Jan. 5, 2015

Three University of South Carolina senior football players will wrap up their collegiate careers in postseason All-Star games.

Quarterback Dylan Thompson has agreed to play in the 90th annual East-West Shrine Game, to be held on Saturday, January 17, at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg. Fla. The game will be televised nationally on the NFL Network, beginning at 4 p.m. ET.

Thompson, a 6-3, 218-pounder from Boiling Springs, S.C., is one of three quarterbacks on the West team, joining Nevada’s Cody Fajardo and Arizona State’s Kelly Taylor. In his final season with the Gamecocks, Thompson completed 59.9 percent of his passes (270-of-451) for a school-record 3,574 yards with 26 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

Wide receiver Damiere Byrd and defensive back Brison Williams will both participate in the second annual Medal of Honor Bowl. That contest will be held on Saturday, January 10, at Johnson Hagood Stadium on the campus of The Citadel in Charleston, S.C. The 2:30 pm ET kick will be televised on the NBC Sports Network.

Byrd, a 5-9, 170-pound speedster from Sicklerville, N.J., caught 20 passes for 318 yards and three touchdowns in his final season with the Gamecocks. A semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, Byrd was a three-time CoSIDA academic all-district selection. He finished his career with 68 catches for 1,275 yards with 10 touchdowns in 47 career contests, including nine receptions of 40 yards or more.

Williams, a 5-11, 208-pounder from Warner Robins, Ga., was a leader in the secondary, playing both the safety and cornerback positions for the Gamecocks. He logged 34 tackles as a senior while leading the team with four interceptions and six pass break ups. For his career, Williams collected 142 tackles and seven interceptions in 46 contests, including 37 starts.