The Wolverine

victory over California Sept. 15. Ohio State sophomore quarterback Braxton Miller: Under the tutelage of head coach Ur- ban Meyer, Miller has been one of the most dynamic players in the Big Ten. Through four games, he had accounted for 1,195 yards of total offense and a league-best 14 total touchdowns (seven passing and seven rushing). He also earned Big Ten Offen- sive Player of the Week honors after con- tributing five total scores in OSU's 35-28 TOP OFFENSIVE PLAYERS Ohio State sophomore quar- terback Braxton Miller was second in the conference in rushing (441 yards) and had accounted for 14 total scores heading into league play. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL Michigan State junior tailback Le'Veon Bell: The Spartans offense would be in absolute ruins without the junior wrecking ball. En- tering league play, Bell led the confer- ence with 610 rushing yards on 117 car- ries (5.2 yards per attempt) and had scored five touchdowns. He also had two Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors to his credit in 2012. Penn State sophomore wide receiver Allen Robinson: The super sophomore has had a scin- tillating start for a rejuvenated Penn State passing attack. After four weeks, he led the Big Ten with 29 recep- tions for 404 yards (13.9 yards per reception) and five touchdowns. started his final season in Happy Valley on a tear, notching a team-leading 42 stops, two tackles for loss, a sack, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in the first four weeks. Mauti was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week after making 12 tackles and two stops for loss in PSU's 34-7 conquest of Navy Sept. 15. Wisconsin junior linebacker Chris Borland: A key piece of the Wisconsin Penn State fifth-year senior linebacker Michael Mauti: The team leader TOP DEFENSIVE PLAYERS defense, Borland has helped carry an offensively inept squad. He has accumu- lated 34 tackles, 4.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage, three sacks and a forced fumble. Borland garnered Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors following a 12-stop, 3.5-tackle for loss effort in a 37-26 victory over UTEP Sept. 22. Purdue fifth-year senior defensive tackle Kawann Short: The big lineman anchors a stifling Purdue defense that has yielded only 14.0 points and 293.0 yards per game. Individually, Short has shut down the middle and contributed four tackles for loss, including three sacks. a playmaker for the Nittany Lions, recording four tackles for loss, three sacks and two forced fumbles. He earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors following PSU's 34-7 victory over Navy Sept. 15. Michigan tight end Devin Funchess: The 6-5 pass catcher is growing into a dynamic threat in the middle, hauling in eight balls for 151 yards (18.9 yards per reception) and two touchdowns. He stockpiled 106 yards and two scores on four grabs (26.5 yards per reception) in U-M's 31-25 win over Air Force Sept. 8 to earn conference Freshman of the Week honors. Illinois running back Josh Ferguson: The redshirt freshman has made his Penn State defensive end Deion Barnes: The 6-4, 246-pound Barnes has been TOP FRESHMEN presence felt in both the passing and rushing game, leading all freshmen with 142.0 all-purpose yards per game. He produced a 14-carry, 101-yard (7.2 yards per rush) outing in a 45-14 loss to Arizona State Sept. 8. 42 THE WOLVERINE OCTOBER 2012 from grace in 2012 has been abso- lutely stunning. In 2011, the Hawk- eyes featured an uncharacteristically pass-happy offense that finished third in the Big Ten with 234.8 pass- ing yards a game and averaged 27.5 points. Fast-forward a year, and Kirk Ferentz's squad has taken a signifi- cant step backward. Dead last in the league with only 20.5 points scored per game, the Hawkeyes have been a major disappointment, suffering a 32-31 loss to Central Michigan and 9-6 defeat to Iowa State. MICHIGAN STATE VS. PURDUE With Ohio State and Penn State ineligible for the title game, the road to Indianapolis in the Leaders Di- vision is a two-horse race between Purdue and Wisconsin. While Wis- consin was a huge favorite heading into the season, it has been a shell of its 2011 self thus far. Purdue, con- versely, has become less of a dark- horse pick because both the offense and defense have thrived early on this season. BIG TEN TITLE GAME PREDICTION: more wide open, with Michigan, Michigan State and Nebraska all hav- ing a legitimate shot at capturing the division. The difference will be found in the schedule, where a tough Mich- igan State defense gets both Ohio State and Nebraska at home. MSU is clearly lost on offense, but employs a true workhorse back in Le'Veon Bell and the best defense in the confer- ence. Defense wins championships — especially when backed by a rau- cous crowd. u ing to lead the offense at quarterback moving forward. 5. Minnesota (4-0): One of only three undefeated Big Ten squads, the notion of a Big Ten title run for a team that finished 2-6 in the conference a year ago is not as absurd as it was in early August. It still remains highly un- likely, however. Without the services of injured senior quarterback Mar- Queis Gray for an extended amount of time, the Gophers lack both the necessary playmakers and depth to make a real run at the crown. The strong start should still provide hope for a Minnesota squad that is averag- ing more than 406.0 yards and 29.8 points per game in 2012. 6. Iowa (2-2): The Hawkeyes' fall The Legends Division remains

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