Fans of the American Athletic Conference were left with much to be desired after watching the conference cap off 2014 with a disappointing 2-3 bowl record. UCF and Cincinnati lost bowls they were slight favorites in, while Houston completed one of the greatest bowl comebacks ever, roaring back from a 31-6 fourth-quarter deficit to knock-off the favored Pittsburgh Panthers 35-34 — the emphatic highlight of the conference’s bowl season. AACFootballFever’s Mitch Wilcox’s recap of the “AACTION’ from this bowl season can be found here.
With the AAC’s bowl slate in the books, I listed my top-10 individual player performances from the conference’s five bowl games. I took into account pure stats, but also player-impact on a game’s outcome (i.e. you may see more Houston players listed). A few players, mostly quarterbacks, who complied big yards were left off this list because they committed costly mistakes that contributed to their team’s loss.
In no particular order, here are my top-10 best individual AAC performers this bowl season.
Chris Moore, WR, Cincinnati
Moore had 103 yards on four receptions and two touchdown grabs. His two TDs were the Bearcats’ only two touchdowns in a 33-17 loss to Virginia Tech in the Military Bowl.
Zach Edwards, DB, Cincinnati
Edwards played well in the Military Bowl, despite his team’s poor overall performance against the Hokies. He racked up 11 tackles, one and a half sacks, and had an interception to boot.
Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis
Lynch was on fire in the final minutes of the fourth quarter and overtime periods in the inaugural Miami Beach Bowl versus BYU. The sophomore passed for 306 yards, tossed four touchdowns — one in the final minute of regulation to tie BYU at 45 and send the game to overtime. He also rushed for three more scores and threw the game-winning TD in the second overtime.
Jake Elliot, K, Memphis
Made incredible 54-yard field goal to send Memphis to second overtime with BYU. Redeemed a 53-yard miss earlier in the third-quarter.
Jackson Dillon, LB, Memphis
Totaled 11 tackles, three tackles for loss for 24 yards, forced a fumble, and sacked BYU’s quarterback twice for big loss of yards.
Justin Hardy, WR, ECU
The star Pirates’ receiver did not end his collegiate career with a bowl win as he had hoped, but he did have an impressive 160 yards receiving on 11 catches and a touchdown grab. His 160 yards receiving was his third-highest total of the season.
Greg Ward, Jr., QB, Houston
Ward struggled for most of the Armed Forces Bowl, until the miraculous fourth-quarter. He finished 15-of-24 for 274 yards and three TDs (237 of those yards were gained in the fourth-quarter). He also added 93 yards rushing as the catalyst for the Cougars’ comeback win over Pittsburgh.
Kenneth Farrow, RB, Houston
Farrow was another Houston player who started out slow (basically, the entire team didn’t show up till the fourth-quarter), but finished strong with 103 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Farrow made the list because his two scores were in the critical fourth-quarter.
Deontay Greenberry, WR, Houston
The 6-3, 200 pound, receiver caught the game winning two-point conversion in the back of the end zone to send the Cougars home with a 35-34 comeback win in the Armed Forces Bowl. Greenberry had two crucial touchdown grabs in the final 3:41 of regulation. Greenberry has announced he’s entering the NFL draft.
Josh Reese, WR, UCF
Reese is another wide receiver I’m showing some love to for a solid bowl performance. Unfortunately, it’s more for stats instead of late-game heroics. Reese had six catches for 75 yards with three touchdowns. He scored all three of the Knights touchdowns in a 34-27 loss to NC State in the St. Petersburg Bowl.
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