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College Football Bowls 2016: 10 potential breakout players

By Connor Muldowney

Oct 22, 2016; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers running back Derrius Guice (5) runs as Mississippi Rebels defensive back Myles Hartsfield (15) pursues during the first quarter of a game at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 22, 2016; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers running back Derrius Guice (5) runs as Mississippi Rebels defensive back Myles Hartsfield (15) pursues during the first quarter of a game at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 3, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Trace McSorley (9) celebrates a touchdown against the Wisconsin Badgers in the second half during the Big Ten Championship college football game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 3, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Trace McSorley (9) celebrates a touchdown against the Wisconsin Badgers in the second half during the Big Ten Championship college football game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /

From one rising Big Ten star to another, Trace McSorley is a guy who is just starting to make it onto the national radar. The sophomore from Virginia has had one of the best seasons for a first-year starting quarterback in Penn State history, and could even join the Heisman Trophy conversation next season.

McSorley led the Nittany Lions to a Big Ten Championship win over Wisconsin last week, and that means a berth in the Rose Bowl as well. Penn State was the first team out of the playoff, but it still has to consider 2016 a resounding success.

After a 49-10 loss against Michigan in which he threw for just 121 yards with a touchdown and an interception on 16-of-27 passing, McSorley was lights out for the rest of the year. He lit up opponents week in and week out, and finished with four 300-plus yard games in the final two months.

Facing red-hot USC in the bowl game isn’t exactly the easiest task, but these two should be paired together seeing as many believe that if they had one less loss each, they’d be in the playoff.

Expect a big game out of the sophomore who has thrown for 3,360 yards, 25 touchdowns and only five interceptions this season.

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