DAVE AMMENHEUSER

53 Midstate players competing in bowl games

Dave Ammenheuser
dammenheus@tennessean.com

So your favorite team didn't advance to a bowl game?

No fear. The season doesn't need to end for you quite yet.

With 53 Midstate players participating in bowl games, there's still plenty of rooting interest for local fans.

Here are eight players worth following.

•Kwazel Bertrand, junior cornerback from Brentwood Academy, had 53 tackles for Navy. The Midshipmen face San Diego State in the Poinsettia Bowl on Dec. 23 at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN.

• C.J. Beathard, sophomore quarterback from BGA, played in eight games for Iowa. He completed 39 of 69 passes for 500 yards and three TDs and also rushed 20 times for 74 yards. Iowa plays Tennessee in the TaxSlayer Bowl on Jan. 2 at 2:20 p.m. on ESPN.

• Nantambu-Akil Fentress, senior defensive back from Ensworth, played all 12 games, starting seven of them for Miami. He ranked fourth on the team with 51 tackles. The Hurricanes play South Carolina in the Independence Bowl on Dec. 27 at 2:30 p.m. on WKRN-2.

• I'Tavius Mathers, junior running back from Blackman, rushed 60 times for 264 yards and three touchdowns for Ole Miss. The Rebels play TCU in the Peach Bowl on Dec. 31 at 11:30 a.m. on ESPN.

• Spencer Proctor, senior linebacker from Northeast, had 40 tackles, including two sacks for Air Force. The Falcons play Bowling Green in Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on Dec. 20 at 4:45 p.m. on ESPN.

•Jalen Ramsey, sophomore defensive back from Brentwood Academy, started all 13 games for the Seminoles. He ranked fourth on the team with 75 tackles. He had three sacks and two interceptions. Florida State plays Oregon in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1 at 4 p.m. on ESPN.

•Keenan Reynolds, junior quarterback from Goodpasture, rushed for 1,182 yards and 21 touchdowns and passed for 826 yards and six touchdowns. Navy faces San Diego State in the Poinsettia Bowl on Dec. 23 at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN.

• Bo Wallace, senior quarterback from Giles County, completed 219 of 357 passes for 3,085 yards and 22 touchdowns and rushed for 213 yards and five touchdowns for Ole Miss. The Rebels play TCU in the Peach Bowl on Dec. 31 at 11:30 a.m. on ESPN.

MIDDLE TENNESEE BOWL GAME CONNECTIONS

AIR FORCE

(vs. Western Michigan in Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, Dec. 20, 4:45 p.m., ESPN)

36 Spencer Proctor, senior linebacker from Northeast

NAVY

(vs. San Diego State in Poinsettia Bowl, Dec. 23, 8:30 p.m., ESPN)

2 Parrish Gaines, senior safety from Smyrna

17 Kwazel Bertrand, junior cornerback from Brentwood Academy

19 Keenan Reynolds, junior quarterback from Goodpasture

52 Amos Mason, sophomore defensive end from Brentwood Academy

36 Jalen Wade, sophomore linebacker from Independence

58 Parker Wade, freshman center from Ensworth

WESTERN KENTUCKY

(vs. Central Michigan in Bahamas Bowl, Dec. 24, 11 a.m., ESPN)

52 Cameron Clemmons, senior offensive lineman from Wilson Central

87 Donte DeSalle, redshirt freshman wide receiver from Page

32 D'Andre Ferby, freshman running back, Ensworth

30 Prince Charles Iworah, junior defensive back from Father Ryan

15 Joseph Occhipinti, sophomore kicker from Hillsboro

44 Gunnar Scholato, freshman running back from Pope John Paul II

NORTH CAROLINA

(vs. Rutgers in Quick Lane Bowl, Dec. 26, 3:30 p.m., ESPN)

39 Philip Spelman, junior kicker from MBA

NORTH CAROLINA STATE

(vs. UCF in St. Petersburg Bowl, Dec. 26, 7 p.m., ESPN)

36 Max Stoffer, freshman linebacker from Father Ryan

VIRGINIA TECH

(vs. Cincinnati in Military Bowl on Dec. 27, noon, ESPN)

