Bowl Discussion - General - Who Wants To Be There, Does Not, Etc.

vk said:
Auburn offense not actually all that great against bowl competition. But if UCF is sleepwalking they will generate yards and pts.
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Does UCF's defense really need to sleepwalk in order for Auburn to score?
 
I think they need to sleepwalk to allow enough to not cover. But I am almost positive they will sleepwalk. Faux jumping around and excitement pregame and first drive or two. Then situation makes them lay down.
 
Sounds like they are happy and should get the fan turnout.

BC will be heading back to Yankee Stadium for the second time in four years. In 2014, the Eagles went toe-to-toe with Penn State in the Bronx, before losing on a missed extra point in overtime.

Head coach Steve Addazio couldn’t be any happier. After all, he and his players have had their eyes on the Pinstripe Bowl since August.

“If you asked our kids to tell you where they’d want to be, they’d say, ‘We want to be in New York, playing in the Pinstripe Bowl,” Addazio told reporters during Sunday’s bowl announcement press conference.

New York serves as the hub of holiday festivities, but, more importantly, it’s essentially home for the Eagles—one of the few bowl-eligible Power Five teams in the Northeast. According to Director of Athletics Martin Jarmond, 120,000 alumni and fans live within driving distance of the city, including over 25,000 New York natives.
http://bcheights.com/2017/12/03/boston-college-football-pinstripe-bowl/
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NC St going to El Paso Texas...when they had preseason dreams and aspirations for the kind of season that would end in a New Year's Day Florida destination...

Sunday Bradley Chubb on twitter "Christmas in FLA this year would be nice" - er you mean El Paso.

Speculation is that Chubb could sit out the bowl anyway.
 
Shimonek is starting QB for Texas Tech's bowl (surprisingly didn't start the finale, but came off bench and led TT to upset Texas).
 
How Texas Tech got the Birmingham bowl spot:

Tech landed in the Birmingham Bowl after being the odd team out of bowls contracted with the Big 12. The chain of events started Saturday with Oklahoma’s 41-17 conquest of TCU in the Big 12 championship game. On Sunday, TCU dropped from last week’s No. 11 in the College Football Playoff committee ranking to No. 15 and out of New Year’s Six bowl consideration.

That narrowed the number of guaranteed bowl berths for the Big 12 from eight to seven, pushing each team down a slot. The Heart of Dallas Bowl, believed to be a likely destination for the Red Raiders, instead wound up with a choice of West Virginia or Tech. That game’s committee went with the Mountaineers (7-5, 5-4), who had a better overall record, were two games better in conference play and beat the Red Raiders head to head.

West Virginia will play Utah (6-6) on Dec. 26 in Dallas.

That left Tech as a replacement team for other conferences who lacked enough bowl-eligible teams to fulfill their tie-ins. The Red Raiders are filling the SEC spot in the Birmingham Bowl. It’s the first time since 2012 the SEC won’t have a team in the game.
http://lubbockonline.com/sports-red...texas-tech-face-south-florida-birmingham-bowl
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ISU Montgomery update:

Running back David Montgomery, who left the game at Kansas State after the first series, suffered from an upper leg injury, Campbell said. The 1,000-yard rusher also left the game at Baylor the week before with an ankle injury.

There is no long term damage or worry about Montgomery’s health, Campbell said, but that he wouldn’t “let him touch the practice field until he’s 100 percent and ready to go.” Campbell also said quarterback Kyle Kempt is in “a really good situation” health-wise.
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WVU - Utah QB updates

While WVU quarterback Will Grier is probably out for the bowl — Holgorsen said Sunday it doesn’t look good in regards to Grier — Utah’s Tyler Huntley might actually return from a shoulder injury in time to play.

“It’s looking very positive,” Whittingham said about his quarterback’s chances of playing when asked on Sunday.
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CUSA Champ FAU had no say or influence on where their bowl destination would be

BOCA RATON – Discussing FAU’s bid to the Boca Raton Bowl, Owls’ athletic director Pat Chun said all the right things, doing so with the enthusiasm of a man who expected new television as a Christmas gift only to receive socks.

