FRIDAY BOWLS

Friday will be the busiest day on the college bowl schedule other than January 1st with 5 games which will feature some interesting prospects for the 2007 draft and beyond.

Friday, December 29

Music City Bowl, Nashville; 1 PM ET; ESPN

Clemson (8-4) vs Kentucky (7-5)

They may want to call this one the ‘Future’ Bowl rather than the Music City Bowl as Clemson and Kentucky have as much young talent between them as any post-season game on this year’s schedule. That said, Clemson will be well-represented at the 2007 draft by DE Gaines Adams (#93, 6-5, 265), a relentless outside pass rusher who has a chance to be one of the first defensive players taken this year. The Tigers also feature a very experienced offensive line which includes seniors C Dustin Fry (#62, 6-3, 315), OG Nathan Bennett (#63, 6-4, 300) and RT Marion Dukes (#75, 6-4, 315), although the unit’s best prospect is junior LT Barry Richardson (#79, 6-6, 335) who has already stated he’s returning to school for his senior season. And the offensive front blocks for what is arguably the best young 1-2 combination at RB in sophomore RB James Davis (#1, 5-10, 210) and freshman CJ Spiller (#28, 5-11, 195). Clemson can move the ball through the air with veteran QB Will Proctor (#14, 6-2, 205) throwing to explosive WR Chansi Stuckey (#2, 6-0, 185), a first-day prospect for the upcoming draft, and underrated TE Thomas Hunter (#89, 6-4, 250).

It used to be that football season at Kentucky was just a warm-up for the hoops team. Indeed, it’s a major upset that the Wildcats are in the bowls at all this year, however, they’ll be singing ‘wait til next year’ in Lexington if all the Wildcats star juniors including emerging QB Andre Woodson (#3, 6-5, 240), do-everything RB Rafael Little (#22, 5-9, 200), big-play WR Keenan Burton (#19, 6-2, 205), TE Jacob Tamme (#18, 6-5, 240) and LB Wesley Woodyard (#16, 6-1, 220) all return for their senior campaigns. At the same time, though, Kentucky will have one of the thinnest 2007 draft classes of any BCS conference school although OT Michael Aitcheson (#72, 6-3, 305) and DE Durrell White (#9, 6-3, 260) should at least get late-round or free agent looks.

Sun Bowl, El Paso; 2 PM ET; CBS

Missouri (8-4) vs Oregon State (9-4)

This year’s first bowl on regular television should be a very competitive game between 8-4 Missouri and 9-4 Oregon State. The Beavers in particular will be looking to end a three-game losing streak by Pac-10 teams so far on this year’s bowl schedule. And Oregon State, which won 7 of its last 8 games, including a stunning upset of previously unbeaten Southern Cal may just be the team to get the conference off the schneid, although the Tigers won’t go quietly. In fact, there are a number of similarities between the two teams. Both have outstanding TEs with Joe Newton (#89, 6-7, 260), one of the top prospects at the position for the 2007 draft, headlining the OSU offense, while Missouri may have the best 1-2 combination at the position in the country in junior Martin Rucker (#82, 6-5, 245) and sophomore Chase Coffman (#45, 6-6, 230) who combined for 100 receptions this fall. The Beavers and Tigers also both have a solid second-tier DB for the upcoming draft in David Overstreet (#8, 6-0, 210) of Missouri and Oregon State’s Sabby Piscitelli (#24, 6-3, 225). Other Tigers to watch include veteran offensive linemen C Mike Cook (#55, 6-2, 315) and RT Joel Clinger (#74, 6-6, 315), WR Brad Ekwerekwu (#86, 6-3, 215), LBs Marcus Bacon (#15, 6-2, 225) and Dedrick Harrington (#33, 6-4, 240) and DE Xzavie Jackson (#48, 6-4, 275). Meanwhile, other Beavers pro scouts will be checking out include LB Adam Koets (#61, 6-6, 300), DT Ben Siegert (#97, 6-4, 295), and QB Matt Moore (#8, 6-4, 195). The Beavers also have a top junior prospect in RB Yvenson Bernard (#26, 5-9, 205).

Liberty Bowl, Memphis; 4:30 PM ET; ESPN

Houston (10-3) vs South Carolina (7-5)

