him going into next season.
Capitol One Bowl: Jared Abbrederis, Wide Receiver, Wisconsin
The 2013 wide receiver class is a competitive one. It’s loaded with talent and deep as well. Abbrederis is a talented player, and could go as high as the second round. However, he could just as easily slip behind some other prospects who have great workouts. Scouts watching to see Jadeveon Clowney will get to see the Wisconsin Senior receiver work as well. Among a great group of pass catchers, he’ll need a good showing to keep up.
Outback Bowl: Craig Loston, Safety, LSU
In a relatively weak safety class, Loston had plenty of room to move up draft boards. His season wasn’t bad by any means, but he has some work to do. An attention-getting outing against Iowa is a start. LSU has produced some NFL talent from their secondary, and Loston will definitely play on Sundays, but he’ll need to impress more in coverage to go in the early rounds. Iowa isn’t a pass heavy team, so he’ll have to take advantage of the chances he gets.
Rose Bowl presented by VIZIO: Tyler Gaffney, Running Back, Stanford
Fans watching the Rose Bowl are going to see a battle between two of the best defenses in the country. Most are expecting a low-scoring affair, and a few plays could make all the difference. Gaffney isn’t flashy, but he always seems to get things done. As of now, he seems to be a late-round prospect, but having a big game on New Year’s Day versus Michigan State’s vaunted defense could move him up garner him more attention and move him up the list.
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: Blake Bortles, Quarterback, Central Florida
It might seem strange to put Bortles, who many consider a potential top ten pick, on this list, but this game means a lot to him. For the Knights to be in this game, Bortles will need to have the game of his life. Baylor scores at an extreme rate, and if he can keep his team in the game, he will silence any doubters he might still have. It could even be the start of a push for the first overall pick.