FAU is going bowling, but the Owls aren’t going far. To be precise, they aren’t going anywhere. Florida Atlantic (10-3, 9-0), the Conference USA champion, will play Akron (7-6, 6-2), the Mid American Conference’s runner-up on Dec. 19 in the same stadium where FAU has already played seven games this season.

http://fauowlaccess.com/floridaatlantic/boca-bowl-lukewarm-reception/7904/2017/12/04/
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Not sure if there is someone with historical data of teams that have played their bowl game in their own stadium. I don't think it is always bad or wanting to fade that team, kind of depends on other variables. CUSA Champ, you'd think they might've expected a destination other than "home" and an opponent better than "Akron". However, FAU has not been to a post season bowl game in several years so any additional game in December I would assume is viewed as a positive for them.
 
Penn State QB coach Ricky Rahne will be OC. Rahne was at Vandy with Franklin and reportedly Franklin has always been high on him.
 
Purdue:

I'm reminded that end of the calendar year brings finals and potential eligibility concerns for players. Something to monitor for all teams.

Injury updates

The Boilermakers are hopeful the injured players from the Old Oaken Bucket victory will be available for the bowl game.

Brohm said running back D.J. Knox underwent surgery on his thumb.

“He may have to wear a cast on his hand for the game,” Brohm said. “We’ll see how he does with that. It may cause him to carry the ball in the opposite arm but we’ll see how that progresses.”

Linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley and tight end Brycen Hopkins didn’t play against Indiana. Brohm said Bentley is “feeling a lot better” and isn’t certain if Hopkins can overcome his back injury suffered against Iowa to be available for the bowl game.

Quarterback/receiver Jared Sparks is dealing with a high ankle sprain. He was in uniform against the Hoosiers but didn’t play.

Purdue plans to practice Friday and Saturday this week before final exams and resume workouts late next week. If Sparks isn’t ready this week, Brohm is confident the redshirt freshman will be available in about 10 days.

Academic watch

Brohm will continue to monitor the academic status of his players leading up to the end of first semester classes and the bowl game.

“We are going to have a few guys to see how it plays out and I’m not for sure how it’s going to go,” he said. “We’ve tried to work as hard as we can with some of those to make sure they get over the hump. We’ll probably go down to the wire with a few and we won’t know possibly until the last minute whether they’ll be with us.”
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Iowa

After the Hawkeyes pounded Nebraska last Friday, Iowa athletics director Gary Barta said the majority of Iowa fans he had heard from wanted the Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tenn. The ability to drive to the game appealed to Iowa fans, Barta said.

The Music City was the first second-tier bowl to chose on Sunday and it picked Northwestern, leaving Iowa to the Pinstripe.

“At the end of the day, hopefully our fans know, it’s not a selection process by the university to the bowls,” Barta said. “... So the Big Ten being in charge is really meant to be more of a principle setting process, and then letting the bowls select going from there. And that’s really how it’s unfolded. They still select. They just have principles that are a little bit different from what they were before we had the new bowl lineup.”

Barta knew he was working against Northwestern, which beat the Hawkeyes in overtime, 17-10, on Oct. 21 and finished 9-3. Northwestern wasn’t going to New York (it was there just last year) and it wasn’t falling in the bowl order.

“I talked about the fact that, you know, they beat us in overtime, but consider the wins that we had, and also, our fan base, our television ratings, and I shared all that with the Bowl in Nashville, as well as Holiday Bowl, as well as New York,” Barta said.

Social media reaction to the Pinstripe Bowl was tepid to say the least. Barta said there are 20,000 Iowa alums within a few hours drive of Yankee Stadium. Last year, Northwestern defeated Pitt in the Pinstripe with 37,918 fans in attendance.

The fact the game is in New York will shorten the trip, Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said. He doesn’t want the team spending an entire week stuck on a bus in New York traffic.
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Michigan State felt snubbed that Wolverines get to go to Florida and they are 'stuck' going to San Diego?

Outback Bowl CEO: We picked Michigan on a vote
Updated 11:50 AM; Posted 5:30 AM

By Aaron McMann

amcmann@mlive.com

ANN ARBOR -- Was Michigan State snubbed?

Some of its players seemed to think so Sunday, tweeting out messages and emojis indicating some frustration over the Spartans' post-season bowl assignment.

Michigan State is headed to the Holiday Bowl on Dec. 28 in San Diego, while Michigan, who it bested in both record and and their head-to-head meeting earlier in the season, accepted an invite to the more prestigious Outback Bowl on Jan. 1 in Tampa.

So, what happened?

