Fansided

Top 5 individual performances from bowl season

By Alexander Zorn

Dec 29, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; MVP LSU Tigers running back Leonard Fournette (7) and head coach Les Miles talks to a reporter after defeating the Texas Tech Red Raiders at NRG Stadium. LSU won 56 to 27. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 29, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; MVP LSU Tigers running back Leonard Fournette (7) and head coach Les Miles talks to a reporter after defeating the Texas Tech Red Raiders at NRG Stadium. LSU won 56 to 27. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 1, 2016; Pasadena, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal running back Christian McCaffrey (5) scores on a 75-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the 2016 Rose Bowl at Rose Bowl. Stanford defeated Iowa 45-16. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 2016; Pasadena, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal running back Christian McCaffrey (5) scores on a 75-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the 2016 Rose Bowl at Rose Bowl. Stanford defeated Iowa 45-16. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Stanford RB Christian McCaffrey 18 rushes for 172 yards, 4 receptions for 105, 91 return yards, 2 TDs

The Rose Bowl record-breaker is the easiest pick of the bunch. He tallied 368 all-purpose yards and led the Cardinals in rushing, receiving, punt returning, and kick returning.

From the very first play from scrimmage it was clear that the Hawkeyes had no answer for the all-purpose star, as the running back took the first pass from Kevin Hogan 75 yards for the touchdown. McCaffrey would finish the game with only 10 fewer yards from scrimmage (277) than the entire Iowa team (287).

In a season that will be full of second-guessing as far as the Bowl matchups go, it’s hard not to wonder what a Rose Bowl game between he and Ezekiel Elliott could have been like. Running backs dominated the 2015 college football season, and it ended with a legendary performance by the Stanford back.

McCaffrey is the Heisman front-runner heading into next season, and some might even say the award already deserves to be his.

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