Alabama quarterback Bryce Young and EDGE Will Anderson Jr. will play in the Sugar Bowl vs. No. 11 Kansas State as Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban told ESPN he does not expect any player from his team to opt out of the game. Anderson is currently being tabbed as the top draft-eligible player while Young chimes in as the No. 2 prospect in the CBS Sports NFL Draft prospect rankings.
Young, a true junior, won the 2021 Heisman Trophy and was named a consensus All-American after throwing for 4,872 yards and 47 touchdowns in his first season as Alabama's starting quarterback. He followed that up with 3,007 yards and 27 touchdowns in 2022 despite working through a mid-season shoulder injury.
Anderson established himself as one of the best defensive players off the edge as a sophomore in 2021 when he led the nation in tackles for loss at 33.5 -- 11.5 more than his closest competitor. The stellar showing earned him consensus All-American honors following the season. He was a consensus All-American again in 2022 as he tallied 51 tackles, 17 of which were for a loss and had 10 sacks.
The news that Young and Anderson will play put to rest one of the biggest bowl storylines outside of the College Football Playoff. There's no escaping the fact that it has been a disappointing season for No. 6 Alabama after falling twice and missing out on the SEC Championship Game. The decision by its two best players to stick around indicates that the Sugar Bowl means a lot to them despite the fact that it is not a part of the CFP this year.
