Saturday’s noon slate of bowl games kicks off when the Boston College Eagles take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. The transfer portal may have come for each of these teams, but who of the Eagles or Cornhuskers should feel the biggest impact of opt-outs?
Top Boston College Players Not Playing in Pinstripe Bowl
Thanks to the CFN Bowl Game Opt-Out Tracker, we know which players from the Eagles won’t be in action in the Pinstripe Bowl.
- Thomas Castellanos, QB (transfer portal)
- Montrell Wade, WR (transfer portal)
- Jerand Bradley, WR (transfer portal)
- Jayden McGowan, WR (transfer portal)
- Ilija Krajnovic, OT (transfer portal)
- Ryan Turner, CB (transfer portal)
- Kahlil Ali, S (transfer portal)
- Jalen Cheek, S (transfer portal)
- Sione Hala, S (transfer portal)
The biggest loss for BC is obviously QB Castellanos. However, Castellanos had essentially been gone from the team over a month before the season ended and new QB Grayson James had given the Eagles a spark.
Castellanos still leads the team in passing yards and touchdowns, but James had jolted this BC team into some thrilling performances more than his predecessor had done in 2024.
Of the other players set to be missing in action for the Eagles, at least on offense, only Bradley had contributed in any meaningful fashion, and even listing his contributions as meaningful is a stretch this season.
On defense, Turner recorded four pass breakups and had a pick-six while Cheek, Hala, and Ali were rotational pieces in the secondary.
Top Nebraska Players Not Playing in Pinstripe Bowl
Similarly, thanks to CFN’s Bowl Game Opt-Out Tracker, the Cornhuskers expected to miss the game are easy to find:
- Daniel Kaelin, QB (transfer portal)
- Dante Dowdell, RB (transfer portal)
- Gabe Ervin Jr., RB (transfer portal)
- Ryker Evans, RB (transfer portal)
- Emmett Johnson, RB (transfer portal)
- Dae’vonn Hall, WR (transfer portal)
- Isaiah McMorris, WR (transfer portal)
- Malachi Coleman, WR (transfer portal)
- AJ Rollins, TE (transfer portal)
- Arik Gilbert, TE (transfer portal)
- Nate Boerkircher, TE (transfer portal)
- Xander Ruggeroli, OT (transfer portal)
- Jacob Hood, OT (transfer portal)
- Princewill Umanmielen, EDGE (transfer portal)
- Keona Davis, DL (transfer portal)
- Brodie Tagaloa, DL (transfer portal)
- Kai Wallin, DL (transfer portal)
- Vincent Jackson, DL (transfer portal)
- Jimari Butler, DL (transfer portal)
- James Williams, DL (transfer portal)
- Noah Bustard, LB (transfer portal)
- Mikai Gbayor, LB (transfer portal)
- Stefon Thompson, LB (transfer portal)
- Syncere Safeeullah, CB (transfer portal)
- Dwight Bootle II, CB (transfer portal)
- Mason Jones, DB (transfer portal)
- Koby Bretz, S (transfer portal)
Nebraska’s list of players in the portal is so extensive that we could be here all offseason long if we went through them one by one. Instead, let’s dissect only those players who should have been a contributor in the Pinstripes Bowl.
First up is leading rusher Dowdell. The talented back is off to Kentucky after leading Nebraska in yards and touchdowns on the ground, as is Johnson, the team’s second-leading rusher in each category.
Rahmir Johnson should be the feature back, but don’t be surprised if QB Henrich Haarberg is used in rushing situations.
Elsewhere on offense, only Boerkircher recorded any receptions from the pass-catchers set to miss the action, but that was only six catches for 102 yards all season long.
On the defensive front, James Williams recorded five sacks this season and was second on the team in total pressures. Butler was second on the team in each category as well, as the depth on the defensive line could be an issue against BC.
At linebacker, Gbayor started 10 games and was a force in the run game for Nebraska, also a potential factor against what likely is a run-heavy BC attack.
The secondary, however, should remain relatively intact for Nebraska.
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