Thor Nystrom tracks players opting out of upcoming bowl games as well as the coaching changes around the college football landscape. Thor will update the article through the remainder of the season to keep you updated on bowl games, college prospects, and the 2023 NFL Draft.
And below we’ll take a closer look at the upcoming bowl game.
Check out Thor’s projections for all college football bowl games
Cotton Bowl: College Football News, Player Opt-Out Tracker & Game Preview (USC vs. Tulane)
- Monday, January 2 | 12:00 PM
- USC (-2) vs. Tulane | Total: 64
- ATL: USC -2.9 | ATT: 68.5
Tulane
- QB Justin Ibieta (Injury)
- RB Cameron Carroll (Injury)
- WR Dea Dea McDougle (Injury)
QB Ibieta and RB Carroll, both backups, are out for the season with shoulder and leg injuries, respectively. WR McDougle, a Maryland transfer, left the team last month, per HC Willie Fritz.
USC
- QB Caleb Williams (Injury)
- RB Travis Dye (Injury)
- WR Michael Jackson III (Injury)
- WR Jordan Addison (Injury)
- C Brett Neilon (Injury)
- OG Andrew Vorhees (Injury)
- DT Kobe Pepe (Transfer portal)
- EDGE Romello Height (Injury)
- LB Ralen Goforth (Transfer portal)
- LB Julien Simon (Transfer portal)
There were rumors early-on that USC QB Caleb Williams could sit with a hamstring injury. Williams has been emphatic with the media that he will play in the game if he’s physically able. I heard the same thing – that Williams will play if he’s healthy – shortly after this matchup was announced.
RB Dye is out for the year with a knee injury suffered in November. Dye averaged 6.1 YPC over the first 10 games.
WR Addison, a Round 1 possibility in the spring, will miss the bowl game with his ankle injury, per HC Lincoln Riley. Addison, the 2021 Biletnikoff Award winner, is expected to declare for the 2023 draft – and to be 100-percent healthy for the NFL Combine if so. Addison posted a 59-875-8 line in 11 games this season.
Starting OC Neillon and OG Vorhees both won’t play due to injury, per HC Riley. Both were fabulous in 2022, and both are of great interest to NFL scouts. Riley said Vorhees is rehabbing with an eye towards draft prep.
LB Goforth posted 43 tackles as part of the LB rotation, but he’s skipped town to join rival Washington. WR Jackson III is questionable with an undisclosed injury. EDGE Height was lost for the season in September with a shoulder issue. DT Pepe and LB Simon were rarely-used backups.
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