If nothing else, this afternoon’s Liberty Bowl match-up between Houston and South Carolina will be fun to watch. Indeed, the the Cougars come to town with as much talent as any team outside the ranks of the BCS conferences. Today’s game, for example, will be a final showcase for QB Kevin Kolb (#4, 6-3, 225) who will be looking to prove to pro scouts he indeed has all the tools to be considered an elite level prospect at the position. And Kolb will have plenty of tools to work with including super quick WR Vincent Marshall (#17, 5-8, 175), along with battering ram RB Jackie Battle (#27, 6-1, 250). Meanwhile, LB Wade Koehl (#1, 6-2, 230), NT Marquay Love (#99, 6-0, 320) and CB Willie Gaston (#10, 5-11, 185) are solid second-tier type prospects on the other side of the ball. South Carolina could still have a major impact at this year’s draft if super sophomore WR Sidney Rice (#4, 6-3, 205), who is draft eligible after redshirting as a true freshman, opts to leave school for the NFL this winter, although Rice appears to be leaning toward staying for another year after something of a down year. Even if Rice stays in school the Gamecocks have a first-round prospect in emerging cover corner Fred Bennett (#8, 6-1, 200). Meanwhile, the other ‘SC’ will also have one of the more versatile prospects in the country in Syvelle Newton (#13, 6-0, 220) who has played QB, RB and WR in the past, but will get a look at safety at the next level, while TE andy Boyd (#80, 6-4, 270) is an underrated prospect at the position.

Insight Bowl, Tempe; 7:30 PM ET; NFL Network

Minnesota (6-6) vs Texas Tech (7-5)

There’s a major age (and experience) difference in the Insight Bowl match-up between the Big XII’s Texas Tech and Minnesota of the Big 10. in particular the Red Raiders are one of the more experienced teams around whereas the Golden Gophers find themselves in something of a rebuilding mold. The deep Texas Tech draft class is deepest at WR which features a trio fo draftable prospects in Jarrett Hicks (#88, 6-3, 210), Joel Filani (#8, 6-3, 220) and Robert Johnson (#9, 6-0, 220). Of the three, Hicks appears to have the most pro potential, although none of the trio is a real blazer. Tech also has a plethora of riches up front on an offensive line which will start four seniors including massive road grader OG Manual Ramirez (#63, 6-4, 340), one of the strongest players in college football, and rangy LT Glenn January (#69, 6-7, 290). For the first time in what seems like forever, the Red Raiders’ offense doesn’t have a senior QB to run the show; no problem, though, as sophomore QB Graham Harrell (#6, 6-3, 200) is an emerging star in his own right. And while not as talented as the offense, the Texas Tech defense has several decent prospects of its own including LBs Keyunta Dawson (#96, 6-2, 250) and Fletcher Session (#42, 6-0, 232), and NT Chris Hudler (#93, 6-3, 290), along with juniors LB Brock Stratton (#45, 5-11, 230) and SS Joe Garcia (#49, 6-2, 205).

As noted, Minnesota is nowhere near as experienced as Texas Tech and it got a little worse when it was revealed that TE Matt Spaeth, one of the top prospects in the country at the position, will not play because of a separated shoulder. The Gophers, though, still have a solid RT in Joe Ainslie (#78, 6-6, 310), while the defense will get a boost with veteran CB Trumaine Banks (#4, 5-11, 190) back in the lineup after he missed several games with a leg injury. Meanwhile, the only other Gopher likely to get much interest from pro scouts this year will be WR Logan Payne (#84, 6-2, 205). In fact, the Golden Gopher most worth watching tonight will be emerging sophomore DE Willie VanVanDeSteeg (#91, 6-4, 255) who can bring some heat off the edge.

Champs Sports Bowl, Orlando; 8 PM ET; ESPN

Purdue (8-5) vs Maryland (8-4)

A very busy day of college football bowl action wraps up with another pretty good match-up with Purdue battling Maryland in the Champs Sports Bowl. And pro scouts will be tuning in to this one to check out Purdue DE Anthony Spencer (#49, 6-3, 260) one of the top pass rushers in college field who had 10.5 sacks and 16 other tackles for loss this season. Spencer, in fact, will get some consideration both from teams looking to add a pure pass rushing DE as well as 3-4 teams looking for a disruptive OLB. Purdue LT Mike Otto (#65, 6-5, 305) will also be under pro scout’s microscopes, as will veteran MLB George Hall (#30, 6-2, 245). For the most part, though, the Boilermakers are a relatively young team led by juniors such as WR Dorien Bryant (#9, 5-10, 175), QB Curtis Painter (#12, 6-4, 230), TE Dustin Keller (#28, 6-4, 245) and OG Jordan Grimes (#66, 6-3, 335). There is a similar story for Maryland, which also features a young lineup, however, the Terrapins do get some veteran leadership from QB Sam Hollenbach (#14, 6-5, 220), LT Stephon Heyer (#70, 6-6, 320), CB Josh Wilson (#4, 5-9, 185) and DT Conrad Bolston (#95, 6-3, 285).


One top prospect who won’t be in uniform later today will be Minnesota TE Matt Spaeth who reportedly will not play in the Insight Bowl against Texas Tech this evening as he has a separated shoulder that will require surgery.....

Michigan junior RB Mike Hart is being quoted as saying he is 99% sure that he won’t be declaring for this year’s draft, but will be back at school next fall. Meanwhile, there is something of a buz that Penn State junior LB Dan Connor also will be back at school next fall. And speaking of Penn State, junior RB Austin Scott, who is redshirting this season, was sent home from the team’s Outback Bowl camp for unspecified reasons.