Florida State kept its 36-year bowl streak alive by rescheduling its game against Louisiana-Monroe and then beating the Warhawks. However, there's probably not a lot of actual excitement about the Independence Bowl, and now the Seminoles will be without one of their star players for that game.
Redshirt sophomore safety Derwin James announced on his Instagram account that he is declaring for the 2018 NFL Draft and will not be playing in the bowl game against Southern Miss on Dec. 27.
Considering James' future in the NFL, this hardly comes as a surprise. James is a surefire first-round pick and has been one of college football's brightest stars over the past three seasons, though he did miss a majority of his sophomore year due to a torn meniscus in his left knee. While the Independence Bowl gives FSU a chance to finish the season above .500, it's not a meaningful game for James in his pursuit of playing professional football.
James finished the 2017 season second on the team with 84 tackles and a team-best 11 passes broken up. A physical safety that has been an impact player since his freshman campaign, James' versatility in run support, pass coverage and blitzing makes him an ideal player at the next level. He is considered the No. 2 overall prospect for the upcoming draft by CBS Sports.
College football has seen big-name players sit out bowl games recently as they prepare for the NFL. The two biggest cases last year were Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey and LSU running back Leonard Fournette, though both had been dealing with lingering injuires.
Other high-profile players have been injured in bowl games, too. Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith and Michigan tight end Jake Butt both sustained brutal knee injuries in the 2016 Fiesta Bowl and 2016 Orange Bowl, respectively.
