2019 College Bowl Preview: Holiday and Cheez-It Bowls

A busy Friday in the college football bowl season wraps up tonight with a pair of matchups. The Holiday Bowl between USC and Iowa kicks off at 8 PM ET. That is followed by the Cheez-It Bowl, featuring Air Force and Washington State. 

Holiday Bowl: USC vs. Iowa

USC Trojans

The USC Trojans lead their high-flying offense up against an extremely talented Iowa Hawkeyes defense. The two biggest prospect matchups will be when the Trojans are on offense. Left tackle Austin Jackson is a smooth pass protector with plenty of athletic upside and looks to be an early draft pick, but goes up against talented edge rusher A.J. Epenesa. How he plays in this game will be critical for his pro evaluations. USC wide receiver Michael Pittman is a big-play threat despite lacking elite play speed. He’s a good route runner and displays top-notch ability at the catch point, but doesn’t have much of an athletic ceiling. I would expect to hear his name in the first three rounds, but he could go lower like Kelvin Harmon if he doesn’t test well.

On the Trojans defense, I love the ability of nose tackle Jay Tufele. He’s so strong and physical at the point of attack and makes a living in opposing backfields. How he fares against the tough and physical OL that Iowa boasts will be a good measuring tool for his pro evaluation. I’m not too high on defensive end Christian Rector, but he can be a rotational pass rusher at the next level with his length and power. He’ll line up against two talented offensive tackles in this game and a good showing here after a down senior season would put him on the right track.

– AJ Schulte, PFN NFL Draft analyst

Iowa Hawkeyes

The Iowa Hawkeyes have plenty of elite talent on both sides for this bowl game. Offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs and defensive end A.J. Epenesa both have top-10 grades for me and are both first-round prospects… if they declare. QB Nathan Stanley has fans among scouts, but I’m not completely sold on his ability at the next level. He’s been improved this year, however, and looks like a Day 2 option for the 2020 NFL Draft. Left tackle Alaric Jackson is incredibly toolsy, but has several fundamental issues in his game that make him a project for the next level.

– Matt Valdovinos, PFN NFL Draft analyst

Cheez-It Bowl: Air Force vs Washington State

Air Force Falcons

Air Force hasn’t had a ton of luck in terms of NFL Draft prospects, but there are a few notable names to keep an eye on for the Falcons. Defensively, safety Jeremy Fejedelem is a quiet playmaker in the back end. He’s undersized at 5-foot-10, but he isn’t afraid to come up against the run with over 200 career tackles. His instincts and playmaking will need to be at their highest against the high-octane Mike Leach offense.

Defensive tackle Mosese Fifita is a dominant run defender upfront. A former wrestler, Fifita is stout and can hold his own at the point of attack. He doesn’t offer much as a pass rusher at the moment, but a good showing on a big stage like this would do wonders for his NFL Draft stock.

Linebackers Demonte Meeks and Kyle Johnson are both stout against the run with good play recognition, but Meeks has a higher athletic ceiling. This game will be critical for the Air Force defense, as this is the best offense they’ll play all year long, and is on their biggest stage.

– AJ Schulte, PFN NFL Draft analyst

Washington State Cougars

Wazzu has churned out NFL talent over the last few years on offense and that won’t change this year. It starts with quarterback Anthony Gordon, who in my opinion, is the quarterback with the most Mahomes in him in this entire draft class. I’m a fan of how he handles the game and his incredible arm talent, despite his erratic decision-making. If he lands in the right squad, Gordon can be a really good quarterback at the next level. It will just take the right time and landing spot.

Right tackle Abraham Lucas quietly had a really good year and I’m surprised more people aren’t talking about the redshirt sophomore. Coaches rave about his potential, and I think he looks as athletic as Andre Dillard was coming out. If he doesn’t declare early this year, I’d expect him to garner a ton of attention for next year’s draft. Wazzu boasts a trio of NFL-bound wide receivers in Easop Winston Jr, Dezmon Patton, and Brandon Arcanado. I don’t think any are particularly noteworthy in this wide receiver class, but all three can make an NFL roster.

– AJ Schulte, PFN NFL Draft analyst