USA TODAY Sports' all-bowl team: The best individual performances

Counting the national championship, 76 Football Bowl Subdivision teams participated in at least one postseason game — and Oregon and Ohio State played in two.

The postseason featured some of the best individual performances of the entire 2014 season, whether from established starters at some of the nation's elite programs or from overlooked contributors in one of the many minor bowls.

Here are the best of the best: USA TODAY Sports compiled an all-bowl team of postseason stars, highlighting those who saved their best for the year's biggest stage.

QB: Cardale Jones, Ohio State. Jones had one career start entering the postseason — in the conference title game against Wisconsin. He went 2-0 in the College Football Playoff, leading the Buckeyes past Alabama and Oregon to win the national championship.

RB: Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin. Gordon capped one of the finest seasons by a running back in FBS history by gaining 251 yards in the Badgers' win against Auburn.

RB: Ezekiel Elliott, Ohio State . He wrote his legacy with two memorable postseason showings: Elliott cracked the 200-yard mark against both the Crimson Tide and Ducks.

WR: Tommy Shuler, Marshall. His 18 receptions in Marshall's Boca Raton Bowl win against Northern Illinois were the second-most in a single game this season.

WR: Deontay Greenberry, Houston. He caught two touchdowns in the fourth quarter against Pittsburgh, one to draw the Cougars within a single point, then caught the winning two-point conversion to lift his team to victory.

TE: Maxx Williams, Minnesota. In his final game before declaring for the NFL draft, Williams pulled in seven catches for 98 yards and a score in the Gophers' loss to Missouri.

OT: Taylor Decker, Ohio State. Decker's play at left tackle helped Ohio State protect new quarterback Cardale Jones' blind side against Alabama and the Ducks.

OT: Brey Cook, Arkansas. The senior right tackle blazed a trail for Arkansas' powerful running game in a win against Texas.

OG: Shaq Mason, Georgia Tech. Mason's career ended in fitting fashion, as he spearheaded the Yellow Jackets' unstoppable run game in a 49-34 Orange Bowl win against Mississippi State.

OG: Kyle Costigan, Wisconsin. Gordon drew the headlines in Wisconsin's win, but it was Costigan and the rest of the offensive front that propelled the Badgers' physical attack.

C: Hroniss Grasu, Oregon. Grasu negated Florida State defensive lineman Eddie Goldman in the Rose Bowl. Against Ohio State, his play allowed Oregon to find yards in bunches against Michael Bennett and the interior of the Buckeyes' defensive line.

C: David Andrews, Georgia. With Andrews calling the shots from the middle of the line, the Bulldogs' front manhandled Louisville's second-ranked run defense in a convincing Belk Bowl win.

DE: Markus Golden, Missouri. The Tigers' other standout end — joining teammate Shane Ray — dominated Minnesota's offensive line with a virtuoso performance in Missouri's smooth bowl win.

DE: Houston Bates, Louisiana Tech. Bates had 4.5 sacks in leading the Bulldogs past his former team, Illinois, in the Heart of Dallas Bowl.

DT: Grady Jarrett, Clemson. This was a no-brainer: Jarrett owned the interior of Oklahoma's offensive line and set the tone for Clemson's 40-6 win in the Russell Athletic Bowl.

DT: Leonard Williams, Southern California. Williams slides inside to tackle on the all-bowl team after his nine tackles and one sack gave USC's defense just enough juice to fend off Nebraska in the Holiday Bowl.

LB: Eric Kendricks, UCLA. Kendricks capped his terrific career with 10 tackles and two sacks against Kansas State

LB: Marcus Mallet, TCU. Mallet is another linebacker lost in the shuffle on a national level. While teammate Paul Dawson was the star during the regular season, Mallet was the primary disruptor in TCU's dominant Peach Bowl win against Mississippi.

LB: Darron Lee, Ohio State. After making seven tackles and two sacks against Alabama, Lee chipped in another eight stops to lead the Buckeyes past Oregon to win the national championship.

CB: Brian Poole, Florida. All year, Florida needed all the help it could get from its defense. Poole delivered against East Carolina, returning an interception for a touchdown in the Gators' 28-20 win.

CB: Kendall Fuller, Virginia Tech. In addition to a single interception, Fuller slowed Cincinnati's prolific passing game from his position on the outside.

S: Lorenzo Waters, Rutgers. A game-high 14 tackles and a pair of fumble recoveries keyed Rutgers' 40-21 win against North Carolina.

S: Max Redfield, Notre Dame. Redfield had 14 tackles of his own in Notre Dame's feel-good Music City Bowl win against LSU, including a key stop near the goal line late in the first half.

K: Zane Gonzalez, Arizona State. Gonzalez made all three of his field goals, the longest from 47 yards, to help Arizona State sneak past Duke in the Sun Bowl.

P: JK Scott, Alabama. Even in a Sugar Bowl loss, Scott showed why he's the best player at his position in college football.

RET: Adoree Jackson, USC. The future is limitless for the young USC star, who returned a kickoff for a touchdown in the Trojans' win against Nebraska.

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