Everyone knows the ACC did well during bowl season, producing a team in the title game and seeing multiple schools dominate at the bowl level. On a more granular scale, North Carolina was more impressive. The state’s FBS teams went 3-1 in bowl games this season, with everyone but the Tar Heels winning. The teams Wake Forest, NC State, App State and North Carolina weren’t the only representatives of the Old North State in this year’s postseason though.There were a whopping 149 players from the state of North Carolina that participated in bowl games this year, making 54 starts throughout the month-long grind of the holiday season. They hailed from 70 different cities and towns around the state everywhere from Jackson Springs (Clemson RT Sean Pollard) to Spring Lake (Boston College DE Harold Landry). From Ahoskie (Old Dominion DE Oshane Ximines) to Hamlet (Air Force RG Alex Gordon) to China Grove (App State NT Myqon Stout).While the bulk of them played for the in-state teams, there were North Carolina players on the field for 40 bowl teams this year, including Penn State (Hubert’s DeAndre Thompkins, WR), USC (Chapel Hill WR Jackson Boyer, a former Tar Heel walk-on), Florida State (Charlotte linebacker Josh Brown) and Oklahoma State (Wilmington offensive lineman Larry Williams). Tulsa had a North Carolinian Raleigh long-snapper Robert Hill. So did BYU Raleigh DB Michael Shelton.Here’s the North State Journal’s All North Carolina Bowl Team for 2016-17.Quarterback:⢠Riley Ferguson, Memphis (Matthews, N.C.) 25-43 passing for 372 yards and four touchdowns.Running backs:⢠Bryce Love, Stanford (Wake Forest, N.C.) 119 yards rushing and a 49-yard touchdown catch.⢠Darryl Bonner, Navy (Fayetteville, N.C.) 22 yards rushing, 2 catches for 79 yards, one touchdownWide Receivers:⢠Austin Proehl, UNC (Charlotte, N.C.) 7 catches for 91 yards⢠Braxton Berrios, Miami, FL (Raleigh, N.C.) 4 catches for 64 yards and a touchdownTight end:⢠Jaylen Samuels, NC State (Charlotte, N.C.) 6 catches for 104 yards and 3 touchdownsLeft Tackle:⢠Bentley Spain, UNC (Charlotte, N.C.) StartLeft Guard:⢠Jamie Collmar, App State (Gastonia, N.C.) StartCenter:⢠Brian Chaffin, Stanford (Harrisburg, N.C.) Played as a reserveRight Guard:⢠The deepest position, with six North Carolinians starting a bowl game. The nod here goes to Lamont Gaillard, Georgia (Fayetteville, N.C.)Right Tackle:⢠Will Richardson, NC State (Burlington, N.C.) StartSpecial TeamsLong Snapper:⢠Tyler Griffiths, NC State (Indian Trail, N.C.) tops the list of four long snappers from the state.Kicker:⢠Michael Rubino, App State (Apex, N.C.) 4 PATs 1 Field goalReturn man:⢠Nyheim Hines, NC State (Garner, N.C.) 118 kickoff return yards, also 6 catches for 69 yardsPunter:⢠Andy Teasdall, Clemson (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 5 punts, 41.2 averageKickoffs:⢠Mitch Lochihler, Kansas State (Charlotte, N.C.) 7 kickoffs, 5 touchbacks, 63 yard averageDefenseDefensive ends:⢠Nick Dawson-Brents, Western Kentucky (Charlotte, N.C.) 5 tackles, 3 sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup⢠Greg Roberts, Baylor (Huntersville, N.C.) 3 tackles, 1 tackle-for-loss, a forced fumble and a pass breakupDefensive tackles:⢠Carlos Watkins, Clemson (Mooresboro, N.C.) 3 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 pass breakups⢠Naz Jones, UNC (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 8 tackles, 1 sack, 2 tackles for lossLinebackers:⢠Grant Dawson, Wake Forest (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1 tackle, 1 tackle for loss, 1 kickoff return for 1 yard⢠Cayson Collins, UNC (Charlotte, N.C.) 10 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss⢠Peter Kalambayi, Stanford (Matthews, N.C.) 3 tacklesCornerbacks:⢠Jaylon McClinton, Army (Charlotte, N.C.) 5 tackles⢠Amari Henderson, Wake Forest (Charlotte, N.C.) 4 tackles, pass breakupSafeties:⢠Mook Reynolds, Virginia Tech (Greensboro, N.C.) 5 tackles, 2 sacks, 3 tackles for loss, a pass breakup⢠Van Smith, Clemson (Charlotte, N.C.) 6 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, forced fumble, interceptionHonorable mention:⢠RB Cade Carney, Wake Forest (Advance), T.J. Logan, UNC (Greensboro), Rico Dowdle, South Carolina (Hope Mills)⢠QB David Washington, Old Dominion (Raleigh)⢠WR Domninique Heath, Kansas State (Huntersville)Offensive linemen: Tony Adams, NC State (Charlotte), R.J. Prince, UNC (Albemarle), Tyrone Crowder, Clemson (Marston), Ryan Anderson, Wake Forest (Raleigh), Phil Haynes, Wake Forest (Raleigh), Garrett Bradbury, NC State (Charlotte)Special teams: Connor Haskins, NC State (Lumberton), Keith Duncan, Iowa (Weddington), Elijah Medford, Tennessee (Burlington)Defensive line: Harold Landry, BC (Spring Lake), Kentavius Street, NC State (Greenville), Keion Adams, Western Michigan (Salisbury), Darnell Thompson, Colorado State (Raleigh), B.J. Hill, NC State (Oakboro), Josh Banks, Wake Forest (Cary), Tyquan Lewis, Ohio State (Tarboro)Linebackers: Kalin McNeil, Wake Forest (McLeansville), Kevin McCoy, Navy (Fayetteville), Akeem Davis, App State (Thomasville)Secondary: Trae Meadows, NC State (Greensboro), Des Lawrence, UNC (Charlotte), Jaire Alexander, Louisville (Charlotte), C.J. Bradshaw, Old Dominion (Kinston), Daiquan Thomasson, Navy (Clayton)
