As we get closer to the New Year, most fans have their sights set on the college football playoff, but for several NFL prospects, there is still football to be played. While non-playoff bowl games have lost some of their appeal to college fans, they still can have a lot of impact for NFL draft prospects looking to go out with a bang. Many top prospects will elect to skip their non-playoff bowl games, but a lot of mid-round prospects will be looking to make up some ground with their last game of the season.
Many players have entered the transfer portal or declared for the draft, and many fans have already shifted their focus to the 2026 season. But as any coach would say, there is still football to be played and games to win, and a lot of money is on the line for both schools and prospects looking to boost their draft stock. Today, I took a look at all the college football bowl games and wrote about the main prospects you should keep an eye on in each of the biggest games.
Penn State vs Clemson
Two of the most disappointing teams in college football will go head-to-head in the Pinstripe Bowl on Saturday, but it will still feature some current and future NFL prospects. There will be several opt-outs, but several draft prospects will still be featured.
Penn State will feature star RB Kaytron Allen, wide receivers Devonte Ross and Tebor Pena, and several offensive linemen, including TJ Shanahan and Anthony Donkoh. On defense, they will have star DE Dani Dennis-Sutton and DBs King Mack and Dakaari Nelson. PSU will also have many young players getting a chance in this game, as several players entered the transfer portal after Matt Campbell was hired as the team’s next head coach.
On the other side, Clemson has several prospects for this year as well as several top prospects to watch for next year’s draft. QB Cade Klubnik is likely to play as well as several offensive linemen like Blake Miller, Tristan Leigh, and Harris Sewell. Keep an eye on their young receivers who will be in next year’s draft class. On defense, Clemson will have DE Will Heldt, DTs who will likely return for another year, Stephiylan Green, and Vic Burley, LB Wade Woodaz, and DB Jeadyn Lukus.
Georgia Tech vs BYU
The Pop-Tarts bowl features two teams that surprised many people with their play this season and will have many mid-round draft prospects. Georgia Tech was in the hunt for an ACC title, and BYU was considered one of the biggest snubs for the college football playoff. So far, no one has opted out of this game, and it should be a fun one to watch.
Georgia Tech has standout players to watch, with QB Haynes King as the face of the team, widely regarded as one of the toughest players in college football. The Yellow Jackets also have a couple of undersized offensive weapons in Jamal Haynes, Malik Rutherford, and Eric Rivers, who have shown impressive speed and playmaking. On the offensive line, they are somewhat thin, but Keylan Rutledge could hear his name called on day three.
For BYU, they are headlined by star freshman QB Bear Bachmeier, who has looked like one of the best young passers in the sport. BYU has one of the most entertaining running backs in LJ Martin and yet another fun reciever in Chase Roberts. On the offensive line, guard Weylin Lapuaho has gotten some attention from scouts, and on the defensive line, Keanu Tanuvasa has looked like one of the better 3-tech linemen in the Big 12. Jack Kelly, the Cougars’ middle linebacker, has also gotten some looks and will likely hear his name late in the 2026 draft.
UVA vs Missouri
The Tax Slayer Gator Bowl will be a fun one, featuring two of college football’s most exciting emerging programs. Missouri has made significant strides under coach Drinkwitz, and UVA has worked itself into the ACC Championship, making this game one of my favorite bowl matchups.
Missouri has the most NFL talent of the two, starting with a couple of offensive standouts, TE Brett Norfleet and linemen Cayden Green and Spencer Tollison. But where Missouri’s roster really flexes its muscles is on defense, with the top names being EDGE rushers Zion Young and Damon Wilson, who is having a stellar year in his first year since transferring from Georgia. Also, in the Tigers’ front seven are DT Chris McClellan and LB Triston Newson, but the strongest group for Mizzu is the secondary. 7th-year player Jalen Catelon is my favorite, but other players like Toriano Pride and Stephen Hall could hear their names called late on day three.
