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. 

Find out what's happening in Oswegowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

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.

Find out what's happening in Oswegowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

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

Bo Dever Lake Forest Lake Forest Michigan Wide receiver Fr. Brad Anlauf Hinsdale Hinsdale C. Michigan Wide receiver Fr. Michael Schofield Orland Park Sandburg Michigan Offensive lineman RS Jr.

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

Collin Watkins Hinsdale Hinsdale C. Navy Offensive tackle Jr. Keegan Wetzel Palos Heights St. Laurence Navy Linebacker Sr.

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl — Rice vs. Air Force. Dec. 29, 10:45 a.m., ESPN

Alex Hansen Oak Forest Oak Forest Air Force Defensive lineman Fr.

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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