Top 10 performers of bowl season

As part of an ongoing series, CFB 24/7 is taking power rankings from macro to micro. Instead of looking at the best teams that are dominating the college football landscape, we're focusing on something more specific in this series.

This week, we're looking at the best bowl game performances. Yes, not every bowl game has been played yet -- we're only going through the New Year's Day games -- but the list covers the bulk of the standout efforts and made for plenty of difficult decisions.

This isn't a look at the top NFL draft prospects, nor is it a preview of positional rankings you'll see from scouts. It's simply a look at the best efforts in a bowl game when taking into account a number of factors. Feel free to disagree in the comments or on Twitter by hitting up the @NFLCFB handle. Without further ado, on to the rankings.

Bowl: Miami Beach vs. BYU (Won, 55-48, 2 OT)
The skinny: Yes, Lynch threw three interceptions against a stingy BYU defense in the Miami Beach Bowl, but he also accounted for seven touchdowns in leading the Tigers to a crazy double-overtime win. He threw for 306 yards and four touchdowns and ran for another three scores, becoming the first player to account for seven touchdowns in nearly two years.

1 / 10

10. QB Paxton Lynch, Memphis

Bowl: Miami Beach vs. BYU (Won, 55-48, 2 OT)
The skinny: Yes, Lynch threw three interceptions against a stingy BYU defense in the Miami Beach Bowl, but he also accounted for seven touchdowns in leading the Tigers to a crazy double-overtime win. He threw for 306 yards and four touchdowns and ran for another three scores, becoming the first player to account for seven touchdowns in nearly two years.

Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press

Bowl: Belk vs. Louisville (Won, 37-14)
The skinny: There were times during the Belk Bowl that Chubb, a true freshman, literally carried the defense with him as he was picking up yards and leading the Bulldogs to another double-digit-win season. Despite the team's starting QB leaving with an injury and the Cardinals stacking the box with every defender they could, Chubb ran for 266 yards and two scores -- totals that could have been much higher had he stayed in the game longer. In doing so, he drew plenty of statistical comparisons to some guy named Hershel Walker, a good sign for a team that must replace Todd Gurley next season.

2 / 10

9. RB Nick Chubb, Georgia

Bowl: Belk vs. Louisville (Won, 37-14)
The skinny: There were times during the Belk Bowl that Chubb, a true freshman, literally carried the defense with him as he was picking up yards and leading the Bulldogs to another double-digit-win season. Despite the team's starting QB leaving with an injury and the Cardinals stacking the box with every defender they could, Chubb ran for 266 yards and two scores -- totals that could have been much higher had he stayed in the game longer. In doing so, he drew plenty of statistical comparisons to some guy named Hershel Walker, a good sign for a team that must replace Todd Gurley next season.

Nell Redmond/Associated Press

Bowl: Pinstripe vs. Boston College (Won, 31-30, OT)
The skinny: It's been a rough season for the Nittany Lions, given their issues along the offensive line and in the running game, and Hackenberg's play suffered in 2014 as a result. Still, he rallied them to victory in the Pinstripe Bowl, playing like the star signal-caller he's been hyped to be. Hackenberg set school records for completions (34 on 50 attempts) and passing yards (371) while throwing for four touchdowns to earn bowl MVP honors.

3 / 10

8. QB Christian Hackenberg, Penn State

Bowl: Pinstripe vs. Boston College (Won, 31-30, OT)
The skinny: It's been a rough season for the Nittany Lions, given their issues along the offensive line and in the running game, and Hackenberg's play suffered in 2014 as a result. Still, he rallied them to victory in the Pinstripe Bowl, playing like the star signal-caller he's been hyped to be. Hackenberg set school records for completions (34 on 50 attempts) and passing yards (371) while throwing for four touchdowns to earn bowl MVP honors.

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

Bowl: Heart of Dallas vs. Illinois (Won, 35-18)
The skinny: The Heart of Dallas Bowl MVP, Bates transferred after last year from Illinois to be closer to home. That was a blow to the Illini pass rush and proved to be even more troublesome when the team faced Bates in the postseason. He had 4.5 sacks (more than his career total in Champaign) in a blowout of the Big Ten squad that Bates once called his own.

4 / 10

7. DE Houston Bates, Louisiana Tech

Bowl: Heart of Dallas vs. Illinois (Won, 35-18)
The skinny: The Heart of Dallas Bowl MVP, Bates transferred after last year from Illinois to be closer to home. That was a blow to the Illini pass rush and proved to be even more troublesome when the team faced Bates in the postseason. He had 4.5 sacks (more than his career total in Champaign) in a blowout of the Big Ten squad that Bates once called his own.

Tim Heitman/USA TODAY Sports

Bowl: Rose vs. Florida State (Won, 59-20)
The skinny: Washington was named Rose Bowl MVP after racking up four tackles, one tackle for loss, a sack and returning a Jameis Winston fumble 58 yards for a touchdown to seal the game in a huge effort by the Ducks' defense. The team forced four Florida State turnovers to break open what had been a fairly close game, turning the CFB Playoff semifinal into one of the biggest postseason blowouts ever.

