Players to watch in Thursday bowl triple header … Just three more sleeps until Saturday’s college football playoff semi-finals. In the interim, there are three more bowls tomorrow and for a change several top prospects for the 2023 draft will play, although several also won’t. Tomorrow’s Pinstripe Bowl (2:30 PM; ESPN) between Syracuse and Minnesota for example could have featured a head-to-head match-up between two of the best backs in the country in Sean Tucker of the Orange and the Gophers’ Mo Ibrahim. Unfortunately, Tucker won’t play, along with OT Matt Bergeron and LB Mikel Jones; however, Ibrahim, who is within shooting distance of a bunch of school rushing records, has chosen to play, while star Gophers’ C John Michael Schmitz, the top-rated guy at the position, could be a game time decision. Florida State also expects to have both its top prospects – DE Jared Verse and SS Jammie Robinson – when the Seminoles face Oklahoma in the Cheez-it Bowl (5:30 PM ET; ESPN) which is not to be confused with the Cheez-it Citrus Bowl on Monday. The Sooners’ WR Marvin Mims is expected to play, but OU’s rising OT duo of Anton Harrison and Wanya Morris won’t. Meanwhile, Texas RB Bijan Robinson, the top back in this year’s draft with top ten potential, also won’t play tomorrow when the Longhorns face Washington in the Alamo Bowl (9 PM ET; ESPN). Neither will LB DeMarvion Overshown, while UW’s OT Jaxson Kirkland will.
