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The B1G saw it all in Week 4. From blowout wins to upsets, to breakout performances and thrilling finishes, there was plenty to keep you entertained this weekend.
Obviously, Saturday night’s showdown between No. 4 Penn State and Iowa overshadowed almost everything else in the B1G this past weekend. And for good reason. While several games were entertaining, the Hawkeyes and Nittany Lions had a high watchability rating. From Saquon Barkley’s hurdles to Akrum Wadley’s jump cuts, that game really had it all. There could be a Game Ball feature on that game alone.
But now that the dust has settled, we can go back and properly give kudos to the players that had breakout performances that weren’t on the field in Kinnick Stadium on Saturday night.
Here are the Game Balls after Week 4:
Ohio State’s receivers – Seven receivers caught a touchdown pass for the Buckeyes in a 54-21 win over UNLV, a B1G and school record. Five receivers finished with at least three catches and four had at least 50 yards. Parris Campbell and C.J. Saunders topped the list with their performances, but this was a complete team effort. It was an impressive accomplishment in the non-conference finale.
Saquon Barkley, Penn State RB – What else can you really say? 211 rushing yards, 94 receiving yards, a touchdown and some of the most incredible moves we’ve ever seen on a college football field. If Barkley isn’t the Heisman favorite after that remarkable performance in Iowa City on Saturday, then maybe it’s time to find some new voters.
Sean McKeon, Michigan TE – The sophomore tight end doubled his reception total on the year after a breakthrough performance against Purdue in the B1G opener. McKeon caught five passes for 82 yards and proved to be a weapon the Boilermakers couldn’t stop. Jim Harbaugh might want to think about getting the ball to his tight end a little more often.
Luke Gifford, Nebraska LB – Gifford finished the day with six total tackles, a tackle for loss and one big interception in Nebraska’s 27-17 win over Rutgers. It wasn’t a huge outing for the linebacker, but he made some key plays, including the pick with 58 seconds left that sealed the win for the Huskers. It wasn’t a pretty game in Lincoln, but Gifford was a bright spot for the blackshirts.
Morgan Ellison, Indiana RB – Indiana’s running back situation might have gotten a little more interesting after Ellison’s breakout performance in a blowout win over Georgia Southern. The freshman toted the ball 25 times for 185 yards and a pair of touchdowns as the Hoosiers improved to 2-1 on the season. Through three games, Ellison is Indiana’s leading rusher by nearly 200 yards.
Josey Jewell, Iowa LB – Sure, the Hawkeyes lost the game, but that really doesn’t diminish how well Jewell played on Saturday. The senior linebacker accounted for 11 solo stops (16 total), three tackles for loss and an interception against Penn State. Doing that against an offense as dynamic as the Nittany Lions is something special. Iowa didn’t come out on top, but Jewell definitely deserved a Game Ball for his tremendous effort.
John O’Korn, Michigan QB – On the road in the B1G opener against a trendy underdog, O’Korn was forced into the game after Wilton Speight left the game with an apparent head injury. And as they say, the Michigan backup was as cool as a cucumber. O’Korn completed 18-of-26 passes for 270 yards and a touchdown in the Wolverines 28-10 win in West Lafayette. Is there a QB battle coming in Ann Arbor?
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