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The LSU Tigers weren't able to give interim coach Frank Wilson a win in the bowl game, but it wasn't for a lack of effort. They fought hard until they were out of it due to a failed onside kick conversion, which sealed a 38-35 win for the Houston Cougars.

A number of Tigers should still have their heads held high after their performance. Pro Football Focus hands out individual grades to each player after every game, bowls included. These were the LSU standouts who received the highest marks for Saturday night:

QB Michael Van Buren Jr. – 90.1

Van Buren didn't receive much help from the offensive line, like every game this year really, but he still ended up having a pretty nice game. He finished with 267 yards and three touchdowns, both season-highs, with a 68% adjusted completion percentage.

He was pressured eight times and sacked four times. Taking the sack yardage away, he would have led the team with 48 yards on the ground.

While he likely won't be the starting quarterback in Week 1 of next year, Lane Kiffin should certainly look to bring him back as a backup.

TE Trey'Dez Green – 89.5

Everyone knows Green is a matchup nightmare, which is why it was so frustrating to see him nearly erased from the game plan in big games down the stretch. He had two catches for 44 yards combined against the Alabama Crimson Tide, Arkansas Razorbacks and Oklahoma Sooners combined.

The 6-foot-7 tight end finished with four catches for 80 yards and two touchdowns. He is going to be very fun to watch in an Kiffin and Charlie Weis Jr. offense that should be able to get the most out of someone like Green.

DT Bernard Gooden – 77.8

Gooden, unfortunately, had his night cut short due to an ankle injury that forced him to take a cart to the locker room. When he did play, though, he was impactful. He had just 13 run defense snaps and finished with two stops and three tackles. If he had played the whole game, he likely would have filled the stat sheets up even more.

The USF transfer was one of the best interior players for the Tigers this season. He was one of the only defensive starters to even play in this game, so it's unfortunate to see his night end the way that it did. 

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