All-Bowl Team: Bowling for rewards

After 32 bowl games over a 17-day period, it's time to close out this season's accolades with the CBSSports.com All-Bowl Team.

Many young players made their mark and showed what is to come in the 2008 season, including USC's Joe McKnight, West Virginia's Noel Devine, Virginia's Mikell Simpson, Oregon's Justin Roper, FAU's Rusty Smith and the Kansas trio at linebacker (James Holt, Joe Mortensen and Mike Rivera), but unfortunately only the best of the best can make this list.

Offense

QB -- Curtis Painter, Purdue and Dan LeFevour, Central Michigan (tie): Try these numbers on for size -- 838 passing yards, 9 combined touchdowns.

That's what Painter and LeFevour put up in the Motor City Bowl, which turned out to be one of the more entertaining bowl games.

Painter finished with a bowl-season high 546 yards and three touchdowns, while LeFevour threw for 292 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 114 yards and two touchdowns.

RB -- Tony Temple, Missouri: Temple was on this team last year for his 194-yard rushing performance against Oregon State, but he outdid himself this season. While most of the focus was on Arkansas' Darren McFadden on the other side of the field, Temple broke loose for 281 yards on just 23 carries, while scoring four touchdowns.

RB Ray Rice (Getty Images)

RB -- Ray Rice, Rutgers: Most of the country probably missed Rice's last college game in the International Bowl, but it was one for the ages. The junior had a season-high 280 yards rushing on 35 carries with four touchdowns. The play of the day was on Rutgers' first drive of the third quarter, when he took the ball at his own 10 and raced 90 yards down the sideline for a touchdown.

WR -- Adrian Arrington, Michigan: Teammate Mario Manningham gets most of the attention, but it was Arrington who came through in the Capital One Bowl against Florida. The senior had nine receptions for a season-high 153 yards with two touchdowns. The second TD put Michigan ahead for good in the fourth quarter to send coach Lloyd Carr out a winner.

WR -- Percy Harvin, Florida: He's not your typical wide receiver, but the sophomore is worthy of a spot on this list. He had an impressive game alone with nine catches for 77 yards and a touchdown, but also added 13 carries for 165 yards and another touchdown. Both his scores were from 10 yards out, but the final one gave the Gators the lead for the final time in the game.

Tyson DeVree (Getty Images)

TE -- Tyson DeVree, Colorado: Coming into the Independence Bowl, the senior had just 28 catches on the season, but came up big with nine receptions for 94 yards and two touchdowns in the loss to Alabama. The Crimson Tide stormed out to a 27-0 lead, but DeVree tried to keep the Buffaloes in the game, including a touchdown with 3:51 left to get Colorado within one score.

OL -- Fenuki Tupou (LT), Josh Tschirgi (LG), Max Unger (C), Pat So'oalo (RG) and Geoff Schwartz (RT), Oregon: The Ducks offensive line played outstanding against South Florida in the Sun Bowl, racking up 353 yards rushing and allowing only one sack.

Jonathan Stewart ran wild against the Bulls, who came into the game with one of the better rush defenses in the nation. But the Ducks OL had no problem pushing the South Florida front seven around the field, helping the team score 56 points in one of the most lopsided bowl games of the season.

Defense

DL -- Marcus Howard, Georgia: Colt Brennan is probably seeing Howard in his nightmares. The 6-foot-2, 250-pound senior manhandled the Hawaii offensive line, earning three sacks to go along with four tackles -- two for loss -- two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery on his way to earning Sugar Bowl MVP honors.

DL -- Eathyn Manumaleuna, BYU: He only recorded two tackles against UCLA, but he had the biggest block over the past three weeks, getting his hand on an attempted game-winning field goal. Manumaleuna got his right hand on Kai Forbath's field goal attempt as time expired, giving the Cougars a 17-16 win.

Bruce Davis (US Presswire)

DL -- Bruce Davis, UCLA The senior was all over the field in the Las Vegas Bowl, picking up seven tackles, including 3.5 for a loss, while also recording 2.5 sacks.

DL -- Glenn Dorsey, LSU: It's amazing what a healthy Dorsey can do to opponents. The senior can add another honor to his resume after recording five tackles, four solo, a sack and a forced fumble in the BCS National Championship victory over Ohio State.

LB -- James Laurinaitis, Ohio State: It was an epic performance by one of the greatest linebackers in the game as Laurinaitis had a career-high 18 tackles in the loss to LSU, including 12 solo.

LB -- Rey Maualuga, USC: The junior linebacker earned Rose Bowl defensive player of the game after recording three sacks, an interception and a forced fumble for a USC defense that allowed only 79 yards in the first half against Illinois.

LB -- Reed Williams, West Virginia: The Mountaineers offense gets the most attention, but the junior recorded nine tackles, two for a loss, a sack and a forced fumble on his way to Fiesta Bowl defensive player of the game honors.

Jamie Silva (Getty Images)

DB -- Jamie Silva, Boston College: The safety proved why he earned All-American honors, recording 10 tackles and picking off two passes in the Champs Sports Bowl victory over Michigan State.

DB -- Derek Pegues, Mississippi State: Pegues was a big reason the Mississippi State defense held UCF to only three points as he intercepted two passes, returning them for a total of 45 yards.

DB -- Aqib Talib, Kansas: The junior recorded five tackles, but his biggest play was returning an interception 60 yards to set the tone against Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl.

DB -- Brandon Foster, Texas: The senior had an excellent final game, recording seven tackles, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and an interception in the victory over Arizona State in the Holiday Bowl.

Special Teams

K -- Chris Summers, Purdue: He racked up a bowl-high 15 points, going 3-for-3 on field goals and 6-for-6 on extra points. But his biggest kick was his last one, hitting a 40-yard field goal as time expired, lifting the Boilermakers to a 51-48 victory in the Motor City Bowl.

Pat McAfee (US Presswire)

P -- Pat McAfee, West Virginia: He had only four punts, but averaged 58.2 yards per kick, knocking down two inside the 20-yard line -- with a long of 67 yards -- to keep the Sooners backed up in the Fiesta Bowl. McAfee also hit two field goals and six extra points in West Virginia's victory.

All-Purpose -- East Carolina, Chris Johnson, RB/KR: Don't worry Pirates fans, I didn't forget about Johnson. The Hawaii Bowl MVP racked up 408 yards of total offense in East Carolina's upset over Boise State. Johnson totaled 223 yards rushing with a touchdown, while also returning six kicks for 153 yards, including a long of 39 yards. He added 3 catches for 32 yards and a touchdown to cap a wonderful game.