
Ranking the top 10 players in the Big Ten entering Week 9: Recess is over
Half of our top 10 players spent Saturday resting and recuperating their bodies with their teams on bye weeks. We’re not bumping any of those guys after some well-deserved time off. In fact, the list remains remains the same with one exception.
Purdue receiver Charlie Jones, the national leader in receptions with 72, bumped his quarterback off the board. We love Aidan O’Connell, but 3 INTs in a loss to Wisconsin can’t be ignored.
Here’s what we have heading into another 5-game B1G slate this weekend:
10. Jer’Zhan Newton, DL, Illinois
Illinois is getting strong play from all levels of its defense, but 6-2, 295-pound sophomore Jer’Zhan Newton stands out.
Among B1G defensive linemen, he ranks at or near the top in tackles (37), sacks (4) and TFL (8). According the school website, he’s ranked No. 3 in the country by PFF among interior defensive linemen. That seems accurate.
The Illini defense allows 221.1 yards and 8.8 points per game, ranking No. 1 in the nation in both.
Coming off a bye week, Illinois will puts its dominant defense to the test at Nebraska.
9. Trey Palmer, WR, Nebraska
Palmer went off for a school-record 237 receiving yards and added a 60-yard run in a shootout loss to Purdue that preceded the Huskers’ bye week. With the monster game, the 6-1, 190-pound junior moved to the top spot in the B1G in receiving yards, averaging 111.6 per game.
The LSU transfer has a great shot at breaking Nebraska’s single-season record. He returns to action this weekend against Illinois’ stout defense.
🚨 TREY PALMER APPRECIATION 🚨 pic.twitter.com/ETpKQabHa6
— Huskers Top Plays (@HuskersTopPlays) October 11, 2022
8. Charlie Jones, WR, Purdue
The transfer from Iowa leads the nation with 72 receptions, twice as many as the Hawkeyes’ top pass-catcher. Jones is No. 2 in the country in receiving yards (840) and No. 3 in TD catches (9). He had 10 catches for 105 yards in a loss at Wisconsin, his 5th 100-yard game in 8 outings this season. Iowa’s wideouts as a group have about half of Jones’s production.
7. Olusegun Oluwatimi, C, Michigan
The grad transfer from Virginia, a Rimington Award finalist last year, anchors the Wolverines offensive line like he’s been with the group for years. Getting to the second level to punish Penn State defenders a week ago, the 6-3, 307-pounder helped clear the way for the team’s 418-yard rushing day.
It was his 42nd start as a college center, and big No. 55 had himself a day along with standout left tackle Ryan Hayes and the rest of the crew. After dominating the ACC, Oluwatimi is dominating the B1G too. Nest up is a date with rival Michigan State.
6. Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
The 6-4, 205-pound sophomore snared his 10th touchdown as part of a 7-catch, 62-yard day against Iowa. He leads the Big Ten in TD receptions and ranks 2nd in the FBS.
5. Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
The 6-1, 205-pound sophomore forms a dynamic duo with Harrison, and he added 6 catches, 80 yards and a TD to his impressive season totals against Iowa. He’s averaging 105 receiving yards per game heading into a road matchup with Penn State.
4. Mohamed Ibrahim, RB, Minnesota
The senior workhorse really had to work against Penn State’s keyed-in defense to reach 100 yards for a 15th straight game, but he did it, netting a season-low 102 yards on 30 carries. He ranks 5th in the country at 132.7 yards per game, and will have to continue to carry the load if QB Tanner Morgan remains out.
3. Blake Corum, RB, Michigan
Corum — along with fellow back Donovan Edwards and the rest of the Wolverines offense — tore up the Penn State defense a week ago. Coming off a bye, Corum now takes aim at rival Michigan State, looking to add to his nation’s best rushing TD total of 13.
2. Chase Brown, RB, Illinois
Look out Nebraska! He’s rested now.
Before Illinois’ bye week, the 5-11, 205-pound junior belonged in one of those “never not working” commercials. Brown hit his team’s break week as the only 1,000-yard rusher in the FBS.
He leads the nation in attempts (27.4 per game) and yards (151.3).
1. CJ Stroud, QB, Ohio State
Stroud had a bad day Saturday, and thus his Buckeyes were only able to squeak by Iowa 54-10. He lost a fumble that was returned for a touchdown and threw his 4th interception of the season. He did also throw for 4 TDs to up his nation-leading total to 28, so all is not lost heading into a B1G East showdown at Penn State.
The redshirt sophomore is up to 4th on the Buckeyes’ all-time passing yards list. By the end of the season, barring injury, he’ll be No. 2 behind JT Barrett. He’s already No. 2 behind Barrett in TD throws (104-72). Stroud probably won’t be back in 2023 to pass Barrett, but he’s going to give Buckeyes fans a heck of a ride the rest of this season.