UVA has significantly less NFL talent, but still has some names to watch in the Gator Bowl. The biggest name is RB J’Mari Taylor, who has caught some eyes as one of the nation’s best backs. QB Chandler Morris is more likely to be a UDFA, but OL McKale Boley could be an early day three selection. DL Hunter Osborne is another name to watch, but is more likely to be a 2027 prospect.
LSU vs Houston
LSU has been one of the most unique teams in the nation, flooded with NFL talent, but did not live up to expectations. On the other hand, Houston went 9-3 and finished ranked (21st) for the first time since 2021, widely exceeding expectations. This will make the Kinder’s Texas Bowl a fun one, with several NFL prospects looking to show why they belong in this year’s class.
LSU’s roster is strong from top to bottom, with the Tigers’ leader being QB Grant Nussmeier, who is looking to prove he still can be one of the top QBs in this year’s class. Other members of the offense include WRs Nic Anderson, Chris Hilton Jr, Zavion Thomas, and Barion Brown, as well as TE Bauer Sharp and OL Josh Thompson. On defense, defensive linemen Jack Pyburn and Jacobian Guillory II, as well as LB Whit Weeks, are among the Tigers’ most prominent leaders.
Houston may not have the depth of NFL talent, but it still has a strong team led by transfer QB Connor Weigman, who has really boosted his stock this season. TE Tanner Koziol has also gotten a lot of attention for the Cougars offense this season. On defense, DL Eddie Walls III is the main guy to look for on the Houston defense, who has proven he can be a high-level pass rusher this season.
USC vs TCU
An excellent coaching matchup will be on in this year’s Alamo Bowl between two of the nation’s strongest programs as of late. Lincoln Riley is one of my favorite coaches in the country and has had several top recruiting classes over the last few years. For the Horned Frogs, Sonny Dykes has assembled a strong staff, and the future is bright in Fort Worth.
USC is a fun program to watch, and they just re-signed their QB Jayden Maiava to return for next season, keeping him from the NFL draft. But there is plenty of talent outside of him, including TE Lake McRee and C J’Onre Reed on offense, who could be mid-round picks this offseason. On defense, DE Anthony Lucas, Keeshawn Silver, and Eric Gentry are freak athletes in the front seven, and safety Kamari Ramsey is one of my favorite players in the entire class.
TCU, on the other hand, will lose QB Josh Hoover to the transfer portal, who I thought had a real shot of being a day two QB this year. But there is plenty of talent outside of him. WR Eric McAlister is one of my favorite WR prospects, and TE DJ Rodgers will be a mid-round pick this offseason. DT Markis Deal, LBs Kaleb Elarms-Orr and Namdi Obiazor, as well as S Bud Clark, could all be mid-round additions as well and will have a lot of money to earn in the Alamo Bowl this season.
Texas vs Michigan
This is my favorite non-playoff bowl game of the year, featuring two former number-one high school recruits. Arch Manning and Bryce Underwood go head-to-head in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl in one of the best QB matchups of the entire season. Michigan will have a fill-in head coach, while Texas looks to show the committee that it belongs in this year’s college football playoff. Let’s look at the top prospects for each team outside of the two QBs who could be top picks over the next two seasons.
For Texas, Quintravion Wisner was one of the top RB recruits in the nation and will be the primary ball carrier in this game for the Longhorns. TE Jack Endries is one of my favorite TEs in the class, and on the OL, Trevor Goosby, Cole Hutson, and DJ Campbell are looking to boost their stock for this offseason. On defense, Texas has several top guys; DE Ethan Burke and Trey Moore are the guys to watch, as well as safeties Michael Taffe and Jelani McDonald.
For the Wolverines, there is significant uncertainty, including who will be the head coach after the Sherome Moore situation. Justice Haynes is my top prospect on the Michigan roster, but he will be questionable due to injury. Outside of Haynes, WR Semaj Morgan, as well as TEs Marlin Klein and Max Bredeson, are names to watch on offense. On defense, DL TJ Guy and Rayshaun Benny are popular names, along with LBs Ernest Hausmann, Jimmy Rolder, and Troy Bowles. In the secondary, watch for Zeke Barry and Jyaire Hill, who could hear their names called this offseason.
