Bowl build-up continues Saturday … Each day that passes gets us that much closer to the CFP semi-finals, the only bowls that really matter, on New Year’s Day. However, for those that just can’t wait the bowl build-up continues on Saturday with another half dozen games plus and while there won’t be a lot of top draft prospects to watch in any of the games on Saturday, there are a few players worth a look. In fact, the best game of the day on Saturday, at least from that perspective, could be the first game of the day in which Troy (11-2) faces Duke (7-5) in the Birmingham Bowl (Noon ET; ABC). Somewhat surprisingly, the team with the players to watch are the Sun Belt champion Trojans who feature two of the most productive players in the country in DE Javon Solomon (#6, 6-2, 250), a rising edge rusher who led the entire country with 16 sacks this season, and RB Kimani Vidal (#28, 5-8, 215) who was the 2nd leading FBS rusher with almost 1,600 yards and 14 TDs. However, both are juniors and at least for now seemed destined to be back in school next fall. The Trojans actually have a pair of dynamic edge rusher as DE Rich Jibunor (#9, 6-3, 230) had 9 of his own, while CB Reddy Stewart (#2, 5-10, 180) had 4 picks. Unfortunately, Duke won’t have QB Riley Leonard, who missed the last part of the season with an injury and then bolted for Notre Dame when the transfer portal opened. However, the Blue Devils will have star OT Graham Barton (#62, 6-5, 315) in the line-up and he’ll get a real challenge from the Troy DEs in what should be the day’s best head-to-head match-up.
Utah (8-4) also would have been a team to watch in their Las Vegas Bowl (7:30 PM ET; ABC) battle with Northwestern (7-5) as the Utes had 4 players among the top 200 prospects for 2024 on the GBN Big Board, but unfortunately none will be playing Saturday. In fact, somewhat ironically, Utah State (6-6), the Utes’ poor cousins from across the state, might actually have the more interesting players to watch when they play Georgia State (6-6) on the blue field in the Idaho Potato Bowl (3:30 PM ET; ESPN) as the Aggies will have a couple of players that made a few All-America teams this fall in junior WR Jalen Royals (#1, 6-0, 195), who had 68 receptions for over 1,000 yards and 14 TDs this fall, and veteran MLB TJ Tafisi (#2, 6-0, 250), a tackling machine who had 131 tackles in the regular season. He’ll be challenged by star GSU RB Marcus Carroll (#23, 5-10, 210) who ground out over 1,300 yards this fall. Meanwhile, the other games on Saturday include Arkansas State (6-6) versus Northern Illinois (6-6) in the Camellia Bowl (Noon ET; ESPN); #24 James Madison (11-1) versus Air Force (8-4) in the Armed Forces Bowl (3:30 PM ET; ABC); South Alabama (6-6) versus Eastern Michigan (6-6) in the Ventures Bowl (7 PM ET; ESPN); and Coastal Carolina (7-5) versus San Jose State (7-5) in the Hawai’i Bowl (10:30 PM ET; ESPN).