Outback Bowl president and CEO Jim McVay was asked about the selection process Sunday night during the game's conference call with coaches.

"We're tied in with the Big Ten and we're tied in with the Southeastern Conference, because both conferences are loaded with excellent inventory," McVay said. "On the Big Ten side, we were looking at a couple of teams that you discussed (Michigan, Michigan State)."

Up until Sunday afternoon, 16th-ranked Michigan State (9-3, 7-2 Big Ten) had been projected to land in a bowl game ahead of Michigan. Most prognosticators had MSU playing in the Orlando, Fla.-hosted Citrus Bowl, though things became messy if that became unavailable.

And that's exactly what happened - Ohio State was leapfrogged by Alabama for the final College Football Playoff spot, setting off a domino effect that pushed a Big Ten team into the Orange Bowl. That meant the Citrus Bowl had to select an ACC team, leaving the Outback Bowl with the next choice of Big Ten teams.

Northwestern, having played in the Outback Bowl in 2015, was ineligible to return. That left Michigan and Michigan State as the only two reasonable options.

"The process with the Outback Bowl is," McVay said. "We get our selection committee, we get our board (of directors), and once it's clear who's available we make presentations for each team.

"And then they vote."

According to the Outback Bowl website, the game is governed "by an approximately forty-member volunteer Board of Directors" made up of regional business leaders and executives. Launched in 1986, this will be Michigan's sixth trip to the Outback Bowl, and fifth for South Carolina.

Both schools played one another in the Outback Bowl in 2013, their last meeting on the football field.

"So whatever the decision, whatever the vote is from the board/ selection committee, that's who we're taking," McVay said. "We're very fortunate to have South Carolina and coach Muschamp, (and) the University of Michigan and Jim Harbaugh in our game.

"This is going to be a good one. We're excited about it."

Michigan (8-4, 5-4 Big Ten) was reported to be in the running for the Outback Bowl last week, with college football insider Brett McMurphy reporting that the Wolverines were a near lock. But those projections also took into account a Big Ten making the playoff, and a team, presumably Michigan State, making it into the Citrus Bowl.

Neither of those events happened, opening up the door for the Outback Bowl to take the team it desired more. That ended up being Michigan, a national brand known to bring lots of fans and draw vast audiences on television.

"We're excited as heck to be coming down to the Outback Bowl," Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said Sunday on the teleconference.

"Most of us on the team have friends and family in Florida. We are excited about the competition against South Carolina. Hard football team. I've been watching them a little bit -- tough. Really well coached. We're excited about the New Year's Day game, on Jan. 1."

http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/ind...o_we_picked_mic_1.html#incart_most-readsports
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The Michigan State side

EAST LANSING – Mark Dantonio refused to call Michigan State being bypassed by Michigan for a Florida bowl game a letdown.

Even though his players took to Twitter to express their frustrations that they’re going to California with an aching in their hearts.

“Hey, life's about how you handle disappointments,” Dantonio said Sunday at Breslin Center. “And I would not say going to the Holiday Bowl is a big disappointment.”

Still, Michigan State is going to California and won’t be playing on New Year’s Day. The 19th-ranked Spartans will take on No. 21 Washington State in the Holiday Bowl on Dec. 28 in San Diego.

MSU (9-3) has never played in the Holiday Bowl before. The Spartans are 5-2 all-time against the Pac-12 Cougars (9-3), who defeated MSU 23-21 the last time the met in 1977.

MORE: Couch: Holiday Bowl feels like a snub for Michigan State, which is perfect for Dantonio

MSU’s last trip to California was for the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1, 2014.

“I’ve coached for 30-plus seasons right now. Basically everything I’ve ever heard about the Holiday Bowl is extremely first-class. They’ve had a great bowl game throughout the years,” Dantonio said. “A place we’ve not gone yet, so I’m very excited about the Southern California alumni base and Arizona base as well being able to see us playing.”

Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio reacts to his team's placement in the Holiday Bowl instead of the Outback Bowl, then discusses the Spartans' matchup with Washington State on Dec. 28 in San Diego. Recorded Dec. 3, 2017. Chris Solari, Detroit Free Press

Still, after weeks of expecting to head to one of two bowl games in Florida, hearing the Holiday Bowl – in a non-New Year’s Day game that starts at 9 p.m. ET on a Thursday night in December – was anticlimactic for players and fans.

