Bowl season is upon and that means an opportunity to watch some of the top teams and best college football players take the field one last time this year. Of course, the presence of the transfer portal and the 2024 NFL Draft means some of the top talents in the nation won’t participate in bowl season.
We’ve already seen a few big names opt out of their bowl games and more are coming. College football players with aspirations of playing in the NFL realize the risk of a career-altering injury in a bowl game can outweigh the benefits of playing. For others, entering the transfer portal rules them out of bowl eligibility.
Related: Ranking the best college football bowl games 2023-’24
Here are the best college football players sitting out bowl season. We’ll update this as more top players announce they are sitting out.
Caleb Williams, QB, USC Trojans
While there are some on-field knocks with USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams, nothing he did in the Holiday Bowl would help his draft stock. He’s already viewed as a generational talent worthy of the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. So, there’s zero incentive to suit up in USC’s bowl game.
Related: USC Trojans reveal starting QB for Holiday Bowl
While Williams hasn’t officially declared for the NFL Draft, sitting out the Holiday Bowl all but guarantees he’ll make that announcement later this winter. His absence will make the Trojans’ offense far less entertaining to watch, but the risk of suffering an injury in the contest isn’t worth jeopardizing tens of millions of dollars.
Dillon Gabriel, quarterback, Oklahoma Sooners
Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Dillon Gabriel was phenomenal this year, playing like a Heisman candidate for the majority of the season. However, he recognized the Sooners’ football program had a ceiling. Just days after entering the transfer portal, Gabriel committed to the Oregon Ducks.
While Gabriel might not seem like an NFL prospect right now, the same could be said of Bo Nix before he transferred from Auburn to Oregon. The Ducks’ offense unleashes quarterbacks and with both Williams and Michael Penix Jr. leaving college football before the 2024 season, Gabriel can be a Heisman front-runner in an effort to lead Oregon to the College Football Playoff. As for Oklahoma, 2023 five-star quarterback Jackson Arnold is poised to draw the start in the Alamo Bowl against the Arizona Wildcats.
Chop Robinson, edge rusher, Penn State Nittany Lions
Penn State Nittany Lions edge rusher Chop Robinson was one of the best defensive college football players in 2023. Leading one of the nation’s top defenses, Robinson earned an outstanding 90.8 grade from Pro Football Focus, dominating as a pass rusher. He was truly sensational at getting after the quarterback, registering 18 hurries with 10 tackles for loss in just 303 snaps.
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Robinson will especially be missed in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. The Ole Miss Rebels have one of the most explosive offenses in the country and struggling to get pressure on Jaxson Dart could have major ramifications for the Nittany Lions. It also wouldn’t be a surprise if Penn State offensive tackle Olu Fashanu, a projected top-five pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, also sits out the Peach Bowl.
DJ Uiagalelei, QB, Oregon State Beavers
Quarterback DJ Uiagalelei is back in the transfer portal. He joined the Oregon State Beavers before the 2023 season after not meeting expectations with the Clemson Tigers. However, even in a new environment, he essentially delivered the same results
- DJ Uiagalelei stats 2022: 61.9% completion, 2,521 pass yards, 22-7 TD-INT
- fDJ Uiagalelei stats 2023: 57.1% completion, 2,638 pass yards, 21-7 TD-INT
Unfortunately for the Beavers, they’re going to be severely short-handed in the Sun Bowl against Notre Dame. Uiagalelei is gone and head coach Jonathan Smith left the program. Not only that, but starters Anthony Gould, Taliese Fuaga, Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, Akili Arnold and Jack Velling are all not playing. It could be an ugly one for interim coach Anthony Perkins.
Marist Liufau, linebacker, Notre Dame
Notre Dame fans have seen linebacker Marista Liufau take the field for the last time with this program. As a senior, the 6-foot-2 linebacker was named a Butkus Award semifinalist this year thanks to his outstanding ability in coverage. The off-ball defender earned an 82.2 PFF grade in coverage this year, one of the highest marks in the nation.
Liufau has already declared for the 2024 NFL Draft and for good reason. As one of the core pieces in one of the Power 5’s best defenses, he surrendered just 62 receiving yards this season on 11 targets. While Liufau like;y won’t be a top pick in 2024, he should have a future as a rotational linebacker on Sundays.
