Sports
Northwestern, Louisville Rosters Boast Oswego Area Talent
There are a lot of athletes from Chicago suburbs—including Oswego —on some of the best teams in college football this season.
The BCS bowl season has begun, but two area schools will wait until after the new year to play in some of the most prestigious bowl games—and their rosters feature lots of area talent from Chicago suburbs and Patch towns.
Oswego has two athletes participating in two seperate bowls.
Alex Witcpalek, a graduate of Oswego High School and junior at Louisville will be competing in the Allstate Sugar Bowl on Jan. 2 as a safety.
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Tom Riley, a graduate of Oswego High School and junior at Northwestern will be competing in the TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl on Jan. 1 as a slot back.
Notre Dame, the No. 1 team in the country, plays Alabama in the BCS National Championship game Jan. 7. And No. 15 Northern Illinois, a surprise BCS team, heads to the Orange Bowl to play No. 12 Florida State on New Year's Day.
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A number of athletes from Patch towns are on the rosters of these teams, as well as others playing in bowl games over the next few weeks. Many are underclassmen probably yet to see game action, but their names are among some of the most powerful rosters in college football.
If we've missed out on any of the local connections, tell us about it in the comment section. (All times CST.)
BCS National Championship Game, Notre Dame vs. Alabama, Jan. 7, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
Notre Dame
Athlete Hometown High School Position Year Connor Cavalaris Lake Forest Lake Forest Safety So. Scott Daly Downers Grove DG South Long snapper Fr. DaVaris Daniels Vernon Hills Vernon Hills Wide receiver So. Christian Lombard Inverness Fremd Offensive lineman Jr. Tyler Plantz Frankfort Providence Catholic Running back Jr. Tommy Rees Lake Forest Lake Forest Quarterback Jr. Joe Romano River Forest Fenwick Cornerback Jr. Chris Salvi Lake Forest Carmel Catholic Safety Sr. Will Salvi Lake Forest Carmel Catholic Cornerback Sr. Chris Watt Glen Ellyn Glenbard West Offensive guard Sr.Discover Orange Bowl — Florida State vs. Northern Illinois. Jan. 1, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
Northern Illinois
Athlete Hometown High School Position Year Sal Arceo Chicago Mount Carmel Offensive lineman Fr. Matt Battaglia Chicago Marist Offensive lineman Sr. Alan Baxter Buffalo Grove Buffalo Grove Defensive end Sr. Giorgio Bowers Olympia Fields Rich Central Running back RS So. Jacob Brinlee Lake Zurich Lake Zurich Wide receiver Fr. Ryan Brown Elburn St. Charles N. Offensive lineman RS So. Aidan Conlon Flossmoor Homewood-Flossmoor Offensive lineman RS Fr. Perez Ford Romeoville Romeoville Running back Fr. Daniel Green Oak Park OPRF Defensive end RS Sr. David Green Oak Park OPRF Defensive lineman RS So. Patrick Husain Evanston Evanston Offensive lineman Jr. Michael Ippolito Naperville Neuqua Valley Defensive end Fr. Nabal Jefferson Chicago Marist Defensive tackle Sr. Jordan Lynch Chicago Mount Carmel Quarterback RS Jr. Desroy Maxwell Evanston Amundsen Tight end Fr. Brian Mayer Orland Park Sandburg Defensive specialist RS So. Wes Ott Western Springs Lyons Township Offensive lineman RS So. Michael Santacaterina Geneva Geneva Linebacker RS So. Cameron Stingily Romeoville Romeoville Running back RS So. Jess Striedl St. Charles St. Charles East Tight end RS So. Kevin Tennenbaum Buffalo Grove Buffalo Grove Tight end RS Fr. Dominique Ware Bolingbrook Plainfield North Corner back RS Jr. Matt Williams Geneva Geneva Quarterback Fr. Bobby Winkel Batavia Marmion Linebacker RS So.GoDaddy.com Bowl — Arkansas State vs. Kent State. Jan. 6, 8 p.m., ESPN
Brandt Pfeifer Lake Forest Lake Forest Kent St. Linebacker Fr.Allstate Sugar Bowl — Florida vs. Louisville. Jan. 2, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
Antonio Morrison Bolingbrook Bolingbrook Florida Linebacker Fr. Alex Witcpalek Oswego Oswego Louisville Safety Jr. Jarel McGriff-Culver Downers Grove DG North Louisville Running back RS So.AT&T Cotton Bowl, Oklahoma vs. Texas A&M, Jan. 4, 7 p.m., FOX
David Smith Midlothian Bremen Oklahoma Running back Fr.Rose Bowl Game presented by Vizio, Stanford vs. Wisconsin, Jan. 1, 4 p.m., ESPN
Johnny Caspers Glen Ellyn Glenbard West Stanford Offensive guard Fr. Stephen Salata Buffalo Grove Buffalo Grove Wisconsin Kicker RS Fr.Outback Bowl, Michigan vs. South Carolina, Jan. 1, 12 p.m., ABC
TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl — Northwestern vs. Mississippi State. Jan. 1, 11 a.m., ESPN2
Michael Rouse III
Flossmoor
Homewood-Flossmoor
Northwestern
Defensive tackle
RS Fr.