A number of bowl analysts projected the Spartans to either the Citrus Bowl in Orlando or Outback Bowl in Tampa. However, those games went in different directions – including a choice that smacked MSU in the face following a 9-3 turnaround campaign after going without a bowl game for the first time in Dantonio’s 11 seasons.

Because Wisconsin is in the Orange Bowl because of contractual obligations with the Big Ten, the Citrus Bowl could not select a Big Ten team and instead has Notre Dame vs. LSU. Michigan got a berth to the Outback Bowl, where the Wolverines will face South Carolina.

The Spartans defeated U-M this season, 14-10, in Ann Arbor.

MSU quarterback Brian Lewerke tweeted, “LOL.” Freshman cornerback Josiah Scott simply sent a face-palm emoji. Senior captain Chris Frey vented his venom more pointedly.

“What’s the point of playing a regular season if bowl decisions and made regardless of record?” Frey tweeted.

More: Michigan State football miffed after Outback Bowl picks Michigan

Wrote sophomore defensive end Kenny Willekes, “Used to think postseason awards & bowls were chosen based on what you do on the field but I now know it's a popularity contest. Interesting.”

The Spartans remained No. 16 in the College Football Playoff rankings, where they spent the final three weeks in the committee’s rankings. The Wolverines (8-4) have not been ranked since losing at Wisconsin on Nov. 18.

“Well, I just look at it as the opportunity to play in the Holiday Bowl right now,” Dantonio said. “You know, the records are what they are. I’ll just continue to concentrate on beating Michigan. And things will sort of sort out.”

Washington State is No. 18 in the committee rankings, while South Carolina – like U-M – is not ranked.

“Well, you know college football is the buzz. You know that. I think there’s no question about that,” Dantonio said. “Everything sort of gets worked through a variety of channels and everything. … We knew it would be one of three bowls. It depends on how everything sort of shakes out. I thought all three bowl games gave a great opportunity to showcase our talents and to play a great football team. So that’s where we’re going, and we’re gonna get excited.”

Dantonio complimented Washington State coach Mike Leach, calling the Cougars “a quality football team” that is in a similar situation as the Spartans with quality victories over USC, Oregon, Stanford and Boise State.

“It gives us an opportunity to play against a quality, top-20 opponent,” Dantonio said, “and an opportunity to win 10 football games. … So we’re gonna focus on what we can to make sure we come out of there with a 10th win, which not too many people in the country have an opportunity to win 10 games.”

This year was the first time in the four-year history of the College Football Playoff that the Big Ten does not have a representative. Ohio State played in 2014 and 2016, while MSU was in the 2015 semifinals. The Buckeyes won the championship the first year, but those two programs also were shut out in the semifinals the past two years by a combined score of 69-0.

That 38-0 loss to Alabama on Dec. 31, 2015, was the Spartans’ last postseason game.

“We’re used to being there. We have a football team that was in the playoffs two years ago. So that’s a positive for everybody,” Dantonio said. “I think everybody can draw on that and understand the culture that’s here and the substance and how we’ve played over a period of time.

“Obviously, we didn’t play in a bowl game last year, and we sort of got ourselves squared away and pushed back up to the top.”

http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/...l-off-table-holiday-outback-likely/917641001/
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Nothing to do with bowl games, but I just have to say this, I just read that as an independent next season New Mexico State will be playing Liberty TWICE.
 
Ohio Bobcats injury info...this is Coach Solich talking about QB Nathan Rourke and RB AJ Ouellette:

"Nathan was a little banged up going into the Buffalo game, then he sustained an injury he could play with. He wasn't in the full strength but now he has enough time to get himself in good shape for the Bahamas game. For A.J., it will be close as to whether or not he will be in the game, we are not sure yet."
 
“I don’t know if we’re really fired up about Detroit, but I think we’ve got a fine opponent in Duke,” NIU coach Rod Carey said. “I’m sure the people in Detroit will be great. Everyone likes to go somewhere for a bowl game, right? We’ll make it fun and go up north.”

“Everyone has dreams of Bowl Games being down south and on the beach and a great opponent,” Carey said. “Well, we didn't get that, but we still got a great opponent and a bowl game. We'll attack it that way."
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Surely New Mexico St will be pumped. First Bowl in 57 years and appaently the fans stormed the field just for making a Bowl
 
636478658194348654-1201-SPO-LSN-Aggie-Gallery-16.jpg


It's a big deal. They were still on the fence at 6-6 getting to a bowl, that would've been a shame.
 
