TAMPA, Fla. — It would have been understandable if Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas had opted out of the ReliaQuest Bowl.
They are projected first-round picks with lucrative contracts waiting for them if they leave school early for the NFL as expected. Neither has anything left to prove, even with Nabers thirsting for a record.
Yet here they are, set to play at 11 a.m. Monday against Wisconsin in what is likely their last college game.
Opt outs have become commonplace in the college football postseason as players protect themselves from injuries. But this year, LSU only has one. Other than quarterback Jayden Daniels, every other starter remained with the team.