60 Woody Baron, sophomore defensive tackle from Brentwood Academy

DUKE

(vs. Arizona St. in Sun Bowl, Dec. 27, 1 p.m., WTVF-5)

42 Dezmond Johnson, senior defensive end from Overton

44 Nick Hill, junior linebacker from Pearl-Cohn

65 Cody Robinson, junior offensive guard from Warren County

67 Lucas Patrick, junior offensive guard from Brentwood

MIAMI

(vs. South Carolina in Independence Bowl, Dec. 27, 2:30 p.m., WKRN-2)

28 Nantambu-Akil Fentress, senior defensive back from Ensworth

29 Corn Elder, sophomore defensive back from Ensworth

PENN STATE

(vs. Boston College in Pinstripe Bowl, Dec. 27, 3:30 p.m., ESPN)

31 Brad Bars, senior defensive end from MBA

CLEMSON

(vs. Oklahoma in Russell Athletic Bowl, Dec. 29, 4:30 p.m., ESPN)

86 Sam Cooper, graduate student from Ensworth

NOTRE DAME

(vs. LSU in Music City Bowl, Dec. 30, 2 p.m., ESPN)

71 Alex Bars, freshman offensive linemen from MBA

LSU

45 Josh Tharp, freshman tight end from Houston County

(vs. Notre Dame in Music City Bowl, Dec. 30, 2 p.m., ESPN)

STANFORD

(vs. Maryland in Fosters Farm Bowl, Dec. 30, 9 p.m., ESPN)

52 Graham Shuler, junior center from Brentwood Academy

MARYLAND

(vs. Stanford in Fosters Farm Bowl, Dec. 30, 9 p.m., ESPN)

18 Nathan Renfro, junior punter from Brentwood Academy

OLE MISS

(vs. TCU in Peach Bowl, Dec. 31, 11:30 a.m., ESPN)

5 I'Tavius Mathers, junior running back from Blackman

14 Bo Wallace, senior quarterback from Giles County

84 Hunter Thurley, sophomore defensive end from CPA

GEORGIA TECH

(vs. Mississippi State in Orange Bowl, Dec. 31, 7 p.m.)

70 Shaquille Mason, senior offensive lineman from Columbia

AUBURN

(vs. Wisconsin in Outback Bowl, Jan. 1, 11 a.m., ESPN2)

68 Kyle Bolstad, sophomore offensive lineman from Ravenwood

85 Wirth Campbell, junior tight end from Ensworth

MISSOURI

(vs. Minnesota in Citrus Bowl, Jan. 1, noon, WKRN-2)

64 Paul Adams, freshman offensive lineman from CPA

85 Thomas Richard, freshman wide receiver from CPA

FLORIDA STATE

(vs. Oregon in Rose Bowl, Jan. 1, 4 p.m., ESPN)

8 Jalen Ramsey, sophomore defensive back from Brentwood Academy

ALABAMA

(vs. Ohio State in Sugar Bowl, Jan. 1, 7:30 p.m., ESPN)

86 Truett Harris, junior tight end from Brentwood.

IOWA

(vs. Tennessee in TaxSlayer Bowl, Jan. 2, 2:20 p.m., ESPN)

16 C.J. Beathard, sophomore quarterback from BGA

TENNESSEE

(vs. Iowa in TaxSlayer Bowl, Jan. 2, 2:20 p.m., ESPN)

1 Jalen Hurd, freshman running back from Beech

3 Josh Malone, freshman wide receiver from Station Camp

4 Vic Wharton, freshman wide receiver from Independence

7 Rashaan Gaulden, freshman defensive back from Independence

9 Derek Barnett, freshman defensive end from Brentwood Academy

19 David Priddy, sophomore defensive back from Hendersonville

25 Aaron Medley, freshman kicker from Marshall County

34 Jalen Reeves-Maybin, sophomore linebacker from Northeast

35 Ryan Ault, sophomore kicker from Brentwood

47 Joe Stocstill, sophomore tight end from Cornersville

72 Michael Sawyers, freshman defensive lineman from Ensworth

73 Jashon Robertson, freshman offensive lineman from MBA

87 Jacob Carter, senior wide receiver from Ensworth

93 Trevor Daniel, freshman punter from Dickson County