Marshall

On the personnel front, Holliday said those missing recent games have practiced recently, particularly receivers Tyre Brady and Marcel Williams, and safety Malik Gant.
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Seems they are excited and even cheering for the trip out west, players saying they wanted to go somewhere they've never been.
 
MTSU thought they were out then they were in. And Stockstill is buying $10,000 in tickets to give to students for free ($30 face value)!

The MTSU football team believed it was done. The season was thought to be over. Another year, another bowl game snub. Players literally exchanged hugs and goodbyes during a 2 p.m. team meeting Sunday at the MTSU Sports Performance Center.

"All the bowls hadn't been picked yet," MTSU coach Rick Stockstill said, "but it didn't look good for us.

"I told them, 'I think we are out. I don't think we are in.' I was emotional. They were emotional."

After the 15-minute team meeting concluded, Stockstill found himself in his office, packing and preparing to hit the road for a recruiting trip. That's when he had three unexpected visitors: athletic director Chris Massaro, assistant athletic director Kortne Gosha and associate athletic director Mark Owens.

"They said, 'You got your statement ready?' I said, 'Yes,'" Stockstill recalled. "They said, 'Well, you need to change it because we're going to the Camellia Bowl.'"

About 3:30 p.m., Stockstill reached out to his players to reassemble them for a second meeting, this one at 5 p.m. The season is not over, he told them. The Blue Raiders (6-6) have a date with Arkansas State (7-4) in Montgomery, Ala., on Dec. 16 (7 p.m. CT, ESPN).

Last team in?
As one of four teams with six wins in a conference with 10 bowl-eligible teams, MTSU was very much on the bubble.

"Sometimes there’s a lot of information in the system and we kind of know where (teams) are going to go," Massaro said, "but nobody had a very good idea."

MTSU's outlook increasingly diminished as Sunday afternoon progressed and the team still had no word on whether it would be playing December football.

“We were fairly well resigned at the end that we might not make the cut," Massaro said.

More: MTSU coach Rick Stockstill buys $10,000 worth of Camellia Bowl tickets for students

But around 3:15, Massaro got a call. It was Conference USA Commissioner Judy MacLeod.

Massaro could tell from the excitement in MacLeod's voice that it was good news.

"I don't remember much of the conversation," Massaro said, "because we were all pretty overwhelmed."

"I have to compliment the conference. Judy really stood up tall for us."

Massaro suspects it was a close call.

"Honestly," Massaro said, "I think we might have been the last team selected. But I'm sure happy to be in."

A roller coaster day
It was "pretty emotional," MTSU quarterback Brent Stockstill said, "going from the lowest point you could be to back up to the top."

The hardest part was saying goodbye to the seniors.

"Me and (senior wide receiver Shane Tucker) embraced and hugged, told him how much I loved him, that kind of thing," the quarterback said. "I did the same with some other guys. We thought it was over."

But it's not in the junior quarterback's DNA to sit and mope. After the team's 2 p.m. meeting, he and freshman quarterback Chase Cunningham went to Dick's Sporting Goods.

"We were going to get some new stuff that we were going to try to implement into our training and get started for next year," Brent Stockstill said.

The two then went to Firehouse Subs. Stockstill got the call from his father right after he placed his order.

"I'm outside, fist pumping back inside to Chase, telling him that we're in," Brent Stockstill said. "It was a pretty awesome moment. We've got one more game with our seniors."

The good news was made even sweeter, Tucker said, by the bad news that preceded it.

"I was a little bit down," Tucker said, "because we had more to put out there on the table. We had more to give this season.

"When I got the news that we were in, man, it was a burst of light. It was a great feeling just to know we got one more opportunity to prove we're a good football team. I'm just ready to show everybody what we got."

http://www.dnj.com/story/sports/col...ver-then-camellia-bowl-interjected/918443001/
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Mizzou

Injury updates:
Freshman linebacker Jamal Brooks, who went down against Arkansas, will undergo knee surgery and miss the game against Texas. “Unfortunately Jamal had a knee injury and he’s gonna have surgery right after finals week,” Odom said.

Brooks is expected to have a full recovery and will be back for Spring practice and offseason workouts. He appeared in seven games this year and registered nine tackles.

