Big Ten Game Balls for Week 1

Big Ten football is finally back with a whirlwind Labor Day weekend slate of football! By this point, only a few teams have season openers still to come, and many fortunate teams are already in the win column while the other unlucky programs are dealing with a loss.

The B1G has already featured some dramatic games, including an unexpected nail-biter between Oregon and Idaho and a closer-than-expected matchup between Michigan and Fresno State. Elsewhere, teams like Ohio State, Penn State, Maryland and Nebraska cruised in their first tests of the season.

Each week, we’ll breakdown the games and give you our B1G Game Ball recipients at the end of Saturday’s action, and it all starts in Week 1! Take a look:

Illinois

QB Luke Altmyer: Altmyer displayed an ability to make plays last season but struggled with turnovers (and staying healthy). He did not have any issues in the season opener, tossing 4 touchdowns without a turnover and just 5 incompletions.

Indiana

LB Aiden Fisher: Indiana had a handful of options in Curt Cignetti’s debut win, but we’ll go defensive side of the ball for Fisher’s well-rounded stat line. He recorded 12 total tackles, including a sack and 2 TFLs in the Hoosiers’ big win over FIU.

Iowa

WR Reece Vander Zee: I’m not overlooking the significance of Cade McNamara’s first game back from his season-ending injury. However, the wide receiver position has been equally discouraging for the Hawkeyes in recent seasons. Iowa’s receivers had 3 total TDs last season, and Vander Zee had 2 in his true freshman debut for the Hawkeyes.

Maryland

QB Billy Edwards Jr.: All offseason, the talk has been about how Maryland will handle the departure of program record holder Taulia Tagovailoa. Edwards aced his first test, going 20-for-27 through the air with 311 yards and 2 touchdowns while adding 39 rushing yards.

Michigan State

RB Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams: With Aidan Chiles struggling in his first career start and Nate Carter held in check, Lynch-Adams delivered some key moments for the Spartans in the win over FAU. He went for 101 yards on just 9 carries with a touchdown.

Michigan

TE Colston Loveland: Will Johnson has a case here after his 86-yard pick-6 iced the game, but Loveland’s own touchdown with 5:43 remaining helped ice the win over Fresno State. With 8 catches for 87 yards, Loveland looks like the best player on the Wolverine offense. That’s not a bad thing, but Michigan will have to get creative to keep him as a focal point on offense.

Minnesota

DB Justin Walley: Minnesota received a spark from Walley in the form of an interception and 70-yard return to set up the first touchdown of the season. Unfortunately, there just wasn’t enough offense for the Gophers while getting outscored 12-3 in the 2nd half.

Nebraska

QB Dylan Raiola: Who else, right? Raiola was as flawless as one could hope for in his first career start, throwing 2 touchdowns and taking care of the ball throughout.

Northwestern

LB Mac Uihlein: Northwestern’s season-opening win included exactly 1 touchdown and 4 combined turnovers between the Wildcats and Miami (OH). Meanwhile, Uihlein had 2 of the team’s 4 sacks, finishing with 5 total tackles (4 solo stops). Northwestern may have to win some ugly games this year, and Uihlein’s efforts led a crucial defensive performance.

Ohio State

WR Jeremiah Smith: The elite freshman was thrust into Ohio State’s starting lineup, and he did not miss a beat. Smith went for over 90 yards and 2 touchdowns in his Buckeye debut, and he already looks like a go-to target in the red zone and one-on-one situations throughout the season.

Oregon

QB Dillon Gabriel: Somehow, Oregon found itself in a dogfight with Idaho in spite of Gabriel’s 41-for-49 passing evening with 380 yards and 2 touchdowns. Was this a fluke of a season opener, or are the Ducks in trouble regardless of what Gabriel does? It feels too early to tell, but it’s worth monitoring for now.

Penn State

RB Nicholas Singleton: Singleton produced just one game with 100+ rushing yards in 2023, and that game came in the regular season finale. He rushed for 114 yards and a touchdown in Penn State’s first game with OC Andy Kotelnicki, and that’s a great sign for the season ahead.

Purdue

QB Hudson Card: No matter the competition, completing 24-of-25 passes is incredibly difficult to accomplish. Card rounded out the win over Indiana State with 273 yards and 4 touchdowns in a flawless season opener.

Rutgers

RB Kyle Monangai: The B1G’s leading rusher in 2023, Monangai started the season with 165 rushing yards and a touchdown against Howard. (He needed just 19 carries and did not play the entire game.) TO no surprise, the Scarlet Knights are tough to beat when Monangai eclipses 100 yards rushing.

UCLA

K Mateen Bhaghani: UCLA did not start DeShaun Foster’s head coaching career on the wrong foot, outscoring Hawai’i 16-3 in the 2nd half for the come-from-behind victory. Plenty of areas need to be cleaned up, but Bhaghani drilled all 3 of his FG attempts, including a game-winner with less than a minute to play.

Wisconsin

RB Chez Mellusi: Wisconsin’s version of the Air Raid remains a work in progress. Playing the program’s first game since Braelon Allen’s departure, Mellusi provided an early spark and finished with 74 yards and a touchdown for the Badgers.

Note: Washington (Late Saturday night) and USC (Sunday night) not included in this week’s Game Balls due to late kick times.