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ALABAMA – WR Calvin Ridley has played 14 games now, so he’s not really a freshman any more. He’s turned into a star, and was so again against Michigan State in the playoff semifinals. He caught eight passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns in the Tide’s 38-0 rout. (Bonus sticker for his QB, Jake Coker. He was 25 of 30 for 286 yards and the pair made a great one-two punch.)
ARKANSAS – Alex Collins has had three straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons for the Razorbacks, and he finished off this season with a bang, rushing for 185 yards and three scores in the 45-23 win over Kansas State. It was a great second half of the season for the 8-5 Razorbacks, who were 2-4 at one point.
AUBURN – Auburn’s defense played great and RB Jovon Robinson controlled the clock, rushing for 126 yards on 27 carries. The Tigers needed a victory to have a winning season and they beat a good Memphis team to do it. (Bonus sticker to Auburn interim defensive coordinator Lance Thompson, who did a great job subbing for Will Muschamp in the 31-10 win.)
FLORIDA – WR Antonio Callaway had 75 receiving yards and threw a touchdown pass on a trick play. It was the only points Florida got all day. Picking someone to get a sticker was tough, considering the Gators turned in the SEC’s worst performance of bowl season.
GEORGIA – WR Malcom Mitchell had five catches for 114 yards and a score in the Bulldogs’ 24-17 win over Penn State in the TaxSlayer Bowl. The Bulldogs got their 10th win of the season, something of an accomplishment considering all the turmoil in Athens this year.
LSU – RB Leonard Fournette is the man in Baton Rouge and his helmet is full of stickers. But there’s no way you can’t give him another one after he accounted for five touchdowns against Texas Tech. He ran for four and caught a screen pass for another. He’s on the clock as the 2016 Heisman Trophy leader.
MISSISSIPPI STATE – QB Dak Prescott said goodbye to the Hail State nation with one last brilliant performance. He threw for 380 yards and four scores in a win over N.C. State in the Belk Bowl. Great career, Dak.
OLE MISS – QB Chad Kelly gets a helmet sticker for passing Cam Newton, Tim Tebow and Prescott in the all-time single-season yardage record books. His incredible year was capped with a 302-yard performance in a 48-20 win in the Sugar Bowl over Oklahoma State. (Bonus roll of stickers for the Ole Miss coaching staff for having that team so ready.)
TENNESSEE – RB Jalen Hurd took it personal that Northwestern’s defense was getting so much praise. He rushed for 130 yards and a score in the Vols’ 45-6 rout of the No. 13-ranked Wildcats. That’s six wins in a row for the Vols and the 2016 hype machine can now commence.
TEXAS A&M – QB Jake Hubenak was put into a tough situation after Kyle Allen and Kyler Murray abruptly transferred after the regular season. The third-stringer was pressed into duty in the bowl game and he threw for 307 yards on 48 attempts. The Aggies lost 27-21 to Louisville, but Hubenak at least showed some things. (Bonus sticker for RB Tra Carson, who had another quiet 100-yard game).
Tom Brew is an award-winning journalist and author who is covering SEC football for Saturday Down South.
