For much of the first half Saturday, LSU sophomore running back Derrius Guice found little room to work with as Louisville's defensive front filled gaps and swarmed to the ball.

But the second half of the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl was a different story.

The game slowed down and Guice took the time to let the blocks develop before hitting the holes. Finally, he popped a 12-yard run off left tackle and then the big one came the next play when he burst up the middle, broke a tackle and was off to the races for a 70-yard touchdown early in the third quarter that all but closed the door on the No. 13 Cardinals (9-4) and sealed the No. 20 Tigers' 29-9 victory at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla.

“As a running back, you just have to be patient. You can't get upset, you can't get mad when things don't always go your way,” said Guice, who was named the Citrus Bowl Most Valuable Player after finishing with 138 yards and a rushing touchdown while also catching a 1-yard touchdown pass. “You just got to work and grind, go on the sidelines with the coaches and get everything fixed.”

The spotlight has been on Guice since star running back Leonard Fournette announced in December that he would not play in the Tigers' (8-4) bowl game so that he can focus on getting his injured ankle healthy to begin his path toward an NFL career. Guice had filled in nicely for Fournette during the season, and Saturday was no different as his clock-draining runs and the Tigers' suffocating defense limited Louisville's Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Lamar Jackson.

“We had probably one of the best players in college football in Leonard Fournette get hurt, and [Guice] stepped in and didn't blink an eye,” said LSU coach Ed Orgeron, who won his first official game as coach since the interim designation was lifted in November. “He is one of the best players in America, and I totally expect him to be the best player in America next year — and we're fortunate to have him.”

Guice made explosive plays running the ball and catching it, but his most memorable play may have come on special teams in the fourth quarter, when he took a kickoff return 50 yards, running over Cardinals kicker Blanton Creque near the sideline in the process. It was the perfect capper on a breakout season, and offered a glimpse of what's in store for next season.

TaxSlayer Bowl

Dedrick Mills got a shout-out, some head nods and several high-fives as he walked toward the interview room at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Fla.

And those came from opposing players.

The freshman was an even bigger hit inside the Georgia Tech locker room and in the stands.

Mills ran for a career-high 169 yards and a touchdown, leading the Yellow Jackets to a 33-18 victory against Kentucky in the TaxSlayer Bowl. It was the seventh most rushing yards in bowl history, earning Mills the Most Valuable Player trophy.

Playing without running back Marcus Marshall, who decided to transfer after the regular-season finale, Georgia Tech (9-4) turned to Mills to handle the workload against Kentucky (7-6). The newcomer delivered.

With dozens of friends and family members in attendance, he carried a career-high 31 times as the Yellow Jackets won back-to-back bowl games for the first time in more than a decade.