Top Big Ten Performances of the College Football Bowl Season

A number of Big Ten players shined during bowl season. Michigan's Blake Corum, Northwestern's Ben Bryant, Ohio State's Jack Sawyer and Minnesota's Darius Taylor are just a few of the top performers.

The college football bowl season has essentially concluded. Only one game remains, with No. 1 Michigan playing No. 2 Washington in the National Championship Game on Monday, Jan. 8.

I can hear the sniffles across the country. But, don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened. 

Bowl season always gives players one last opportunity to close out the year on a high note. Several Big Ten players made the most of that chance this season. 

Here were some of the best individual performances to close out the 2023 season.

Northwestern QB Ben Bryant

• Bowl Game: Las Vegas Bowl vs. Utah
• Stat Line: 23-of-34, 222 yards, 2 touchdowns
• Final Score: Northwestern 14, Utah 7
• Quick Recap: No, it wasn't a high-scoring affair, but Bryant did just enough to help Northwestern complete an eight-win season. The biggest moment came on a 19-yard touchdown pass to Bryce Kirtz with 6:19 to play, breaking a 7-7 tie and proving to be the winning play for the Wildcats. Bryant also completed a pass to eight different receivers in the game. 

Northwestern DB Jaheem Joseph

• Bowl Game: Las Vegas Bowl vs. Utah
• Stat Line: 2 interceptions for 45 yards
• Final Score: Northwestern 14, Utah 7
• Quick Recap: Both of Joseph's picks came in the first half, with one carrying a little more weight than the other. His first interception near the end of the first quarter came in the end zone, putting an end to the Utah drive and keeping the Utes off the scoreboard. It was a pivotal play in a one-score game for the Wildcats.

Minnesota RB Darius Taylor

• Bowl Game: Quick Lane Bowl vs. Bowling Green
• Stat Line: 35 carries, 208 yards, 1 touchdown
• Final Score: Minnesota 30, Bowling Green 24
• Quick Recap: The freshman running back gave Minnesota fans something to really look forward to next season. In the return to his hometown of Detroit, Taylor accounted for 219 of Minnesota's 281 yards. It was a fitting end to the season for Taylor, who spent half the year sidelined due to injuries. 

Rutgers RB Kyle Monangai

• Bowl Game: Pinstripe Bowl vs. Miami (Fla.)
• Stat Line: 25 carries, 163 yards, 1 touchdown
• Final Score: Rutgers 31, Miami 24
• Quick Recap: Monangai didn't get much national attention throughout the season, despite leading the Big Ten in rushing. He capped off his campaign with an impressive performance, eviscerating the Miami defense and leading Rutgers to a bowl victory. His lone touchdown gave the Scarlet Knights a 14-0 lead midway through the second quarter. He also ripped off a 40-yard run early in the fourth-quarter, setting up another score big score for Rutgers.

Ohio State DE Jack Sawyer

• Bowl Game: Cotton Bowl Classic vs. Missouri
• Stat Line: 4 solo tackles, 3 sacks 
• Final Score: Missouri 14, Ohio State 3
• Quick Recap: Sawyer was a big reason why Ohio State still had a chance to win the Cotton Bowl despite an anemic offensive outing. The defensive end sacked Missouri quarterback Brady Cook three times and terrorized the Tigers' offensive line for a majority of the game. It just wasn't enough to end the season on a high note for the Buckeyes.

Penn State TE Tyler Warren

• Bowl Game: Peach Bowl vs. Ole Miss
• Stat Line: 5 catches for 127 yards
• Final Score: Ole Miss 38, Penn State 25
• Quick Recap: Apparently, Warren was saving his best outing for the last of the season. The Penn State tight end recorded his first-career 100-yard performance, leading the Nittany Lions with 127 receiving yards. That total included an impressive 75-yard scamper, which set up a two-yard touchdown pass from Drew Allar to Theo Johnson to tie the game at 10-10. Warren entered the Cotton Bowl with just 295 yards on the season.

Maryland DB Glendon Miller

• Bowl Game: Music City Bowl vs. Auburn
• Stat Line: 3 tackles, 1 interception for 44 yards, 1 touchdown
• Final Score: Maryland 31, Auburn 13
• Quick Recap: The big play from Miller early in the third quarter all but sealed Maryland's win over Auburn in the Music City Bowl. The defensive back picked off a pass and returned it 44 yards for a touchdown, giving the Terrapins a 31-7 lead. The Terps didn't score after that, but it didn't matter. Miller was also responsible for three tackles in the win, including a solo stop.

Wisconsin QB Tanner Mordecai

• Bowl Game: ReliaQuest Bowl vs. LSU
• Stat Line: 27-of-40, 378 yards, 3 touchdowns
• Final Score: LSU 35, Wisconsin 31
• Quick Recap: Mordecai closed out his college career with a huge performance, though it didn't result in a win. The ReliaQuest Bowl marked the first time this season that the quarterback threw for over 300 yards and accounted for three touchdown passes in a game. Mordecai started the game hot, with two scoring strikes to build a 14-0 lead. But life got a little more difficult for the Badgers in the second half.

Wisconsin WR Will Pauling

• Bowl Game: ReliaQuest Bowl vs. LSU
• Stat Line: 8 catches, 143 yards, 2 touchdowns
• Final Score: LSU 35, Wisconsin 31
• Quick Recap: For the first time in his career, Pauling was a 100-yard receiver. The Badgers top target found plenty of holes in the LSU secondary, hauling in eight receptions for the best outing of his career. His effort included a 53-yard touchdown reception from Mordecai early the game.

Iowa LB Jay Higgins

• Bowl Game: Citrus Bowl vs. Tennessee
• Stat Line: 16 tackles, 14 solo tackles, 1 sack
• Final Score: Tennessee 35, Iowa 0
• Quick Recap: Even in an ugly outcome, Higgins did what he does best. The Iowa linebacker concluded an impressive 2023 campaign with 16 tackles, 14 of which were solo stops. He seemed to be the only bright spot for the Hawkeyes during their trip to Orlando on New Year's Day.

Michigan RB Blake Corum

• Bowl Game: Rose Bowl Game vs. Alabama (CFP semifinal)
• Stat Line: 19 carries, 2 catches, 118 total yards, 2 total touchdowns
• Final Score: Michigan 27, Alabama 20 (OT)
• Quick Recap: Corum accounted for half of Michigan's touchdowns in the Rose Bowl victory over Alabama, including the game-winning play in overtime. First, Corum scored in the opening quarter on an eight-yard reception from J.J. McCarthy. Then, in overtime, the running back fought off Crimson Tide defenders on his way to a 17-yard touchdown run, which proved to be the winning score. To make his night even better, Corum's final touchdown run was the 56th of his career, giving him the record at Michigan.

Michigan Defensive Line

• Bowl Game: Rose Bowl Game vs. Alabama (CFP semifinal)
• Stat Line: 9 tackles for loss, 6 sacks
• Final Score: Michigan 27, Alabama 20 (OT)
• Quick Recap: It's hard not to give Michigan's defensive line credit for its success against Alabama on New Year's Day. The Wolverines' front accounted for nine tackles for loss and six sacks on Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe. That pressure was a big reason why the Wolverines are heading to the National Championship Game to play Washington. 

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