5 / 10

6. LB Tony Washington and the Oregon defense

Bowl: Rose vs. Florida State (Won, 59-20)
The skinny: Washington was named Rose Bowl MVP after racking up four tackles, one tackle for loss, a sack and returning a Jameis Winston fumble 58 yards for a touchdown to seal the game in a huge effort by the Ducks' defense. The team forced four Florida State turnovers to break open what had been a fairly close game, turning the CFB Playoff semifinal into one of the biggest postseason blowouts ever.

Michael Yanow/NFL

Bowl: Bahamas (CMU won, 49-48)
The skinny: Few bowls were as wacky as the first Bahamas Bowl. The nation's passing leader, Doughty, had five touchdown passes and 486 yards, helping his team build a five-score lead. That was just the sign that Rush needed to get going, coming out with guns blazing in the second half to finish with a bowl-record seven touchdown passes and 493 yards. The game's final, zany touchdown -- featuring three laterals -- made the Music City Miracle look like amateur hour and really made these two performances stand out.

6 / 10

5. CMU QB Cooper Rush and WKU QB Brandon Doughty

Bowl: Bahamas (CMU won, 49-48)
The skinny: Few bowls were as wacky as the first Bahamas Bowl. The nation's passing leader, Doughty, had five touchdown passes and 486 yards, helping his team build a five-score lead. That was just the sign that Rush needed to get going, coming out with guns blazing in the second half to finish with a bowl-record seven touchdown passes and 493 yards. The game's final, zany touchdown -- featuring three laterals -- made the Music City Miracle look like amateur hour and really made these two performances stand out.

Associated Press

Bowl: New Mexico vs. UTEP (Won, 21-6)
The skinny: The Aggies were at one point down to their fifth-string -- yes, fifth -- quarterback this season in their bowl matchup with UTEP but prevailed, thanks to the dynamic duo of Nick and Zach Vigil. The linebacking pair combined for 16 tackles. Nick added a touchdown run as a fullback, and Zach was named defensive MVP of the game. Not bad at all.

7 / 10

4. LB Nick Vigil and LB Zach Vigil, Utah State

Bowl: New Mexico vs. UTEP (Won, 21-6)
The skinny: The Aggies were at one point down to their fifth-string -- yes, fifth -- quarterback this season in their bowl matchup with UTEP but prevailed, thanks to the dynamic duo of Nick and Zach Vigil. The linebacking pair combined for 16 tackles. Nick added a touchdown run as a fullback, and Zach was named defensive MVP of the game. Not bad at all.

Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports

Bowl: Outback vs. Auburn (Won, 34-31, OT)
The skinny: After getting shut down in the Big Ten title game, Gordon seemed to take his frustrations out on the Auburn defense in an overtime Outback Bowl win. He rushed for 251 yards and three touchdowns, falling 41 yards short of Barry Sanders' FBS record for rushing yards in a season. Not a bad send off to the NFL for Gordon at all.

8 / 10

3. RB Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin

Bowl: Outback vs. Auburn (Won, 34-31, OT)
The skinny: After getting shut down in the Big Ten title game, Gordon seemed to take his frustrations out on the Auburn defense in an overtime Outback Bowl win. He rushed for 251 yards and three touchdowns, falling 41 yards short of Barry Sanders' FBS record for rushing yards in a season. Not a bad send off to the NFL for Gordon at all.

Chris O'Meara/Associated Press

Bowl: Music City vs. Nebraska (Won, 45-42)
The skinny: The Trojans managed to wrap up a nine-win season, thanks in part to Jackson's efforts in holding off Nebraska. The true freshman made an impact on offense (three catches, 73 yards, one touchdown), defense (seven tackles as the starting corner) and special teams (98-yard kickoff return for TD). Head coach Steve Sarkisian joked afterward Jackson could have had four scores if he stayed on offense all night. The future is certainly bright for Jackson.

9 / 10

2. CB Adoree Jackson, USC

Bowl: Music City vs. Nebraska (Won, 45-42)
The skinny: The Trojans managed to wrap up a nine-win season, thanks in part to Jackson's efforts in holding off Nebraska. The true freshman made an impact on offense (three catches, 73 yards, one touchdown), defense (seven tackles as the starting corner) and special teams (98-yard kickoff return for TD). Head coach Steve Sarkisian joked afterward Jackson could have had four scores if he stayed on offense all night. The future is certainly bright for Jackson.

Lenny Ignelzi/Associated Press

Bowl: Sugar vs. Alabama (Won, 42-35)
The skinny: The Sugar Bowl has seen a lot of all-time great running backs, but none has ever rushed for more yards than Elliott, who ran for 230 yards with two scores, the last of which was an 85-yard barn burner in which he outran the entire Alabama defense. That he was able to put up such numbers against the Tide's vaunted defense, and with a third-string quarterback handing the ball off, only enhances what Elliott did to get the Buckeyes to the national title game.

10 / 10

1. RB Ezekiel Elliott, Ohio State

Bowl: Sugar vs. Alabama (Won, 42-35)
The skinny: The Sugar Bowl has seen a lot of all-time great running backs, but none has ever rushed for more yards than Elliott, who ran for 230 yards with two scores, the last of which was an 85-yard barn burner in which he outran the entire Alabama defense. That he was able to put up such numbers against the Tide's vaunted defense, and with a third-string quarterback handing the ball off, only enhances what Elliott did to get the Buckeyes to the national title game.

Bill Haber/Associated Press

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