Nick Saban likes to tell all his four- and five-star recruits that if Alabama succeeds, all the individual accolades they crave will come with it.Good call. Last season, no players from a team that did not make a bowl game made the AP All-America first team. There was one each from a non-bowl team on the second and third teams.Of course, there are some excellent players on losing teams, such as New Mexico State running back Larry Rose III. The 185-pound junior was a third-team All-American and ran for 1,651 yards and 14 touchdowns for a team that won three games.Here are some of the best players in college football playing for teams that did not reach the postseason last year. And it doesnt look particularly promising for those teams to get there this season, either.Chidobe Awuzie, CB, ColoradoDid you know the Buffaloes had one of the better pass defenses in the Pac-12 last year? Yes, really. Awuzie switches between cornerback and nickel and became the first CU defensive back to lead the team in tackles for loss (13). The senior is a legitimate NFL prospect.Quin Blanding, S, VirginiaOne of the best safeties in the country, Blanding ranked second in the Atlantic Coast Conference with 115 tackles last season. New coach Bronco Mendenhall plays the type of aggressive defense that could set up the 215-pound Blanding to spend a lot of time in opponents backfields. If Mendenhall had a few more like Blanding, this rebuild would go much faster.Charles Harris, DE, MissouriThe latest in a recent string of excellent pass rushers for Missouri. The junior had 11.5 tackles for loss, including seven sacks, and 10 quarterback hurries. Harris led a solid defense last season, though Missouris offense was anemic. Could be more of the same this year.Brian Hill, RB, WyomingThe Mountain Wests leading rusher at 135.9 yards per game. The Cowboys are still looking for a turnaround under third-year coach Craig Bohl, who led North Dakota State to three straight FCS national titles before coming to Laramie. Wyoming will lean heavily on the 219-pound Hill to break a four-year bowl drought.William Likely, CB, MarylandThe senior is a solid corner and one of the best return men in the nation. Likely averaged 17.7 yards per punt return last season and led the nation with 1,197 total return yards. He also played some offense late last season and new Maryland coach DJ Durkin has said he expects to use the senior in all three phases of the game.Mike Warren, RB, Iowa StateWarren should be right at home in new coach Matt Campbells spread offense. Campbells Toledo teams ranked either first or second in the Mid-American Conference in rushing the last three seasons. Warren ran for 1,339 yards as a redshirt freshman last season, tops in the nation among freshman. The Cyclones will need a few upsets and some big performances by Warren to get bowl eligible.EXTRA POINTSix more players set to star on teams that could struggle to make the postseason: Boom Williams, RB, Kentucky; Jake Replogle, DL, Purdue; Fish Smithson, S, Kansas; Matt Milano, LB, Boston College; Matt Davis, QB, SMU; Devonte Boyd, WR, UNLV.---Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.Twitter.com/ralphDrussoAPDavid Montgomery Womens Jersey . John Tavares, Thomas Vanek and Kyle Okposo were also being counted on to slow down sizzling Rangers forward Rick Nash. That plan didnt go so well early. Mike Singletary Womens Jersey . With the short-handed Warriors needing help from someone -- anyone -- to stop a three-game skid, ONeal returned from right knee and groin injuries that had sidelined him for four games and put up season highs with 18 points and eight rebounds. It was just enough to help lift Golden State to a 102-101 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. http://www.bearsrookiestore.com/Bears-Dick-Butkus-Jersey/ . But by the time the game started, the Toronto Raptors forward felt even worse. And, for three quarters, it showed as Gay shot a woeful three-for-13 from the field. Walter Payton Womens Jersey . - NASCAR announced a 33-race schedule for the 2014 Nationwide Series with virtually no changes from this years slate. Jim McMahon Bears Jersey . If ever they start actually putting pictures beside words in the dictionary, the Blue Jays left-handers mug will appear beside “Consistency.NEW YORK -- Joakim Noahs illness made it an unsettling morning for the Knicks backup centers. Carmelo Anthony made sure it was a smooth afternoon.Anthony matched his season high with 31 points and New York beat the Atlanta Hawks 104-94 on Sunday for its fourth straight home victory.Anthony has never been a morning person, but he wanted to come out aggressively Sunday after the Knicks followed a loss Thursday in Washington with a lengthy meeting Saturday featuring players, coaches and even team president Phil Jackson.Some nights like today calls for me to get it going early, Anthony said. My mindset was just to come out and get it going early.Kristaps Porzingis added 19 points and 11 rebounds for the Knicks, who led most of the way against one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.Dwight Howard had 18 points and 18 rebounds, but point guard Dennis Schroder missed all eight shots as the Hawks dropped their second straight following a six-game winning streak.I feel like we didnt play well enough on the road. You have to bring a better game but give the New York Knicks credit, Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said. Carmelo played a heck of a game, hit a lot of tough shots.The Knicks didnt have Noah to defend Howard after doctors sent him home because of an illness. Kyle OQuinn was told during pregame he would start, and rookie Marshall Plumlee had to rush into the city by train and then taxi after he received a morning phone call and was told he would be called up from Westchester of the NBA Development League to make his NBA debut.Opportunity knocked and we were all ready as a team defensively, OQuinn said.Howard bounced back nicely after he was ejected for a flagrant foul Friday in the Hawks 100-96 loss in Charlotte, while Paul Millsap led Atlanta with 19 points and Kyle Korver scored 17.Derrick Rose and Courtney Lee both scored 14 points and OQuinn had eight points and eight rebounds.The Knicks led by two with 7 1/2 minutes left in tthe third quarter before Anthonys jumper started them on a 12-0 burst.dddddddddddd Willy Hernangomezs three-point play extended New Yorks lead to 65-51.Atlanta never made a serious dent in the lead, as the Knicks repeatedly hit 3-pointers every time it seemed the Hawks were building momentum.Anthony banked in a long jumper from the right side to end the first quarter, giving the Knicks a 24-20 lead that they expanded to 46-41 at halftime.TIP-INSHawks: Howard had his 10th double-double of the season by halftime. ... Thabo Sefolosha was active after missing the last two games with a sprained left knee but didnt play.Knicks: Plumlee was scoreless in 5 1/2 minutes after getting out of his cab in traffic and sprinting to the arena. When I got here they said, `Hey, do you need a warm up? he said. I said, `No, Im already warm. I ran here. ... The Knicks beat the Hawks for the third straight time.SCHRODERS STRUGGLESSchroder finished with one point and three assists, sitting out the entire fourth quarter.Personally didnt feel good, he said. I didnt hit my shots. I didnt play like I did before but I got to do a better job of being ready to prepare myself.HOWARDS HACKHoward was tossed Friday when he elbowed Cody Zeller midway through the fourth quarter. Budenholzer said he talked to Howard about the play but wants him to keep providing toughness. Hopefully he can find ways to be physical, let the other team feel him but still do it within kind of the confines of whats appropriate, Budenholzer said. I think to be ejected was probably the right thing and he knows it, but he also knows he wants to continue to play physical and be a presence on the boards.UP NEXTHawks: Host New Orleans on Tuesday. Atlanta is 6-1 at home.Knicks: Host Portland on Tuesday, trying to snap a four-game home losing streak to the Trail Blazers. ' ' '