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The 11 best offensive players B1G teams will face during bowl season
By Jim Tomlin
Published:
The Big Ten was an outstanding conference for defense in 2019, with three of the nation’s top 8 and six of the top 18 defenses in America residing in the league.
The 2019-20 bowl season will be a whole different ballgame.
In the nine bowls that B1G teams qualified for, the conference’s defenses will face some of the most spectacular offensive players they have seen all season.
With that in mind, here are the 11 best offensive players Big Ten teams will face during the postseason.
11. OL Trey Smith, Tennessee
Matchup: Indiana vs. Tennessee, Gator Bowl, Jacksonville, Florida, Jan. 2, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN)
The skinny: Smith was named first-team all-SEC this season, a notable feat considering the Vols ranked 100th of 130 FBS teams in total offense. His story is remarkable too — Smith, a junior, missed time earlier in his college career because of blood clots in his lungs.
10. QB Brady White, Memphis
Matchup: Penn State vs. Memphis, Cotton Bowl, Arlington, Texas, Dec. 28, noon ET (ESPN)
The skinny: White was ninth in the nation in passing yards (3,560), eighth in yards per completion (9.6) and tied for sixth in passing touchdowns (33) as the Arizona State transfer led the Tigers to their first New Year’s Day 6 bowl berth in school history.
9. WR Sage Surratt, Wake Forest
Matchup: Michigan State vs. Wake Forest, Pinstripe Bowl, Bronx, New York, Dec. 27, 3:20 p.m. (ESPN)
The skinny: Surratt was the key offensive weapon for a surprising Demon Deacons attack; Wake Forest went from 28th in 2018 to 12th in the nation this season in total offense. Surratt led the ACC in receiving yards per game at 111.2 (1,001 yards in just nine games) and had 11 TD catches.
8. WR Michael Pittman, USC
Matchup: Iowa vs. USC, Holiday Bowl, San Diego, California, Dec. 27, 8 p.m. ET (FS1)
The skinny: Pittman, a first-team all Pac-12 selection, had 232 receiving yards in USC’s biggest win of the season against Utah. The senior had 95 catches for a conference-leading 1,222 yards and 11 TDs this season.
7. WR Jerry Jeudy, Alabama
Matchup: Michigan vs. Alabama, Citrus Bowl, Orlando, Florida, Jan. 1, 1 p.m. ET (ABC)
The skinny: Jeudy stands out even on the team which has perhaps the deepest set of wide receivers in America. The junior had a team-high 71 catches for 959 yards and 9 TDs on the heels of a 2018 campaign in which he caught 68 passes for 1,315 yards and 14 scores.
6. QB Justin Herbert, Oregon
Matchup: Wisconsin vs. Oregon, Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California, Jan. 1, 5:15 p.m. ET (ESPN)
The skinny: Herbert has long been thought of as a future first-round NFL draft pick and the Oregon senior had another productive season in 2019, throwing for 3,333 yards (15th in the nation) and 32 touchdowns for the Pac-12 champion Ducks.
5. RB Kenneth Gainwell, Memphis
Matchup: Penn State vs. Memphis, Cotton Bowl, Arlington, Texas, Dec. 28, noon ET (ESPN)
The skinny: The Nittany Lions have faced some elite rushers this season and they had better get ready for one more. Gainwell had 1,425 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground this season to help Memphis win the American Athletic Conference title for the first time.
4. OL Jedrick Wills Jr., Alabama
Matchup: Michigan vs. Alabama, Citrus Bowl, Orlando, Florida, Jan. 1, 1 p.m. ET (ABC)
The skinny: Willis was named first-team All-America by CBS, USA Today and The Athletic. The junior offensive tackle was key for the Crimson Tide offense, which was ranked seventh in the nation at 513.3 yards per game.
3. RB Travis Etienne, Clemson
Matchup: Ohio State vs. Clemson, Fiesta Bowl, Glendale, Arizona, Dec. 28, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)
The skinny: Etienne, the ACC’s offensive player of the year, was ninth in Heisman voting after a season in which he led the nation in rushing yards per carry at 8.2. Etienne has back-to-back 1,500-yard rushing seasons for the defensing national champions.
2. OL Penei Sewell, Oregon
Matchup: Wisconsin vs. Oregon, Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California, Jan. 1, 5:15 p.m. ET (ESPN)
The skinny: The sophomore offensive tackle is a consensus first-team All-American and Outland Trophy winner. He helped pave the way for Oregon’s strong offense, which ranked 15th in the nation in scoring.
1. QB Trevor Lawrence, Clemson
Matchup: Ohio State vs. Clemson, Fiesta Bowl, Glendale, Arizona, Dec. 28, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)
The skinny: The preseason Heisman Trophy favorite faded from the race after midseason — odd, because he had 20 touchdown passes and zero interceptions over the final six games. He threw for 3,172 yards and 34 TDs with just 8 picks for the season and finished seventh in Heisman voting.
Longtime newspaper veteran Jim Tomlin is a writer and editor for saturdaytradition.com and saturdaydownsouth.com.