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Despite being favored in eight of its 10 bowl games, the SEC drew some tough matchups this postseason.
There are a trove of first-team all-conference and even All-America players on opposing rosters, which should make for some excellent football if you love the intricacies of the game.
RELATED: 10 bowl matchups we’re looking forward to watching
Even if you’re not well-versed in evaluating the technique of a center firing off the ball at a defensive tackle in the “A” gap, there are plenty of headliners for you to watch. The SEC is facing a pair of the best quarterbacks and a pair of the best pass-rushers in the nation.
Here are the 10 best players that SEC programs will face this bowl season:
1. DE Carl Nassib, Penn State: The nation’s sack leader with 15.5, Nassib should apply consistent pressure to Georgia QB Greyson Lambert. He won’t make it easy on a player trying to scratch out a lead on incoming freshman quarterback Jacob Eason, an early enrollee.
2. QB Paxton Lynch, Memphis: A potential first-round pick in the upcoming NFL draft, this is the last opportunity for the 6-foot-7 quarterback to impress pro scouts. Considering he’s going against an Auburn defense whose coordinator recently abandoned it, expect Lynch to look impressive.
3. C Jack Allen, Michigan State: He’s not as touted as Alabama’s Ryan Kelly, according to draft analysts. But he is a first-team All-American, and the player charged with identifying potential blitzers and blocking assignments against the Tide front seven. Watching him against A’Shawn Robinson will be a treat.
4. OT Jack Conklin, Michigan State: Another member of what has to be considered an elite Spartans offensive line, Conklin will be tasked with slowing an unusually-strong Alabama pass rush. The Tide lead the nation with 46 sacks, but the 6-foot-6, 325-pound junior is among the best Bama has faced all year.
5. DE Emmanuel Ogbah, Oklahoma State: The Big 12 co-Defensive Player of the Year tied for second in the country with 13 sacks. He’ll have to beat Ole Miss LT Laremy Tunsil if he wants to get to QB Chad Kelly, but he’s one of the nation’s best pass rushers.
6. QB Connor Cook, Michigan State: He appears to be on a path to be one of the first three or four quarterbacks selected in this NFL draft, possibly in the second or third round. Cook is a better version of former Alabama QB AJ McCarron, including a lofty career record, a stellar TD-to-INT ratio and an occasionally-irritating personality.
7. TE Jake Butt, Michigan: Tight ends generally are underutilized in college, but not on a Jim Harbaugh-coached team. The 6-foot-6, 248-pound Butt broke out with 48 catches for 620 yards. He’s good enough to test the second level of a strong Florida defense.
8. K Jake Elliott, Memphis: The American Athletic Conference Special Teams Player Of the Year in both 2014 and 2015, Elliott also was a Lou Groza Award finalist as one of the best placekickers in the country. He made 9 of 10 field goal attempts from beyond 40 yards, and could be an X factor against Auburn in the Birmingham Bowl.
9. CB Jourdan Lewis, Michigan: He’s just 5-foot-10 and has only made two interceptions. But don’t be fooled. Lewis broke the Wolverines’ single-season record for pass breakups. He’s also a capable kick returner and has made 3.5 sacks as an all-around disruptive player.
10. Jakeem Grant, Texas Tech: He’s even smaller than Lewis at just 5-foot-7 and 168 pounds. But LSU’s defense should know his name by the end of this week’s Texas Bowl. Lewis passed Michael Crabtree and Wes Welker to break the Red Raiders’ all-time record for receiving yards with 3,164 entering the bowl game.
HONORABLE MENTION
- KR/PR Morgan Burns, Kansas State
- K Jack Cantele, Kansas State
- FB Winston Dimel, Kansas State
- FB Glenn Gronkowski, Kansas State
- OL Cody Whitehair, Kansas State
- LB Devonte Fields, Louisville
- DE Sheldon Rankins, Louisville
- K Jake Elliott, Memphis
- OT Taylor Fallin, Memphis
- P Spencer Smith, Memphis
- DE Shilique Calhoun, Michigan State
- WR Aaron Burbridge, Michigan State
- OL Joe Thuney, N.C. State
- LB Anthony Walker, Northwestern
- FB Dan Vitale, Northwestern
- TE Blake Jarwin, Oklahoma State
- DB Kevin Peterson, Oklahoma State
- QB Christian Hackenberg, Penn State
- DT Austin Johnson, Penn State
- DT Anthony Zettel, Penn State
- OL Le’Raven Clark, Texas Tech
- RB DeAndre Washington, Texas Tech
An itinerant journalist, Christopher has moved between states 11 times in seven years. Formally an injury-prone Division I 800-meter specialist, he now wanders the Rockies in search of high peaks.
