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Bowl Watch Day 5: 12-26


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Friday, December 26 GBN Report

Heart of Dallas Bowl; Illinois (6-6) vs. Louisiana Tech (8-5); Noon ET; ESPN ...  Count us solidly among those who would never say there are too many bowls. However, even we be tested in this game between Illinois, which finished in 3-5 and in a tie for 8th place in the Big Ten and are only bowl eligible because of non-conference wins over Western Kentucky and Texas Statem, as well as FCS Youngstown State. Meanwhile, the betting here is that the majority of college fans out there are even sure what conference Louisiana Tech plays in; for the record, its Conference USA, and while the Bulldogs posted 8 wins this fall including a 7-1 record in league play, but were only 1-4 elsewhere including losses to FBS newbie Old Dominion and FCS Northwestern State. Making a stinker even a little stinkier is that neither team has a senior even remotely considered draftable. Indeed, the top graduating prospect in this game may be Illinois P Justin Duvernois (#18, 6-0, 190) who averaged 44.4 yards per punt this fall. In fact, the best players in this game are younger players including Illinois freshman WR Mike Dudek (#18, 5-11, 195), a freshman all-American after hauling in 69 passes this fall. Meanwhile, La Tech’s best player is versatile junior RB Kenneth Dixon (#28, 5-10, 215) who ran for 1,200 yards this fall and added another 300 on 26 pass receptions; along the way he scored a remarkable 26 TDs including 21 on the ground. The Bulldogs also have at least a couple of potential free-agent prospects in CB LaVander Liggins (#13, -10, 195) and DE Houston Bates (#94, 6-3, 250) who ironically transferred from Illinois last winter. Ilinois also has several free agent prospects including QB Reilly O’Toole (#4, 6-3, 220) and TEs Jon Davis (#3, 6-3, 240) and Matt LaCosse (#11, 6-5, 245).

Quick Lane Bowl; Rutgers (7-5) vs North Carolina (6-6); 4:30 PM ET; ESPN ... You know your bowl is not likely to be a classic when nobody is quite sure where its being played or what its named after. For the record, this game will be played in sunny Detroit and Quick Lane is an auto shop that changes oil and tires. And here we though it might be an actual bowling lane where they speed bowled! And all bad jokes aside, there isn't much more draft talent in this game than in today's first game. Indeed, like the Dallas game, there are no seniors from either North Carolina or Rutgers considered more than very late round or more likely free agent prospects. Rutgers does have at least a couple of juniors in WR Leonte Carroo (#4, 61, 200), who had over 1,000 receiving yards this fall, and TE Tyler Kroft (#86, 86, 6-5, 240) with second-day potential. although Carroo may not play because of an injury.  Meanwhile, the Scarlet Knights top senior prospect is veteran OG Kaleb Johnson (#72, 6-3, 305), who could get some late round interest, while QB Gary Nova (#10, 6-2, 220), SS Lorenzo Waters (#21, 6-0, 205), C Betim Bujari (#55, 6-3, 295) and OT Taj Alexander (#78, 6-4, 290) are free-agemt types. UNC's best prospects including QB Marquise Williams (#12, 6-2, 220), WR Quinshad Davis (#14, 6-3, 215), and OG Landon Turner (#78, 6-3, 315) are also juniors while FS Tim Scott (#7, 5-10, 195) and OLB Norkeithous Otis (#8, 6-0, 235) are free-agent prospects.

Bitcoin St. Petersburg Bowl; North Carolina State (7-5) vs Central Florida (9-3); 8:30 PM ET; ESPN ... This could be the best game of the day, but with two relatively young teams, again the pickings are slim when it comes to 2015 draft prospects on both teams. Indeed, P Wil Baumann (#36, 6-5, 200) could be NC State's best candidate for the upcoming draft, although OTs Rob Crisp (#78, 6-5, 300) and Tyson Chandler (#74, 6-6, 345) will get looks as will productive, albeit undersized defensive linemen Thomas Teal (#69, 6-1, 295) and DE Art Norman (#95, 6-0, 255). For its part, UCF has at least a couple of legitimate mid-round prospects in SS Clayton Geathers (#26, 6-1, 210) and WR Rannell Hall (#6, 6-0, 200), while MLB Terrance Plummer (#41, 6-0, 235) has some late-round possibilities and G/T Torrian Wilson (#72, 6-3, 305) is a free agent candidate.

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