College Football

Jordan Mims, DeWayne McBride highlight the opening slate of bowl games

Updated Dec. 18, 2021 11:50 p.m. ET

It is officially bowl season.

With teams gearing up to play their final games of the season, it's time for players across the country to leave their lasting impressions for the 2021 season.

There have already been a number of big-time performances from players in the opening weekend of the bowl season, and we have you covered with the performances worth noting.

Here are the standouts from the opening weekend of bowl season.

Jordan Mims, RB, Fresno State

Mims, who gained a career-high 186 yards against San Diego State in October, was unstoppable in Saturday's 31-24 win over UTEP in the New Mexico Bowl. The senior running back rushed for 165 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries against the Miners, and also caught five passes for 71 yards and another TD through the air.

Dylan Hopkins, QB, UAB

UAB earned its second-ever bowl win thanks to a 31-38 upset win over No. 13 BYU in the Independence Bowl.

It was the Blazers' first win over a ranked team since 2011 and the highest-ranked ranked opponent they have ever defeated.

Hopkins was incredibly efficient, going 19-for-23 — including 13-straight completions — for 189 yards and three touchdowns.

DeWayne McBride, RB, UAB

McBride, who had five 100-plus-yard rushing games in the regular season, exploded for 183 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries, including a monster 64-yard house call in the opening quarter of UAB's win.

Grayson McCall, QB, Coastal Carolina

McCall was nearly perfect in Coastal Carolina's 47-41 win over Northern Illinois in the Tailgreeter Cure Bowl, completing 22 of 30 pass attempts for 315 yards and four touchdowns. This was McCall's third game of the season crossing the 300-yard mark and his third game of at least four passing touchdowns. The sophomore quarterback put the finishing touches on a dominant season in which he threw 27 touchdown passes to only three interceptions, setting up positive momentum heading into 2022.

Braydon Bennett, RB, Coastal Carolina

While McCall was dominant through the air for the Chanticleers, the running game was just as important in the win. The standout on the ground for Coastal Carolina was freshman running back Bennett, who only needed six carries to total 108 yards and two touchdowns. He was, quite simply, efficient.

Jarrin Pierce, WR, Middle Tennessee

Four catches might not be noteworthy for a wide receiver across four quarters, but when those four receptions total 114 yards, it was a pretty effective day. Those were Pierce's totals in a 31-24 win over Toledo in the Bahamas Bowl, including a touchdown. His 59-yard reception was the longest play in MTSU football history.

Shaquan Davis, WR, South Carolina State

Jackson State entered the Cricket Celebration Bowl riding high at 11-1 and recently landing one of the top recruits in the country on national signing day. That did not matter to South Carolina State, which rode standout wide receiver Davis to a 31-10 upset win.

Davis went off for 95 yards and three touchdowns, proving to be a man amongst boys on the field.

Bailey Zappe, QB, Western Kentucky

If this was Zappe's last game for Western Kentucky, he went out with a bang. Zappe passed for 422 yards and six touchdowns in a 59-38 win over Appalachian State in the Roofclaim.com Boca Raton Bowl.

This was the third game this season where Zappe had thrown for at least six touchdown passes, giving him 61 for the season.