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Twenty-five football players will represent the county in 12 NCAA Division I bowl games, which got under way last weekend. Another six players participated in the Division I-AA playoffs.

Leading the way is University of Florida sophomore defensive back and Fort Washington native Joe Haden (Friendly High School). After starting as a true freshman last season, Haden's had a strong sophomore season for the Gators, who will face Oklahoma in the Bowl Championship Series Title Game on Jan. 8, in Miami.

Haden was second on the Gators, who won the Southeastern Conference championship, with 77 tackles and he added three interceptions, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, 10 pass breakups and a blocked kick. Opposite Haden for the Sooners will be linebacker and Upper Marlboro native Mike Balogun, who played in nine games for the Big 12 champion Sooners this season.

District Heights native and Suitland High grad Navarro Bowman has been the backbone of the defense for the Penn State Nittany Lions, who will take on Southern California in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1 in Pasadena, Calif. Joining Bowman for the Nittany Lions is Upper Marlboro native and Eleanor Roosevelt High grad Derrick Williams.

Williams caught 40 passes for 451 yards and three touchdowns and also returned two kickoffs and one punt for touchdowns as Penn State won the Big Ten Conference title. Bowman led the team in tackles with 98, while gathering three sacks, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and an interception in 12 games. The season has been especially triumphant for Bowman, who was temporarily removed from the team last January for his role in an October 2007 campus fight.

"It was real big to win the conference," Bowman said. "I think it was just us as a team just getting our minds ready at the beginning of the season and having our goals set. We're all glad to be able to go [to the Rose Bowl]. I think my adjustment came fast from just working hard during the offseason and listening to my coaches and having the right group of guys on the field. We all had our minds set on the right thing."

The Orange Bowl on Jan. 1, pitting Virginia Tech against Cincinnati, also is stacked with local talent. Representing the Hokies will be Clinton native and Gwynn Park grad Rashad Carmichael (defensive back) and DeMatha grad Kenny Jefferson (fullback). Representing the Bearcats will be Upper Marlboro native and Frederick Douglass High grad Marcus Barnett, a wide receiver who had 271 yards and a touchdown catch this season.

Ten county players will travel to Boise, Idaho, on Dec. 30 to play with Maryland against Nevada in the Humanitarian Bowl. Jeff Allen (DeMatha/defensive back), Camerson Chism (McNamara/defensive back), Tre Covington (Eleanor Roosevelt/linebacker), Anthony Green (Gwynn Park/defensive back), Travis Ivey (Riverdale Baptist/defensive tackle), Davin Meggett (Surrattsville/running back), Adrian Moten (Gwynn Park/linebacker), Kenny Tate (DeMatha/defensive back), Taylor Watson (Gwynn Park/running back) and Anthony Wiseman (DeMatha/defensive back) are on the Terrapins' roster.

In the Sun Bowl (Oregon State vs. Pittsburgh, Dec. 31), Bowie native Tony Tucker (defensive line) and Gwynn Park grad Ronald Hobby (running back) will suit up for the Panthers. The Hawaii Bowl, scheduled for Christmas Eve, features Notre Dame against Hawaii. McNamara grad Justin Brown is a defensive lineman for the Fighting Irish.

Fort Washington native Josh Haden (Friendly High) will play at running back for Boston College in its Music City Bowl matchup against Vanderbilt on Dec. 31. Haden was the Eagles' second-leading rusher this season, carrying 103 times for 439 yards and a touchdown. Lanham native Marquise Brown is a split back for Georgia, which will take on Michigan State in the Capital One Bowl on Jan. 1.

Fort Washington's Lamaar Thomas (Friendly High) will be with Ohio State against Texas in the Fiesta Bowl Jan. 5. Thomas played in nine games and was the Buckeyes' top kickoff returner this season.

Lanham native and Riverdale Baptist grad B.J. Hill has been a force at defensive back for Ball State, who will take on Tulsa in the GMAC Bowl Jan. 6. Hill was Ball State's fifth-leading tackler (72) and had three interceptions.

Charles H. Flowers High grad Will Lawrence was with Boise State this week when the Broncos took on Texas Christian in the Poinsettia Bowl.

Oxon Hill High graduate and Cheltenham native Lawrence Sidbury Jr. was a beast at defensive end this season for Division I-AA national champion Richmond. Sidbury had 56 tackles, including a whopping 20 for losses, among them 11 sacks. In the Spiders' 24-7 win against Montana in the national title game last week, Sidbury had five solo tackles, including four sacks.

Flowers grads Evan McCollough of Springdale and Corwin Acker of Landover participated with James Madison in the I-AA playoffs. Forestville High grad Wayne Moten (Forestville) and DeMatha grad Jordan Scott both played with Colgate in the I-AA playoffs. Scott ran for 1,148 yards and 15 touchdowns in nine games this season.

Cheltanham native and Gwynn Park High grad Terrance Hemsley played in 12 games and had 18 tackles for the California University of Pennsylvania football team, which advanced to the Division II playoffs.

Email Terron Hampton at thampton@gazette.net.