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Note: CollegeFootballPoll.com's Dave Congrove is a member of the Maxwell Football Cub and a voter for the Maxwell and Bednarik Awards.
Top individual player performances last week include that of Ohio State running back J.K. Dobbins he set career highs with 211 yards and four touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 56-27 romp over Michigan. On the other side of the ball, DE Bryce Huff of Memphis had 8 tackles, 3.5 of whichw ent for minus yards, while adding two sacks and a pair of forced fumbles.
QB Lynn Bowden, Kentucky - In a stat line fit for a U.S. Academy quarterback, Bowden had as many rushing touchdowns as passing yards Saturday in Lexington. And the Wildcat staff couldn't be much happier with the outcome. The receiver-turned-quarterback, who still leads Kentucky in pass catching, gashed rival Louisville for 284 yards and four scores on the ground in a satisfying 45-13 blowout victory. The Cats have now broken their single-game rushing record in back-to-back games.
RB J.K. Dobbins, Ohio State - Make it eight in a row for Ohio State over Michigan. Dobbins was the MVP of the latest Buckeye victory in one of the storied rivalries in college football history. In what has quietly been a brilliant season for the junior from Texas, he set career highs with 211 yards and four touchdowns on the ground against a Wolverine D that began the weekend ranked No. 13 against the run.
RB Eric Gray, Tennessee - Well, have a day, Mr. Gray. Spelling starter Ty Chandler, the big-play true freshman provided more evidence that the future may be bright in Knoxville after all. The Volunteers enter the postseason on a five-game winning streak after beating instate rival Vanderbilt for the first time in four tries. Gray led the way with 246 rushing yards and three scores on 25 carries, an average of almost 10 yards a touch. He earned Pro Football Focus' top running grade for a back in Week 14.
QB Trevor Lawrence, Clemson - Whatever ailed Lawrence in the first half of the season has since been resolved. The sophomore, who threw a few too many picks early on, has now thrown at least three TD passes in seven straight games... and just three picks over that timespan. In Columbia Saturday, versus a talented South Carolina D, he completed 26-of-36 for 295 yards, three touchdowns and no turnovers, while also rushing for a team-high 66 yards.
RB Jaret Patterson, Buffalo - Good news? Patterson smashed records Friday afternoon versus Bowling Green. Better news? He's just a sophomore. The shifty Bull back was no match for the Falcon D, rushing 26 times for a school-record 298 yards and a MAC-record six touchdowns. Patterson has momentum entering the postseason, jetting for at least 140 yards in each of the last five games.
QB Bryce Perkins, Virginia - After 15 years of instate futility, the Cavaliers finally defeated the Hokies to win the ACC Coastal. No one was more pivotal than Perkins in the thrilling 39-30 win. The senior shredded a Virginia Tech D that had pitched shutouts in each of the prior two weeks. Perkins used his legs in the first half and his arm over the final 30 minutes, finishing with three touchdowns and 475 yards of total offense.
QB Zac Thomas, Appalachian State - Thomas will be taking momentum into this week's Sun Belt Championship Game opposite Louisiana. The junior tuned up at Troy by delivering arguably his tightest game of the season. Despite being without big-play threat Corey Sutton, Thomas completed 28-of-34 for 326 yards, four TDs and a pick, while grading as the fifth best Week 14 quarterback. per Pro Football Focus.
WR Jaylen Waddle, Alabama - Well, Waddle, for one, played well enough for Alabama to win this year's Iron Bowl. Lost in the Tide's crushing 48-45 defeat to Auburn was the electrifying play of Waddle, who was brilliant on offense and special teams. The sophomore from Houston has formed a connection with QB Mac Jones, catching three of his TD throws. Waddle also had a 98-yard kick return for a touchdown, one of three non-offensive scores in this thriller.
LB Zack Baun, Wisconsin - Just like they've done throughout the 2019 season, Wisconsin's linebackers dictated the tempo of a game. And with the Big Ten West hanging in the balance, the Badgers went into Minnesota, retained Paul Bunyan's Axe and set up a rematch with Ohio State in Indianapolis. Chris Orr, Jack Sanborn and Baun were dynamite, with the latter leading the way with nine tackles and a pair of sacks.
DE A.J. Epenesa, Iowa - While the pre-draft process doesn't officially begin until January, Epenesa has been making money in November. The Hawkeye junior has been dominating opposing linemen throughout the second half of the year, including Friday afternoon in Lincoln. In Iowa's 27-24 win over rival Nebraska, Epenesa was virtually unblockable, with a career-high 14 tackles, 4.5 stops for loss and two sacks of Adrian Martinez.