Tommie Thomas
Robbins
Richards
Northwestern
Wide receiver
Sr.
Anthony Battle
Dolton
Mount Carmel
Northwestern
Defensive lineman
Jr.
Neal Deiters
Elmhurst
York
Northwestern
Offensive lineman
Sr.
PJ Carollo
Lake Bluff
Lake Forest
Northwestern
Quarterback
RS Fr.
Chance Carter
Evanston
Loyola
Northwestern
Defensive lineman
So.
Doug Diedrick
Woodridge
Montini
Northwestern
Slot back
RS Fr.
Malin Jones
Naperville
Joliet Catholic
Northwestern
Running back
Fr.
Tim Hanrahan
Frankfort
Providence Catholic
Northwestern
Running back
So.
Matt Micucci
Lake Zurich
Stevenson
Northwestern
Punter
Fr.
Brian Mulroe
Glenview
Loyola
Northwestern
Offensive lineman
Sr.
Michael Odom
Naperville
Benet
Northwestern
Running back
Fr.
Mike Panico
Libertyville
Carmel Catholic
Northwestern
Running back
Fr.
Alex Pietrzak
Burr Ridge
Brother Rice
Northwestern
Offensive lineman
RS Fr.
Troy Sheppard
Joliet
Providence Catholic
Northwestern
Defensive back
Fr.
Tim Riley
Oswego
Oswego
Northwestern
Slot back
Jr.
Mark Szott
Naperville
Waubonsie Valley
Northwestern
Slot back
RS Fr.
Mike Trumpy
Wheaton
Wheaton N.
Northwestern
Running back
Jr.
Dan Vitale
Wheaton
Wheaton-Warrenville S.
Northwestern
Slot back
Fr.
Patrick Ward
Homer Glen
Providence Catholic
Northwestern
Offensive lineman
Sr.
Jarrell Williams
Robbins
Richards
Northwestern
Defensive back
RS Fr.
