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That was a lot of fun.
Saturday’s slate of late afternoon and evening games certainly provided the entertainment value this week, as Purdue-Minnesota came down to the wire, Nebraska fought with Wisconsin through three quarters and Michigan State stunned Michigan in Ann Arbor. This was the type of weekend we love in college football.
It was full of outstanding performances, as well. Several players stepped up and helped their team secure a win on Saturday.
Who stood out the most? Here are the Week 6 Game Balls.
Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin RB – Rushing for a new career high will almost always earn you a game ball, especially if that new personal best comes in over the 200-yard mark. Taylor galloped for 249 yards and two touchdowns as the Badgers knocked of Nebraska in Lincoln. It doesn’t look like any defense can slow down the freshman running back.
Joe Bachie, Michigan State LB – The linebacker was all over the field as the Spartans stunned Michigan in the Big House Saturday night. Bachie ended the night with 10 tackles, a sack, an interception and a pass deflection in the win. He was instrumental in Michigan State taking Paul Bunyan back to East Lansing.
Peyton Ramsey, Indiana QB – Making his first start of the season, the freshman quarterback didn’t disappoint. Ramsey completed 32-of-41 passes for 321 yards and two touchdowns. He also led the Hoosiers in rushing, piling up 54 yards and a score on 15 carries. It looks like Tom Allen made the right decision to make a change under center.
Nick Bosa, Ohio State DE – Bosa terrorized the Terrapins on Saturday, totaling five tackles, two stops for loss and forcing a fumble in the contest. He consistently got pressure on the quarterback and was a menace in the backfield. Sometimes those contributions get lost in a 62-14 thrashing.
Brandon Snyder, Iowa S – Just six months removed from an ACL tear, Snyder was back in the starting safety spot for the Hawkeyes. As if that wasn’t enough, he came up with a critical pick-six in the third quarter that gave the Hawkeyes a two-score lead. It sure is nice to have Snyder back on the field in Iowa City.
T.J. McCollum, Purdue LB – He didn’t do anything spectacular, but McCollum made a lot of stops in Ross-Ade Stadium on Saturday. He finished the day with 12 tackles, six of which were solo stops. He also recorded a tackle for loss in the victory for the Boilermakers.
David Dowell, Michigan State S – Dowell came up with two crucial interceptions against Michigan, halting a pair of drives in the second half. Those turnovers would’ve been even more beneficial if Michigan State’s offense could’ve cashed in on some points, but just getting the Wolverines off the field was good enough during the torrential downpour in Ann Arbor.
Elijah Sindelar, Purdue QB – With starting quarterback David Blough struggling early, Purdue made a change, inserting Sindelar into the lineup. That decision paid off, as Sindelar went on to complete 19-of-26 passes for 248 yards. He lead the Boilermakers to a 31-17 win over Minnesota, getting Jeff Brohm his first B1G win.
Taysir Mack, Indiana WR – Talk about a big day. The freshman receiver had an incredible outing against Charleston Southern, hauling in seven passes for 111 yards and two touchdowns. Before his big performance, Mack had just two catches for 18 yards on the season.
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