South Carolina WR Alshon Jeffery Wins Capital One Bowl MVP Despite Being Ejected From Game

Coming into this season much was expected from the South Carolina Gamecocks offense but things didn’t go according to plan. The team’s starting quarterback to begin the year, Stephen Garcia, was dismissed from the team in October. Later that month running back Marcus Lattimore was lost for the season with a knee injury. At the time Lattimore was second in the SEC to Alabama’s Trent Richardson with 818 yards rushing. After catching 88 passes for 1,517 yards and 9 TD’s last year junior wide receiver Alshon Jeffery was expected to be a legitimate contender for the Fred Biletnikof Award this season as the nation’s top receiver. Jeffery had a disappointing year, posting 45 catches for 614 yards entering Monday’s game.

Monday Jeffery had his first 100-yard receiving game (4 catches, 148 yds, 1 TD) of the season after having 8 last year. 51 of the yards came on this TD catch from Connor Shaw.

Jeffery was later ejected along with Nebraska cornerback Alfonzo Dennard for this altercation.

South Carolina went on to win 30-13 and, despite his ejection, Jeffery was named MVP of this year’s Capital One Bowl. Gamecocks quarterback Connor Shaw finished 11/17 for 230 yards and 2 TD’s and a case could be made for him winning the award as well. In my opinion he should have won it instead of Jeffery. But I don’t have a vote.

After the game Jeffery was asked whether or not he was planning to enter the NFL Draft.

“I’m just thinking about enjoying this night with my teammates,” he said. “I ain’t gonna say this is my final game. I know I got a lot to sit down with my family and talk about, but if it is… it was a great game. We played our hearts out. Unfortunately I got kicked out. I regret doing that but things like that just happen during the game.”

If that was Jeffery’s last collegiate game it probably won’t be remembered for his MVP performance. CBS Sports has Jeffery #40 overall and 5th among WR’s in a recent list of 2012 draft prospects. Nebraska’s Alfonzo Dennard is #20 and 3rd among cornerbacks.