CBSSports.com All-Bowl team: Bowled over by these postseason stars
After watching 34 bowls, including Florida's second BCS title in the past three years, it's time to remember some of the great individual performances of the past month.
Not everybody can make the list, so with apologies to Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen, Tulsa's Tarrion Adams and Oklahoma State's Dez Bryant, here are the best of the best in the 2008 CBSSports.com All-Bowl Team.
Offense
QB: Mark Sanchez, USC: It was a close call, but Sanchez gets the nod over Colt McCoy. The junior almost had a perfect game, throwing for 413 yards and four touchdowns, while completing 28-of-35 passes in the Rose Bowl. Penn State's defense was supposed to be one of the best in the country, but Sanchez and the Trojans ate it up.
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| Don't forget about Gartrell Johnson, who tallied 285 yards rushing in his bowl game. (US Presswire) |
RB: Donald Brown, Connecticut: What a way to finish out your college career before bolting to the NFL. Brown became the 14th player in NCAA history to run for 2,000 yards in a season, rushing for 261 yards on 29 carries in the victory over Buffalo in the International Bowl.
WR: Hakeem Nicks, North Carolina: He had the best performance of any receiver during the bowl season, catching eight passes for 217 yards with three touchdowns in the loss to West Virginia in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. Nicks also made one highlight reel catch, reaching back and grabbing the ball with his left hand, then moving it behind his back and catching it with his right hand on the other side of his body, setting up a touchdown.
WR: Dezmon Briscoe, Kansas: Todd Reesing's favorite target in the Insight Bowl caught a game-record 14 passes for 201 yards and three touchdowns on his way to game MVP honors in the victory over Minnesota. Briscoe set the tone early, catching a 60-yard touchdown pass for the first score of the game.
WR: Quan Cosby, Texas: Usually teams only have two wide receiver slots, but Cosby deserves to be on here. Not only did he have 14 catches for 171 yards, but caught the game-winning catch -- a 26-yarder -- with 16 seconds to play to lift Texas past Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl.
TE: Jermaine Gresham, Oklahoma: The junior provided most of the pass offense for the Sooners, catching a game-high eight passes for 62 yards, while scoring two touchdowns in the BCS championship game loss.
OL: LT Fenuki Tupou, LG Bo Thran, C Max Unger, RG Mark Lewis and RT C.E. Kaiser: The Ducks offensive line was outstanding against Oklahoma State in the Holiday Bowl, paving the way for the Ducks to run for 307 yards, including 7.7 yards per rush. Jeremiah Johnson (119 yards) and Jeremiah Masoli (106 yards) ran wild thanks to the great OL.
Defense
DL: Myron Pryor, Kentucky: He recorded seven tackles, a sack and forced a fumble which Ventrell Jenkins picked up and returned for a 56-yard score in the victory over East Carolina in the Liberty Bowl.
DL: Victor Butler, Oregon State: The leader of the Beavers defense in the 3-0 Sun Bowl win over Pittsburgh, recording 11 tackles, four sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
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| Ndamukong Suh was a force in Nebraska's win over Clemson. (US Presswire) |
DL: Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska: The junior recorded eight tackles, including six solo, two sacks and a game-leading four tackles for loss in the victory over Clemson in the Gator Bowl. Suh also came up big on special teams, blocking a 20-yard field goal in the second quarter.
LB: Stevenson Sylvester, Utah: The leader of the Utes defense against Alabama in the Sugar Bowl made seven tackles, including three sacks and recovered a fumble in the victory.
LB: Zack Follett, California: Dominated the Hurricanes in the Emerald Bowl, recording nine tackles, including eight solo with two sacks and four tackles for a loss. Follett also forced a fumble late in the game, which was recovered by Cameron Jordan to set up the game-winning score.
LB: Sean Weatherspoon, Missouri: Had a great Alamo Bowl, recording eight solo tackles, with nine assists, including 2½ for a loss. He also broke up a pass and recorded ½ sack in the victory over Northwestern.
DB: Major Wright, Florida: Recorded nine tackles and an interception on the goal line right before halftime, preventing Oklahoma from taking a first-half lead.
DB: Ahmad Black, Florida: He only recorded five tackles, but came up with one of the biggest plays of the bowl season, intercepting a pass in the fourth quarter by ripping the ball out of Juaquin Iglesias' hands.
DB: Stephen Hodge, TCU: The senior recorded 11 tackles, including three for a loss, while also intercepting a pass and sacking Kellen Moore in the Poinsettia Bowl win.
DB: Jeron Johnson, Boise State: Led the game with 14 tackles, including 12 solo, while also picking off a pass in the 17-16 loss to TCU.
Special Teams
K: Britt Barefoot, Southern Miss: He didn't win the MVP in the New Orleans Bowl, but he was a big reason for the Golden Eagles' success. He was 3-for-3 on field goal attempts, hitting a 47-yarder late to tie the game and a 39-yarder in overtime to win it.
P: Graham Gano, Florida State: Punters don't win too many bowl MVP awards, but Gano did. In the victory over Wisconsin in the Champs Sports Bowl, Gano knocked four of his five punts inside the 20, hitting one at the 3 and another at the 1.
KR: Armando Allen, Notre Dame: The sophomore returner and running back returned a third-quarter kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown in the Hawaii Bowl victory over Hawaii. Earlier in the game, Allen also scored on an 18-yard reception.
PR: Jeremy Maclin, Missouri: Maclin racked up 187 all-purpose yards in the Alamo Bowl victory over Northwestern, including a 75-yard punt return for a touchdown right before halftime.
