The American Team defeated the National Team, 17-9, in the 2026 Panini Senior Bowl on Saturday at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Alabama.
Here are three takeaways from the 77th annual all-star contest, which capped off a week of events, including three days of practice, featuring 100-plus top prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft.
NOTES:
- Tune in for live coverage of the 2026 HBCU Legacy Bowl on Feb. 21 at 4 p.m. ET on NFL Network and NFL+.
- NFL Network and NFL+ will have live coverage of the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine beginning on Feb. 26.
1) One QB rises above the rest. LSU's Garrett Nussmeier had plenty to gain this week, and he did a good job of reminding scouts he can still play. After two-plus months of inactivity, Nussmeier had a very solid week of practice, seemingly getting more comfortable with each passing day, and he was effective on Saturday.
Starting for the American Team, Nussmeier earned game MVP honors, leading touchdown drives on the squad's first two possessions and connecting on 5 of 8 passes for 57 yards. He had a rushing TD and a two-point-conversion throw to Notre Dame WR Malachi Fields. Nussmeier also was held back by his tight ends, with drops by Stanford's Sam Roush and Wyoming's John Michael Gyllenborg, the latter of which was credited as a Nussmeier INT.
Nussmeier told NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero -- the sideline reporter during Saturday's broadcast -- that he continues to rehab after an injury-plagued 2025 season but that he's getting better each day.
Vanderbilt's Diego Pavia started for the National Team and had a solid game on a cold, windy day in Mobile, completing 10 of 13 passes for 78 yards, hitting on mostly short passes. He escaped pressure to hit North Carolina State's Justin Joly on a nice rollout throw for 18 yards.
Pavia had some moments in Tuesday's practice but wasn't quite able to unlock the playmaking ability -- especially as a runner -- that made him a Heisman Trophy finalist in practices or the game.
Pavia was followed by North Dakota State's Cole Payton, then Baylor's Sawyer Robertson for the National Team. Robertson struggled, completing 1 of 5 passes and throwing a pick. Payton had some moments in earning Offensive MVP, with a 19-yard run and completions of 24, 22 and 14 yards. He also had a few errant passes and was stuffed on a two-point conversion run.
Illinois' Luke Altmyer took over for Nussmeier for the American Team and wasn't able to get much going, under heavy pressure at times. The final QB to appear in the game was Arkansas' Taylen Green, who had some eye-opening moments but also some missed chances during the week. Green gained eight yards on a designed run, but he had a few shaky passes.
2) American Team running backs shine. In a matchup with limited offense, multiple American Team running backs stood out.
Indiana's Kaelon Black had an impressive showing following an up-and-down week of practice, running for a game-high 45 yards on eight carries. He delivered a few hard runs between the tackles and caught two passes for nine yards.
Oklahoma's Jaydn Ott made most of his opportunity after barely touching the ball for the Sooners last season, running for 42 yards -- more than he had in all but one game last season -- and a touchdown on eight carries. The 5-foot-10 7/8, 202-pound Ott had a quietly strong week, also showing some pass-protection skill, as the former 1,300-yard rusher at Cal revived his draft stock a bit after a lost 2025 season.
Virginia's J'Mari Taylor and Arkansas' Mike Washington Jr. also stood out, running for 41 and 26 yards, respectively. The American Team's offensive line also had a few standouts, including Florida C Jake Slaughter and Arizona State OT Max Iheanachor. For the National Team, Georgia Tech OG Keylan Rutledge was a standout, echoing his practice performance with some gnarly blocking.
The first half featured four turnovers, and dropped passes were a theme all game. Kentucky RB Seth McGowan stood out for the National Team with a 29-yard run, the longest play of the game, but also lost a fumble and dropped a pass from Pavia.
3) Defenders open eyes. Naturally, in a game with fewer than 500 combined yards of offense, there were several defenders who stood out.
Missouri edge rusher Zion Young had a productive week of practice in his quest to be a high pick, and he earned Defensive MVP honors in Saturday's game. Young was in on a couple stops for short gains and recovered a fumble, also providing several pressures.
Oregon LB Bryce Boettcher was all over the place for the National Team defense, making a game-high 10 tackles -- five more than any other player -- and breaking up a pass. Boettcher's coverage ability and intensity stood out all week.
Boston College edge rusher Quintayvious Hutchins had three tackles for losses (for a combined minus-12 yards) and stopped Cole Payton's run on a two-point conversion attempt. Western Michigan's Nadame Tucker also stood out, finishing with two sacks, three tackles for loss and a forced fumble.
Another sleeper who didn't stuff the box score was Michigan DT Rayshaun Benny, who battled his way into the backfield multiple times for the American Team and also stoned Clemson's Adam Randall for no gain.
Washington CB Ephesians Prysock was a standout in coverage, batting down two passes to help the American Team to victory.
