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Two weeks ago, running backs stole the headline as we awarded our weekly Game Balls. This time, there’s another theme as we hand out our awards, but another position stole the show on Saturday.
Quarterback play was stellar in the B1G in Week 9, an unusual occurrence in the Midwest at this time of the year. Typically, it’s the running backs and offensive lines that dominate the field as the cold weather starts to seep in. But for whatever reason, the guys under center were unbelievably good this weekend.
While Penn State-Ohio State was the talk of the B1G, there were plenty of great games throughout the conference. Five of the seven matchups were decided by one possession, which means there were several tremendous individual performances.
Here are the winners of our Week 9 Game Balls. And yes, this is a quarterback-heavy list.
J.T. Barrett, Ohio State QB – In the biggest game of his career, Barrett had one of his best performances in an Ohio State uniform. He eviscerated the top-ranked Penn State defense, throwing for 328 yards and four touchdowns while completing 33-of-39 passes. He also rushed for 95 yards on 17 carries to lead the Buckeyes to a 39-38 win over the second-ranked team in the country. It was one of those games that will be talked about for decades.
Tanner Lee, Nebraska QB – The real Tanner Lee finally stood up. The Nebraska didn’t have one of those do-it-all type of games, but he did lead the Huskers down the field on the final possession and fired a game-winning touchdown pass to Stanley Morgan with just :14 left on the clock. After a tumultuous start to the season, Lee really needed to prove he could be a clutch quarterback.
Michael Deiter, Wisconsin OL – An offensive lineman scored a touchdown. That’s going to receive a Game Ball every single time. Deiter’s came on a designed pass — or lateral — play while the Badgers were four yards from the goal line. It actually came at an important time, too. The score put Wisconsin ahead 24-3 with four minutes left and sealed the victory over Illinois.
Jake Gervase, Iowa S – Gervase was a bright spot in an otherwise ugly game. He the day with eight tackles, one interception and a pass deflection in a 17-10 win over Minnesota.. There weren’t many great plays are outstanding performances in the battle for Floyd of Rosedale, but Gervase did provide a spark for Iowa.
Karan Higdon, Michigan RB – It was another huge outing for the Michigan running back. Higdon ended his day with 158 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries for the Wolverines. He was an unstoppable force against Rutgers and has proven to be one of the top ball-carriers in the B1G recently.
Darnell Savage, Maryland DB – Darnell Savage made some of the most important plays of the game for the Terrapins on Saturday. He came up with scoop and score after blocking an Indiana punt, recorded an interception and also posted four tackles in the win. Just an extraordinary outing for the defensive back.
Clayton Thorson, Northwestern QB – Against one of the top defenses in the B1G, Thorson had an outstanding day throwing the football, particularly in overtime. Thorson finished with 356 yards and two touchdowns while completing 69 percent of his passes. It was enough to help Northwestern stun Michigan State 39-31 in a triple overtime affair in Evanston
Cody White, Michigan State WR – Yes the Spartans lost, but White was sensational again this week against Northwestern. He caught nine passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns. While Michigan State has a few really good weapons at receiver, White is emerging as Brian Lewerke’s top target.
Brandon Peters, Michigan QB – From a statistical standpoint, Peters didn’t do anything sensational — he completed 10-of-14 passes for 124 yards and a touchdown. But the offense looked much more functional with Peters under center and was able to move the football with a lot more consistency. When Peters stepped on the field, Michigan immediately pulled away from Rutgers. He might’ve stolen the starting job on Saturday, too.
Paddy Fisher, Northwestern LB – Have a day, Paddy Fisher. The freshman linebacker was all over the place in Northwestern’s win over Michigan State. Fisher finished with 17 tackles, 14 of which were solo stops. He also had two quarterback hurries and accounted for a tackle for loss. The freshman is having a tremendous season and Saturday was just another feather in his cap.
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