DE Jon Greenard, Florida - When impact transfers were discussed this offseason, rarely was a non-quarterback mentioned. That's a big whiff, because Greenard has been a pass rushing force from the moment he arrived in Gainesville from Louisville. Explosive off the edge, Greenard tormented Florida State quarterbacks all night in Gainesville, forcing a fumble and bagging three sacks to give him five over the last two games.
DE Alex Highsmith, Charlotte - One of the many great things about the bowl season is it allows fans an opportunity to watch elite players they've likely never seen before. Players like Highsmith, for example. The 49ers are bowl-eligible for the first time in program history, thanks in large part to next-level players like Highsmith who had 12 tackles, five stops for loss, 4.5 sacks and a forced fumble in Saturday's defeat of Old Dominion.
DE Bryce Huff, Memphis - Memphis is one win away from copping a Cotton Bowl berth, largely on the strength of Mike Norvell's offense. But an attacking defense has done its part as well. The Tigers defeated Cincinnati, 34-24, to set up a rematch to determine the AAC champ, as the D collected 15 tackles for loss and five sacks. Huff, as usual, spearheaded the assault with eight stops, 3.5 tackles for minus yards, two sacks and a pair of forced fumbles.
CB Parnell Motley, Oklahoma - The Sooners held rival Oklahoma State to just 16 points, its lowest total of the season. Go ahead and give Motley, Pro Football Focus' highest graded Week 14 corner, the defensive game ball for the stout effort. The senior's versatility and toughness were on display in Stillwater, as he registered six tackles to go along with a pair of forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, an interception and a pass breakup.
CB Tiawan Mullen, Indiana - Tom Allen plucked a talented DB out of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. And he's going to have the precocious true freshman for the next few seasons. While 85 points were scored in Saturday's overtime thriller with rival Purdue, a Hoosier win, Mullen still had a day on defense. He not only led the team with eight tackles, but also had 2.5 stops for loss, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and four pass breakups.
DE Chris Rumph, Duke - The Blue Devils won't be bowling for the first time since 2016, the result of a poor second half. But give David Cutcliffe's kids credit - they didn't quit in the finale. In fact, Duke dominated favored Miami Saturday at the line of scrimmage. Rumph, in particular, was fierce with eight tackles, a forced fumble and 3.5 of his team's nine sacks on the afternoon. He was Pro Football Focus' top-graded defender of Week 14.
Oregon (10-2) vs. Utah (11-1) - Friday, 8:00 p.m. ET (ABC) - The Ducks and the Utes meet in Santa Clara Friday night... and the playoff committee will be watching intently. With a win, Utah can make its case for the No. 4 seed in the playoffs, potentially giving the Pac-12 its first berth in three years. Since falling to USC on Sept. 20, the Utes have rolled to eight straight convincing wins. Oregon, meanwhile, saw its postseason dreams altered with a loss at Arizona State two weeks ago. Still, the Ducks boast a next-level quarterback, Justin Herbert, and a veteran O-line they feel can neutralize a nasty Utah front seven.
Baylor (11-1) vs. Oklahoma (11-1) - Saturday, 12:00 p.m. ET (ABC) - Alright, Baylor, here's your chance to make amends for blowing a 25-point lead to Oklahoma in Waco last month. The Bears dominated the Sooners in the first half back on Nov. 16... and then faded to Jalen Hurts & Co. in a crushing 34-31 loss. Now the teams meet in Arlington, Tex. with the Big 12 championship on the line. And perhaps more. Both one-loss schools will be looking to make their case to the playoff committee, as the fourth seed remains undecided entering the final weekend.
Georgia (11-1) vs. LSU (12-0) - Saturday, 4:00 p.m. ET (CBS) - Unstoppable force, meet immovable object. Joe Burrow and LSU's No. 2 scoring offense are set to face Georgia's No. 2 scoring defense. Something will have to give in Atlanta. Burrow is the Tigers' record-setting quarterback and a Maxwell Award finalist. He's surrounded by a wave of talented backs and receivers. But the Bulldogs have yet to allow more than 20 points in a game this season, and a secondary led by CB Eric Stokes and safeties J.R. Reed and Richard LeCounte will not back down in the face of LSU's big-play targets.
Wisconsin (10-2) vs. Ohio State (12-0) - Saturday, 8:00 p.m. ET (FOX) - The Buckeyes have handled all but one 2019 opponent by at least 24 points... and that includes a Badger squad that bowed in Columbus, 38-7, back on Oct. 26. Can Wisconsin get revenge-and a Big Ten crown-in Indianapolis this Saturday? The Badgers are once again tough at the line of scrimmage, and Jonathan Taylor is one of the nation's premier backs. However, Ohio State's speed is impressive, as is the backfield combo of QB Justin Fields and RB J.K. Dobbins. Oh, and Bednarik Award finalist Chase Young is an absolute game-wrecker.