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Three Bishop Gridders to Play in Bowl Games

Bryan Bowling (70) and Mason Espinosa (15) will be competing in bowl games this month. (Photo by Neal Lauron)

Three Ohio Wesleyan University football players will play in bowl games this month.

Senior quarterback Mason Espinosa (Cookeville, Tenn.) and senior wide receiver Dave Mogilnicki (Middleburg Heights/Midpark) will play for the Red Nation team in the National Bowl game on Sunday at Alfonso Field at FIU Stadium on the campus of Florida International University in Miami.

Senior tackle Bryan Bowling (Grove City/Westfall) will play for Team Stars & Stripes in the Tazón de Estrellas (Bowl of the Stars) on Saturday, Dec. 21, at Estadio Technológico on the Tec de Monterrey campus in Monterrey, Mexico.

The three Bishop standouts were key components of an offense that ranks sixth in NCAA Division III in passing (336.3 yards/game).

Espinosa ranks fifth in NCAA Division III in passing yards (325.5/game) and 18th in total offense (314.6 yards/game).  He finished his Ohio Wesleyan career with 11,072 yards passing and 10,842 yards total offense, ranking 13th and 17th on the respective NCAA Division III career lists.  Espinosa holds Ohio Wesleyan and North Coast Athletic Conference career records for passes attempted and completed as well as passing yards and total yards.

Mogilnicki ranks second in the NCAC in receiving yards (89.0/game) and fourth in receptions (5.7/game).  He finished his Ohio Wesleyan career with 163 receptions for 2594 yards and 27 touchdowns, with all 3 figures ranking second on the Bishop career lists.

Bowling anchored the Bishop offensive line from his left tackle position, helping pave the way for the Bishops to rank fifth in the nation in passing in 2012 and sixth in 2013.

This year’s edition of the National Bowl will be the fourth, with kickoff set for noon Eastern time on Sunday.

The Tazón de Estrellas (Bowl of the Stars) is being played for the fifth time, with kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m. Central time on Saturday, Dec. 21.  The game is a descendant of the Aztec Bowl, matching a team of NCAA Division III players against a team of all-stars from private Mexican colleges.