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We finally got our first full week of conference play, as we were elbow-deep in B1G matchups in Week 5. And it was a mixed bag of results.
Maryland-Minnesota was decided by a 34-yard touchdown run with 1:10 left in the game. Iowa-Michigan State came down to the final possession. After trailing by 21 points in the fourth quarter, Northwestern actually had the ball with a chance to tie late in the game.
That was the exciting stuff. There was some not-so-interesting stuff, too.
Penn State clobbered Indiana, Ohio State demolished Rutgers and Nebraska glided past Illinois. Not much more to say about those games, because there really wasn’t too many interesting takeaways.
But regardless of whether or not the game itself was entertaining, each matchup had a few breakout stars deserving of some Saturday Tradition Game Balls.
Here are the Game Balls after Week 5.
DaeSean Hamilton, Penn State WR – Hamilton became Penn State’s all-time receptions leader, catching his 180th career pass with the Nittany Lions in a 45-14 win over Indiana. He couldn’t have broken the record in more impressive fashion, making nine catches for 122 yards and three touchdowns. Hamilton’s outing, and his new record, are more than deserving of some recognition.
Max Bortenschlager, Maryland QB – What third-string quarterback? Bortenschlager looked like he had been the starter under center all along, and against a pretty solid Minnesota defense. He didn’t pick apart the defense on Saturday, but his 154 yards and two touchdowns kept the Gophers guessing most of the afternoon. He also showcased some sneaky quickness, an attribute he wasn’t expected to possess. The Terrapins are going to be a tough out if their quarterback continues to play at this level.
Natrell Jamerson, Wisconsin DB – Northwestern’s Clayton Thorson is going to have nightmares about the Wisconsin defensive back. Jamerson finished two interceptions, a pick-six, and a half-sack in the Badgers’ 33-24 victory. He also posted a season-high six tackles in the game. Jamerson’s pick-six proved to be the difference as the Wildcats made a surge late in the game.
Felton Davis III, Michigan State WR – This was the type of bounce-back performance Michigan State needed and Davis was a crucial part of the success. He finished the day with nine receptions for 114 yards, but his two touchdown catches in the first quarter helped the Spartans build a 14-0 lead early in the game. Though the offense slowed down later, Davis’ early contributions were key in Michigan State’s win.
Tanner Lee, Nebraska QB – You probably would’ve expected Lee to make an appearance on this page a few times this year, but the Nebraska gunslinger has struggled mightily early in the year. But Huskers quarterback was poised in a 28-6 win over Illinois and showed glimpses of a quality B1G passer. He finished the day completing 17-of-24 passes for 246 yards and three touchdowns. More importantly, Lee didn’t throw a single interception against the Illini.
Ty Johnson, Maryland RB – Last week, Johnson had just 25 yards on 11 carries. Minnesota was the nation’s best against the run — at least statistically. Maryland’s rushing attack was in serious trouble. But Johnson reverted back to his old ways, galloping for 130 yards on 18 carries. He also scored the game-winning touchdown with 1:10 left in the game. It was a tremendous response following a less-than-stellar effort against UCF last Saturday.
Johnnie Dixon, Ohio State WR – Several Buckeyes had big outings against Rutgers in Week 5, but Dixon had the most impressive. The receiver racked up 115 yards and two touchdowns on just three catches against the Scarlet Knights. Coming into Saturday’s game, Dixon had just 113 receiving yards. So yeah, it was kind of a big night for Buckeye receiver.
Joe Bachie, Michigan State LB – The linebacker stuffed the stat sheet in Michigan State’s win over Iowa. Bachie recorded nine stops, 3.5 tackles for loss, a sack and an interception against the Hawkeyes. He was a force all game long and Iowa couldn’t seem to find a way to keep him away from the ball. That’s the type of effort the Spartans will need in a week when they head to Ann Arbor to battle Michigan.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB