53 Midstate players competing in bowl games
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