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Stepping into the spotlight: Area players get a chance to shine during college bowl season
By DEVIN HASSON, dhasson@starlocalnews.com
The 2012-13 college bowl season officially kicked off last Saturday with a pair of games, but it kicks into high gear starting tonight.
There will be 33 bowl games during the next 19 days, culminating with the Discover BCS National Championship between Notre Dame (12-0) and Alabama (12-1) on Jan. 7.
While only a select few will have the opportunity to lift the national championship trophy, many local players are looking to create lasting memories of their own during the bowl season.
Ball St. (9-3) vs. University of Central Florida (9-4)
Sunnyvale resident and Mesquite High graduate Kelly Page will wrap up his collegiate career as a member of the Ball St. program.
It has been a roller coaster ride for Page, who was one of the top recruits in the state coming out of high school.
Page made seven starts as a freshman, throwing for 1,019 yards and seven touchdowns, but missed the last part of the season with an injury.
As a sophomore, Page made two starts in his 10 games and he played in only three games during his junior season.
He entered his senior year as a backup, but stayed ready. On Senior Night against Ohio, Page was called upon in relief and in his first game of the season, he delivered. Page scored on a 7-yard touchdown run the first time he touched the ball and threw two scoring passes in the second half to lead Ball St. to a 52-27 victory.
Page got the call again in the regular season finale against Miami (Ohio), but after accounting for 190 yards and a touchdown, he was injured, leaving his availability for the bowl game in question.
Sheraton Hawaii Bowl, Dec. 24, 7 p.m.
SMU (6-6) vs. Fresno St. (7-5)
As would be expected due to its proximity, the SMU roster is littered with players from around the area.
Horn graduate Stephon Sanders is one of those that has stood out, though. The sophomore ranks fifth on the team with 46 tackles, while adding four-and-a-half tackles for loss, an interception and six pass breakups.
Zach Wood of Rowlett, a redshirt freshman, has nine tackles and a sack, while Sachse graduate Kris Weeks is a redshirt freshman offensive lineman.
Bridgeport Education Holiday Bowl, Dec. 27, 8:45 p.m.
Baylor (7-5) vs. UCLA (9-4)
North Mesquite graduate Lanear Sampson envisioned big things when he signed with Baylor in 2008 and he seen just that.
Last season, Sampson played with Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin, III, and for his senior year, he has caught passes from South Garland-ex Nick Florence, who led the nation in passing this year.
Sampson has aided both of those quarterbacks in piling up numbers, something he has done since getting a chance after redshirting his freshman year.
He entered the season 10th on the school's all-time receptions list with 113 and he added 51 catches for 639 yards and six touchdowns this season.
A four-year starter, Sampson has played in all 50 games during that time.
Advocare V100 Independence Bowl, Dec. 28, 1 p.m.
Louisiana-Monroe (8-4) vs. Ohio (8-4)
North Mesquite graduate Justin Backus is a freshman defensive back for ULM, while Rowlett's Dillon Jordan is a redshirt freshman offensive lineman.
Meineke Car Care of Texas Bowl, Dec. 28, 8 p.m.
Texas Tech (7-5) vs. Minnesota (6-6)
Horn graduate Jakeem Grant played much bigger than his 5-7 frame while with the Jaguars and that was again the case during his redshirt freshman season with Texas Tech.
Grant was third on the team with 33 receptions. He averaged just under 10 yards per catch with three scoring receptions and also added a 97-yard kickoff return for a score.
Valero Alamo Bowl, Dec. 29, 5:45 p.m.
Texas (8-4) vs. Oregon St. (9-3)
Rowlett graduate Marquise Goodwin and ex-North Mesquite star Joe Bergeron will try to help Texas close the season on a high note.
It has been a whirlwind year for Goodwin. The track standout won the Big 12 and NCAA championships in the long jump and followed that up by winning the U.S. Olympic Trials to earn a trip to London.
Goodwin placed 10th in the long jump at the Summer Olympics and just a few days later, turned his attention back to football. During his senior season, he has 22 catches for 272 yards and two touchdowns. Goodwin also has two rushing scores and has averaged 25.2 yards per kickoff return.
Goodwin made an immediate contibution as a walk-on during his freshman year and entered the season 11th on UT's all-time receptions list with 116.
Bergeron has been a scoring machine as part of the Longhorns' multi-headed rushing attack. He has rushed for 565 yards and has made the most of them. Bergeron leads the team with 16 touchdowns, including a five-score game against Baylor.
Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, Dec. 29, 9:15 p.m.
TCU (7-5) vs. Michigan St. (6-6)
West Mesquite graduate Trevone Boykin entered the season as the backup quarterback for TCU but was thrust into the spotlight when starter Casey Pachall was suspended early in the season.
Boykin has showed off the qualities that made him a star for the Wranglers, throwing for 1,853 yards and 15 touchdowns, while adding 380 yards and three scores on the ground in helping the Horned Frogs qualify for a bowl in their first season in the Big 12.
Boykin has gotten a helping hand from another Mesquite product in wide receiver Skye Dawson.
The senior, who started at Poteet before graduating from Dallas Christian, is among the team leaders with 34 catches for 455 yards. Dawson, who also excels for the TCU track and field team, is averaging 22.5 yards on kickoff returns.
Autozone Liberty Bowl, Dec. 31, 2:30 p.m.
Iowa St. (6-6) vs. Tulsa (10-3)
Former North Mesquite standout and current Iowa St. sophomore Jared Brackens has four tackles in nine games as a defensive back for the Cyclones.
Heart of Dallas Bowl, Jan. 1, 11 a.m.
Oklahoma St. (7-5) vs. Purdue (6-6)
Rowlett graduate Deion Imade, currently a junior at Oklahoma St., has three tackles and a pass broken up in limited action this season.
Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl, Jan. 1, 11 a.m.
Mississippi St. (8-4) vs. Northwestern (9-3)
Rowlett graduate and current Northwestern sophomore Treyvon Green has 22 carries for 80 yards and a touchdown in nine games this season.
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, Jan. 3, 7:30 p.m.
Kansas St. (11-1) vs. Oregon (11-1)
Poteet graduate Jonathan Coleman, a redshirt freshman for Kansas St., has three tackles in five games this season. Kason Hostrup of Sachse High School is a redshirt freshman offensive lineman.
AT&T Cotton Bowl, Jan. 4, 7 p.m.
Texas A&M (10-2) vs. Oklahoma (10-2)
Few players from around the nation can match the season of Rowlett graduate Damontre Moore.
The Texas A&M junior was named to the All-SEC first team, is a first-team All-American and was one of three finalists for the Ted Hendricks Award, which is given to the top defensive end in the country.
Moore, who has been an impact player since he was a freshman, has helped the Aggies make a smoother than expected transition in their first year in the SEC.
Known as more of a passrusher during his first two seasons, Moore has developed into a force in all phases this year.
He leads Texas A&M with 80 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks and eight quarterback pressures. He has also blocked two kicks this season.
Horn graduate De'Vante Harris has made an immediate contribution as a true freshman at defensive back with 27 tackles, two-and-a-half tackles for loss, four pass breakups and an interception.
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