Big 10 Week 12 Bookends: Buckeyes Stand Alone Atop Big 10

November 26th, 2009 by Mike Ware

Ohio State Buckeyes Daniel Herron (thanks Icon SMI)

The Buckeyes wrapped up the regular season by winning the Big Ten crown outright and defeating perennial rival Michigan for the 6^th straight year. The Buckeyes didn’t do it on Terrelle Pryor’s passing game either. He only had 67 yards passing but he made smart plays and did have one TD pass. Instead the Buckeyes ran the ball and they ran the ball and they ran it some more. Tressell exploited the lack of run defense all day. Daniel Herron rushed for 96 yards, Brandon Saine rushed for 84 plus a TD and Pryor ran for 74. Michigan as a team only rushed for 80 yards in the game. My favorite Wolverine Tate Forcier had a rough day throwing 4 interceptions but he did pass for 226 yards. Roy Roundtree had 116 yards receiving in the game.

Now for another important game this weekend, I am happy to announce the Bronze Pig trophy goes to Iowa. That trophy is the prettiest thing to talk about from that game. In what has to be one of the poorest efforts of the Hawkeye season they escape with a 12-0 win and the pig trophy. Too bad you can’t get fantasy points for punts. The teams combined for 17 punts on the day. Ugly! Iowa QB James Vandenberg had 117 yards passing. RB Adam Robinson ran for 72 and Brandon Wegher rushed for 26 and the only TD of the day.

Switching to a game that actually had some statistics worth mentioning, Penn State blew out Michigan State 42-14. Daryll Clark had 310 yards passing and 4 TD’s. Evan Royster added 114 rushing and Graham Zug posted 99 yards receiving.

Northwestern managed to upset Wisconsin 33-31. NU QB Mike Kafka threw for 326 yards and 2 TD’s. WI QB Scott Tolzien passed for 235 yards and 2 TD’s. But the Badgers never managed to get on track in the 4^th quarter and turned the ball over twice in the final 10 minutes. John Clay rushed for 100 yards on the day.

And to wrap it up this week, Purdue defeated Indiana 38 – 21 behind a solid performance from Jaycen Taylor who rushed for 110 yards, caught another 59 yards and a TD. QB Joey Elliott passed for 205 yards and 4 TD’s. For Indiana, Darius Willis rushed for 142 yards, Mitchell Evans posted 112 receiving and Ben Chappell passed for 266 yards and 2 TD’s.

That is it for the Big Ten this regular season. Enjoy the bowl games and start planning for 2010. It is never too early to start planning your draft strategy for next year.

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