Christian Holmes has recovered from a shoulder injury he suffered earlier in the year, but Odom said the freshman corner will not play against the Longhorns. “I don’t know if it would be wise to play one game and use one game for a year,” he said.

Damarea Crockett, on the other hand, “has an opportunity to play.” Crockett last appeared against Georgia and has been nursing a shoulder injury of his own. Even if it’s just for one game, a rushing trio of Ish Witter, Larry Rountree III and Crockett will be fun.
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Crockett is the only one with any kind of significance.

Barry Odom's first game he saw action in as a player for MU was against Texas.
 
vk said:
Worried missing the playoffs and having to play a three loss team, while their coach is moving on to Nebraska just might be too much for UCF when it comes to being ready. How do they get pumped for that game? I will be glancing at Auburn there first.
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You're my favorite
 
Uh oh OU. Big, big piece of that offense.


NORMAN, Okla. -- A woman who filed an emergency order of protection against Oklahoma Sooners running back Rodney Anderson says that she was raped by Anderson.

Anderson, through a statement issued by his attorney, says the allegation is "patently false."

In the protective order filing, the woman says she was drinking at a bar on Nov. 16 when she met Anderson for the first time. She says she was planning on taking an Uber home, but Anderson's friends "were insistent that he take" her home.

The woman says that over the weekend, through a conversation with a friend, she started "recalling images and feelings of him forcing his fingers" insider her and biting her. She says she tried to get away to put clothes on, but he followed her and asked what she was doing.

An Oklahoma spokesman said Monday night that the school is aware of the allegation and is gathering information.
 
Jeffrey Wilson unlikely to return

Wilson, English doubtful for bowl game

Littrell expects UNT to be without running back Jeffery Wilson and defensive tackle Bryce English for the New Orleans Bowl.

Wilson went down with a foot injury in a win over Army on Nov. 18 and has not played since. English broke his foot in preseason practice.

UNT was holding out hope that English could return at some point and that its bowl game might be played late enough that Wilson would have a chance to recover and play.

Those scenarios seem unlikely.

"I have said my piece on Wilson and English," Littrell said. "Both are doubtful. I wouldn't expect them to play. I would love it if they could, but at this point of the year that is where it is at."

Wilson rushed for 1,215 yards and 16 touchdowns in his senior season despite playing in just 11 games. He finishes his career ranked third in UNT history in rushing touchdowns (32) and fourth in rushing yards (3,205).
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Duke down to be without their K/Punter

Duke boots punter/kicker Austin Parker off its football team
By Steve Wiseman

December 08, 2017 03:29 PM

UPDATED 1 MINUTE AGO

DURHAM
Duke will face Northern Illinois in the Quick Lane Bowl on Dec. 26 at Detroit without one of its key special teams players.

Austin Parker, who handled punting and place-kicking duties for the Blue Devils this season, was dismissed from the team on Friday. The action came in response to Parker being suspended from Duke for violating the university’s academic policy.

While Parker can re-apply to school at Duke in the summer, he will not be allowed to return to the football team.

Parker averaged 42.05 yards per punt this season, good for ninth in the ACC. As a freshman, his punting average was 40.95 yards.

Duke used freshman walk-on Jack Driggers to handle kickoffs this season. William Holmquist, a graduate transfer walk-on from Tufts, was Parker’s back-up at kicker. Holmquist attempted one extra point, which he made.

Holmquist is also an option to replace Parker as Duke’s punter. The Blue Devils will also consider senior Will Kline.


Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/acc/duke/article188820514.html#storylink=cpy
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VT RB-by-committee leader RB Travon McMillian transferring and will not play in bowl.

BLACKSBURG — Virginia Tech's leading rusher will be toting the ball somewhere else in the near future.

Running back Travon McMillian announced on Twitter on Friday that he plans to transfer after graduating, ending his Hokies career after four years and 2,153 rushing yards. He will not participate in the Camping World Bowl against Oklahoma State.

The 6-foot, 210-pound redshirt junior will have immediate eligibility next season once he earns his degree. He plans to graduate in May with a degree in finance.

It ends a once-promising Virginia Tech career for the running back, the position the former dual-threat quarterback from C.D. Hylton High in Woodbridge switched to once he arrived in Blacksburg.

Though his carries have dwindled the last two years, he’ll still leave the Hokies with 2,153 rushing yards, which ranks 16th on Virginia Tech's all-time list. That figure is surprisingly ahead of past greats like Ryan Williams (2,132 yards) and Darren Evans (2,119), though it took McMillian more carries to get there. He scored 23 career touchdowns with the Hokies.

