Top 5 SEC Performances: Bowls
Today’s Birmingham Bowl marks the conclusion of the bowl season for the SEC. As you would expect from the league’s best conference, we’ve witnessed some incredible individual performances throughout this slate of bowl games.
Here are the top five SEC performances.
5. Kyle Allen, QB, Texas A&M
Stats: 22-for-35, 294 yards, 4 TD in Liberty Bowl against West Virginia
Impact: After a strong start from Kenny Hill at the beginning of 2014, the quarterback position for the Aggies quickly turned back into a competition when Hill began to struggle. True freshman Kyle Allen was inconsistent throughout his time as a starter, but his bowl performance likely solidified his grip on the starting job for next season. Allen was impressive against the Mountaineers, throwing for 294 yards and four touchdowns in an offensive shootout. Granted, West Virginia’s defense isn’t that great, but Allen connected on several pinpoint passes that really showed off his accuracy. Suddenly, Texas A&M’s QB situation doesn’t look as murky.
4. Pharoh Cooper, WR, South Carolina
Stats: 9 receptions, 170 receiving yards, 2 TD in Independence Bowl against Miami
Impact: Sophomore wide receiver Pharoh Cooper emerged in 2014 as one of the lone playmaking threats on offense for South Carolina, and fortunately for the Gamecocks, he’s one of the top playmakers in the SEC. In the Independence Bowl, Cooper continued his dominance with several highlight-reel catches and a stat line to back it up — nine receptions, 170 receiving yards and two touchdowns. With Amari Cooper probably leaving Alabama for the NFL Draft, Cooper provided further proof that he’s worthy of being considered the SEC’s No. 1 wide receiver heading into 2015.
3. Dak Prescott, QB, Mississippi State
Stats: 33-for-51, 453 passing yards, 3 TD; 47 rushing yards, 1 TD in Orange Bowl against Georgia Tech
Impact: Considered a 2014 Heisman Trophy candidate for much of the season, Dak Prescott tailed off toward the end of the year. But his Orange Bowl performance reignited what would likely be a 2015 Heisman campaign if Prescott returns. Despite a MSU loss, the dual-threat quarterback was especially potent through the air with 453 passing yards and three touchdowns. All in all, he totaled 500 yards of offense and four touchdowns in one of the most impressive individual bowl performances across all teams.
2. Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU
Stats: 11 carries, 143 rushing yards, 2 TD; 121 return yards, 1 TD in Music City Bowl against Notre Dame
Impact: No one came into college with more hype than Leonard Fournette, and as the season progressed, he proved to be as good as advertised. Fournette seemed to be at his best in the final games for LSU and in the Music City Bowl he dominated. ND couldn’t stop Fournette on the ground as No. 7 recorded 143 rushing yards on 13 yards per carry. He provided several big plays throughout the game, too. In addition to an 89-yard touchdown run, Fournette also ran back a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, proving he’s dangerous in multiple aspects of the game.
1. Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia
Stats: 33 carries, 266 rushing yards, 2 TD in Belk Bowl against Louisville
Impact: Nick Chubb may not have the versatility of Fournette, but his rushing performance against the No. 2 ranked run defense in the Belk Bowl stands as the most impressive performance of the bowl season. Since becoming the starter following the suspension of Todd Gurley halfway through the season, Nick Chubb’s been unstoppable. He’s never rushed for less than 100 yards in any game as a starter, but if any defense could stop him, it was Louisville. But Chubb proved to be too much for the Cardinals. He only got stronger as the game went on, wearing down the Louisville defense and setting not only a UGA bowl record with 266 rushing yards, but was the second-most rushing yards ever in a single game by a Georgia running back, behind only Herschel Walker’s 283 yards.