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl — Vanderbilt vs. North Carolina State. Dec. 31, 11 a.m., ESPN
Jake Bernstein Crystal Lake Crystal Lake S. Vanderbilt Offensive lineman RS Fr. Hasan Clayton Arlington Heights Loyola Vanderbilt Defensive back Jr. Josh Jelesky Naperville Naperville C. Vanderbilt Offensive guard RS Sr.Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl — TCU vs. Michigan State. Dec. 29, 9:15 p.m., ESPN
Cale Patterson Kenilworth New Trier TCU Punter Sr. Jack Allen Hinsdale Hinsdale C. Michigan St. Offensive lineman RS Fr. Jeff Bobek Palatine Fremd Michigan St. Fullback Sr. Dan Conroy Wheaton Wheaton-Warrenville S. Michigan St. Kicker Sr.Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl — Navy vs. Arizona State. Dec. 29, 3 p.m., ESPN2
Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl — Rice vs. Air Force. Dec. 29, 10:45 a.m., ESPN
Meineke Car Care of Texas Bowl — Minnesota vs. Texas Tech. Dec. 28, 8 p.m., ESPN
CJ Cesario Arlington Heights St. Viator Minnesota Wide receiver RS So. Marek Lenkiewicz Tinley Park Andrew Minnesota Offensive lineman RS So. Jack Lynn Lake Zurich Lake Zuric Minnesota Linebacker Fr. Dan Orseske Chicago Brother Rice Minnesota Punter RS Jr.Belk Bowl — Duke vs. Cincinnati. Dec. 27, 5:30 p.m., ESPN
Franklin Bruscianelli Woodridge Montini Cincinnati Linebacker Fr. Dan Giordano Frankfort Lincoln-Way East Cincinnati Defensive lineman RS Sr.Military Bowl Presented By Northrop Grumman — San Jose State vs. Bowling Green, Dec. 27, 2 p.m., ESPN
Jamel Martin Bolingbrook Bolingbrook Bowling Green Running back RS So. Fahn Cooper Crystal Lake Crystal Lake S. Bowling Green Running back RS Fr. Zach Colvin Shorewood Minooka Bowling Green Defensive end So. Anthony Farinella Woodridge Downers Grove South Bowling Green Kicker Fr. Greg Hohnstein Warrenville Wheaton-Warrenville S. Bowling Green Long snapper Fr.Little Caesars Pizza Bowl — Western Kentucky vs. Central Michigan. Dec. 26, 6:30 p.m., ESPN
Nick Adams Crystal Lake Crystal Lake S. Central Michigan Long snapper So. Ron Coluzzi Naperville Naperville N. Central Michigan Kicker Fr. Titus Davis Wheaton Wheaton-Warrenville S. Central Michigan Wide receiver So. Brandon Greer Dolton Mount Carmel Central Michigan Defensive back Fr. Cody Lopez Plainfield Plainfield N. Central Michigan Linebacker So. Ryan Oruche Downers Grove DG South Central Michigan Defensive back RS Fr. Nathan Ollie Chicago Mount Carmel Central Michigan Defensive tackle Jr. Martinez Walker Orland Park Brother Rice Central Michigan Running back Fr.Beef 'O' Brady's St. Petersburg Bowl, UCF vs. Ball State, Dec. 21, 6:30 p.m., ESPN
Scott Secor New Lenox Lincoln-Way Central Ball State Kicker So.Famous Idaho Potato Bowl — Utah State vs. Toledo
Danny Farr Evanston Evanston Toledo Defensive tackle Sr.Gildan New Mexico Bowl — Nevada vs. Arizona
Jack Nykaza Wilmette New Trier Arizona Quarterback Fr.Other Bowl Games
The following bowl games don't feature any students from Patch's coverage area in Illinois, according to the team rosters.
- Tostitos Fiesta Bowl — Kansas State vs. Oregon. Jan. 3, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
- Capital One Bowl — Georgia vs. Nebraska. Jan. 1, 12 p.m., ABC
- BBVA Compass Bowl — Pittsburgh vs. Ole Miss. Jan. 5, 12 p.m., ESPN.
- Chick-fil-A Bowl — LSU vs. Clemson. Dec. 31 6:30 p.m., ESPN
- Hyundai Sun Bowl — Georgia Tech vs. USC. Dec. 31, 1 p.m., CBS
- New Era Pinstripe Bowl — Syracuse vs. West Virginia. Dec. 29, 2:15 p.m., ESPN
- Russell Athletic Bowl — Virginia Tech vs. Rutgers. Dec. 28, 4:30 p.m., ESPN
- AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl — University of Louisiana-Monroe vs. Ohio University. Dec. 28, 1 p.m., ESPN
- Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl — Baylor vs. UCLA. Dec. 27, 8:45 p.m., ESPN
- Sheraton Hawaii Bowl — SMU vs. Fresno State. Dec. 24, 7 p.m., ESPN.
- MAACO Las Vegas Bowl — Washington vs. Boise State. Dec. 22, 2:30 p.m., ESPN
- R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl — East Carolina vs. Louisiana-Lafayette. Dec. 22, 11 a.m., ESPN
- S.D. County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl — BYU vs. San Diego State. Dec. 20, 7 p.m., ESPN
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