NCAA bowl season provides lots of entertainment, but Christmas can be very busy and not allow football fanatics a chance to watch some of the games. That’s why we’re giving you the post-Christmas (or whatever holiday you celebrate around this time of year) CFL guide to college football bowl games.
Negotiation lists across the three-down league feature a number of players who will play vital roles for their schools in hopes of capturing a bowl victory. Plus, down the line, these athletes could end up on the wider and longer Canadian field.
Montreal Alouettes
Woody Baron, DL, Virginia Tech
Belk Bowl
Thursday, December 29
No. 22 Virginia Tech vs. Arkansas
Charlotte, NC
5:30 p.m. ET
Baron snapshot: The 2016 All-ACC first-team selection recorded 52 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks – all career-highs – and one fumble recovery. The six-foot-two, 280-pound senior led all Power 5 defensive tackles with 17.5 tackles for loss.
 Kenny Hill, QB, TCU
Liberty Bowl
Friday, December 30
Georgia vs. TCU
Memphis, TN
12 p.m. ET
Hill snapshot: The Horned Frogs starting quarterback suffered a foot injury against Texas and did not start in Texas Christian’s final regular season game. However, Hill has returned to practice in preparation for the bowl game.
Kavontae Turpin, REC, TCU
Liberty Bowl
Friday, December 30
Georgia vs. TCU
Memphis, TN
12 p.m. ET
Turpin snapshot: Earned an All-Big 12 honourable mention as a returner. The diminutive five-foot-nine, 153-pound sophomore won two Big 12 special teams player of the week awards in 2016 despite only playing in seven games.
(Photo by/Sharon Ellman)
Ottawa Redblacks
Ryan Switzer, REC, North Carolina
Sun Bowl
Friday, December 30
No. 18 Stanford vs. North Carolina
El Paso, TX
2 p.m. ET
Switzer snapshot: Tar Heels all-time leader in career and single-season receptions with 239 and 91 respectively. Add seven punt returns touchdowns during his time at Chapel Hill and Switzer has clearly shown he’s got big play ability.
Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Quinton Flowers, QB, South Florida
Birmingham Bowl
Thursday, December 29
USF vs. South Carolina
Birmingham, AL
2 p.m. ET
Flowers snapshot:Â The dual-threat signal caller passed for 2,551 yards and 22 touchdowns while adding 1,425 yards and 15 scores on the ground. He’s an explosive and electric athlete at the quarterback position.
Saskatchewan Roughriders
Trace McSorley, QB, Penn State
Rose Bowl
Monday, January 2, 2017
No. 5 Penn State vs. No. 9 USC
Pasadena, CA
5 p.m. ET
McSorley snapshot:Â The sophomore pivot led the Nittany Lions to a Big Ten Championship with 384 yards and four touchdowns in the conference title game, which earned him MVP honours. He led the Big Ten in passing yards (3,360) and QB rating (156.6).
Calgary Stampeders
C.J. Beathard, QB, Iowa
Outback Bowl
Monday, January 2, 2017
No. 17 Florida vs. Iowa
Tampa, FL
1 p.m. ET
Beathard snapshot:Â The senior passer owns the Hawkeyes record for best win percentage for a quarterback with a minimum of 20 starts at .778 (21-6 win-loss mark).
Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
BC Lions
Joshua Dobbs, QB, Tennessee
Music City Bowl
Friday, December 30
No. 21 Tennessee vs. Nebraska
Nashville, TN
3:30 p.m. ET
Dobbs snapshot: Led the SEC with 26 touchdown passes, 152.6 QB efficiency and 36 total touchdowns. Dobbs has size (six-foot-three, 210-pounds) and running ability.
Deondre Francois, QB, Florida State
Orange Bowl
Friday, December 30
No. 6 Michigan vs. No. 11 Florida State
Miami, FL
8 p.m. ET
Francois snapshot: The ACC offensive rookie of the year passed for 3,128 yards and 18 touchdowns in his redshirt freshman campaign.
Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville
Citrus Bowl
Saturday, December 31
No. 13 Louisville vs. No. 20 LSU
Orlando, FL
11 a.m. ET
Jackson snapshot:Â Jackson joined Tim Tebow and Can Newton as the only quarterbacks in FBS history to throw for 30 and rush for 20 or more touchdowns in a single season. That led to the six-foot-three, 205-pounder winning the Heisman Trophy.