After a redshirt year in 2014, McMillian broke out midway through the 2015 season, turning into the featured back the Hokies had lacked since David Wilson’s early departure for the NFL after the 2011 season.

McMillian ran for 1,043 yards on 200 carries in ’15, earning third-team All-ACC honors from the media despite only ascending to a featured role in Week 6. He had 80 or more yards in the Hokies’ final eight games that year, earning “dude” status from offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler. That was Loeffler’s final season with the Hokies, however, with Frank Beamer retiring at the year’s end.

Though he’s been the Hokies’ most-productive running back the last two years under new coach Justin Fuente, McMillian’s usage has been far more erratic in Fuente’s by-committee tailback system


McMillian ran for 671 yards on 145 carries in 2016 and 439 yards on 104 carries this year, with his workload varying wildly by the week. He had the most yards of any of the team’s tailbacks in both years, but he got more than 11 carries only twice this year and was reduced to bit player in Tech’s final two regular season games.

After breaking a long kick return early against Georgia Tech, McMillian had to leave the game with an injury. He was nicked up in the Pitt game, when he only got one carry. Seemingly better the following week against UVa, he got only two carries.

McMillian’s role going forward at Tech likely wouldn’t have been much different. Sophomore Deshawn McClease and freshman Jalen Holston saw their workload increase down the stretch. Steven Peoples, had he not injured his foot and ankle earlier in the year, likely would have been the starting tailback all season.

“To my teammates, I will miss you all, and we formed a bond that will never be broken,” McMillian’s tweet continued. “To all of Hokie Nation: thank you for your unwavering support and being the best fan base in college football. I am excited to see what my future holds and as always Go Hokies!”

It’s the second time a rising senior running back has transferred with eligibility remaining since Fuente took over as coach of the Hokies. Trey Edmunds graduated and spent his final year at Maryland in 2016, though that was cut short by a broken foot. He’s now on an NFL roster with the New Orleans Saints.
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Colorado State DC Marty English is retiring after the bowl game. CSU lost a couple assistant coaches going to SEC jobs; Terry Fair and Will Friend to UT. Friend is the OC, but Bobo calls the plays. Friend is OL and run game coach.
 
I've seen nothing indicating that he isn't going to play. Also, when the only real critique of you as a player is that you are not necessarily a good teammate, or program guy, then this might be the rare instance where bailing on your bowl could hurt you anyway. He has done a good job this year of being less of a dick.

I did see they canceled some practices because of the fires out there so Kstate has a practice advantage (not to mention coaching advantage).
 
Washington State's two leading receivers gone for the bowl!

WSU’s leading WR Tavares Martin dismissed from program, but there’s dispute as to why
Originally published December 10, 2017 at 2:10 pm Updated December 10, 2017 at 6:57 pm

With Tavares Martin Jr. having been dismissed from the program and Isaiah Johnson-Mack having expressed his desire to transfer, WSU will be without its starting outside receivers for the Holiday Bowl.

By
Stefanie Loh
Seattle Times staff reporter
Washington State will likely play Michigan State in the Holiday Bowl on Dec. 28 without its two leading receivers.

A week after Z receiver Isaiah Johnson-Mack announced that he’s leaving WSU, the Cougars’ leading receiver, Tavares Martin Jr., been dismissed from the program, the player and the school confirmed Sunday.

WSU athletic department spokesperson Bill Stevens said Sunday that Martin Jr. has been dismissed for a violation of team rules, but declined to specify what rules he broke.

Martin tweeted in response that he was dismissed because he asked for his release from the program.

“I never knew me asking for my release was a violation of team rules,” Martin Jr. said in the tweet.

Leach told reporters after practice Sunday that Martin Jr. was dismissed before he requested his release.

“I cut him,” Leach said.

In a text message to The Seattle Times Sunday night, Leach said, “I cut Tavares on November 28. I have not talked to him since the UW game, nor do I plan to.”

Martin Jr. served a one-game suspension for the Colorado game on Oct. 21 because, according to his father, Tavares Martin Sr., he lost his temper at his teammates after the Cougars’ loss to Cal.

