In a rematch of the 2017 Liberty Bowl, the Memphis Tigers and Iowa State Cyclones face off in this year’s version of the same game. For the most part, all of the big names are playing, but there are a few players from each side that won’t. We look at who’s in and out for the 2023 Liberty Bowl.
Top Memphis, Iowa State Players Not Playing the Liberty Bowl
Using the College Football Network Bowl Game Opt-Out Tracker, we know the players who won’t be playing in the Gator Bowl and will miss the Clemson vs. Kentucky game.
Memphis Players To Miss the Liberty Bowl
He put together an impressive season with Ryan Silverfield on the hot seat coming into the 2023 season. That also means players would look towards the future from the NFL to the transfer portal. Memphis lost some players for the Liberty Bowl but mostly stayed intact.
Seth Henigan and Blake Watson decided to play in this game, a huge bonus for the Tigers. The offense ran through them, giving them a good chance of winning this game. Henigan, however, will be working with two new offensive linemen.
MORE: College Football Transfer Portal Tracker
Guard Davion Carter (Texas Tech) and tackle Makylan Pounders (Mississippi State) entered their names in the transfer portal this offseason, so 2 new players must step up.
A big loss for the Tigers’ future came when Tevin Carter hit the portal. The 6’3″ and 230-pound signal-caller had a good chance of being the next starter for Memphis but took his talents to Tennessee State.
The Tigers didn’t lose much on defense, keeping every important contributor from this year. Zy Brockington put his name in the portal after producing 21 tackles and 3.0 tackles for loss with Memphis in his three seasons with the program.
Memphis Players Expected To Miss the Liberty Bowl
- Hydeen Barlow, Dl (transfer portal)
- Makylan Pounders, OT (transfer portal)
- Meonta Kimbrough, DL (transfer portal)
- Zy Brockington, DL (transfer portal)
- Davion Carter, iOL (transfer portal)
- Seth Morgan, K (transfer portal)
- Spencer Rich, LB (transfer portal)
- Tevin Carter, QB (transfer portal)
- Tre Wright, CB (transfer portal)
- Raydrian McKneely, RB (transfer portal)
- Cameron Smith, S (transfer portal)
- Joshua Sloan, P (transfer portal)
Iowa State Players To Miss the Liberty Bowl
Matt Campbell’s no stranger to the opt-out conversation. He’s seen both sides of it. Guys like Breece Hall opted out, but others have stayed and helped their draft stock. Campbell’s always been about the players and their futures, so he’s not bothered by losing certain guys because of that.
The offense lost a few notable names, but it shouldn’t hurt them. Running backs Eli Sanders and Cartevious Norton combined for 820 yards and seven touchdowns this year, but the emergence of Abu Sama pushed them back on the depth chart and to the portal.
Tight end DeShawn Hanika came into the year with high hopes, but a betting scandal ended his season before it began. The Cyclones missed his production, but Benjamin Brahmer and Easton Dean proved reliable enough in his absence.
Where Iowa State sees the biggest holes will be in the secondary. Veteran corner T.J. Tampa opted out of the Liberty Bowl to focus on his future in the NFL. He was a multi-year starter for the Cyclones, producing 107 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 19 passes defended, and three interceptions in his four years in Ames.
Iowa State Players Expected To Miss the Liberty Bowl
- Markel McLaurin, DB (transfer portal)
- Darrell Simmons, iOL (transfer portal)
- Kaden Sutton, DL (transfer portal)
- Terrell Crosby, ATH (transfer portal)
- Myles Norwood, CB (transfer portal)
- JJ Jean-Louis, LB (transfer portal)
- Eli Sanders, RB (transfer portal)
- Treyveon McGee, S (transfer portal)
- Quaron Adams, WR (transfer portal)
- Carston Marshall, LB (transfer portal)
- Jefferson Adam, EDGE (transfer portal)
- Cartevious Norton, RB (transfer portal)
- Deshawn Hanika, TE (transfer portal)
- Greg Gaines, WR (transfer portal)
- T.J. Tampa, CB (NFL Draft)
Miss any action from the top college QB Rankings during the 2023 football season? Want to track all the movement with the college football’s transfer portal? College Football Network has you covered with that and more!