Two different sources with knowledge of the situation told The Seattle Times Sunday that while Martin Jr. did lose his temper in the locker room after the Cal game, he was suspended for the Colorado game primarily for missing a team activity, and was, at the time, warned that if he missed team activities again, he would be cut.

Toward the end of November, Martin Jr. again missed a team activity, and that ultimately led to his dismissal, sources said.

The receiver’s father said Sunday that his son overslept and missed a meeting two weeks ago, but that Martin Jr. had already requested his release prior to this incident.

“He came in late. I called him right before and woke up him, and he wound up taking off (for the football building) and when he got to school, his locker was already cleaned out,” Martin Sr. said.

This news came a week after Johnson-Mack tweeted that he has decided to leave WSU to transfer to a program in Florida because he wants to be closer to his two children.

Johnson-Mack, a sophomore, later claimed that WSU coach Mike Leach had refused to grant him his release, and was supposed to meet with Leach on Friday to resolve the issue. The meeting had to be rescheduled because Leach’s flight back to Pullman was delayed due to weather on Friday.

Martin Sr. says his son’s decision to leave WSU did not happen overnight. He decided about three weeks ago that he wanted to transfer.

“My son was the leading receiver. I don’t think a kid would wake up overnight and say, ‘I’m leaving.’ There was more going on. He wasn’t happy there,” Martin Sr. said. “He didn’t do anything wrong. He wanted to get closer to home, and the issues with him and the coaches are getting out of hand.”

Tension has been building between the receiver and certain coaches for a while, Martin Sr. said. It dates back to last season, when, after the Holiday Bowl loss to Minnesota, Martin Jr. first told his father that he wanted to leave WSU.

“When he left the bowl game, his intention was not to go back,” Martin Sr. said.

However, Martin Sr. counseled his son and persuaded him to stick it out. Looking back now, Martin Sr. says he wishes he’d allowed his son to go through with his desire to transfer at the end of last season.


“I told him to finish what he started,” Martin Sr. said. “It got out of whack.”

Martin Sr. said his son was told that he wouldn’t be allowed to transfer to any Division I football program in Florida.

Leach “stated T.J. wouldn’t be playing football at (the) Division I (level) because he controls T.J.’s release form,” Martin Sr. said. “He signed the paper but stipulated T.J. can’t go to Florida schools. That’s not fair. This is where he’s from. This is where all our family lives. He’s a Division I product. Why you gonna rip my son like that? I thought (Leach) was a pretty nice coach. But now we’re seeing a different side.”

Martin Jr. led WSU in receiving yards (831), receiving touchdowns (9) and receptions (70) this season, and started 11 games at X receiver. He was named an Associated Press All-Pac-12 second team selection last week. Johnson-Mack started every game at Z receiver and finished the regular season as WSU’s second-leading receiver, with 555 yards and five touchdowns on 60 receptions.

Johnson-Mack and Martin Jr. are roommates and were former high school teammates at Dwyer High in Belle Glade, Fla.

Per The Spokesman-Review, Leach confirmed Saturday that Johnson-Mack will not play in the Holiday Bowl, and the sophomore receiver is also not currently practicing with the team.


Martin Sr. said his son and Johnson-Mack are planning to pack up their stuff and embark on the drive back to Florida on Monday.

Without Martin and Johnson-Mack, the Cougars will likely go with freshman Tay Martin (no relation) as the starting X receiver against Michigan State, and sophomore Dezmon Patmon as the starting Z receiver.

Leach said after practice Sunday that the Cougars are also experimenting with moving Jamire Calvin and Brandon Arconado from inside to outside receiver.
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Richt referenced the Sun Bowl 2 years ago when Miami was playing in the snow. Reminded me of the last time they faced Wisconsin in the bowl, wasn't it real cold then too and Badgers just embarrassed them, forget how long ago that was. Atleast they won't be able to blame the weather or venue this year!

“We’re fired up,” he said, regarding the bowl selection. “We’re thankful. You know, when you start the season, if you’re like, ‘Hey, you’re going finish in the Orange Bowl,’ how excited would everybody be? And then you start winning, and before you know it, if you win one more, you might be in the playoffs. So everybody gets to dream a little bit about that possibility, including us.

“We fought as hard as we could fight. We didn’t fight well enough, obviously. But to not win that game and live through the disappointment of that, and then to find out, guess what guys, we’re going to the Orange Bowl, that is a huge blessing. Two years ago our guys were freezing in the snow.”
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