OTE’s Big Ten Players of Week 8

Every week in the Big Ten, there are outstanding young men playing football for our entertainment, and so we at OTE feel that it is only right to recognize the best and the brightest of these. Here now, the week 8 winners:

Offensive Player of the Week: Trace McSorley, Penn State QB

Turns out, Penn State might have more than one rushing threat on their team. With more rushing touchdowns than Saquon, and also one through the air, how can you not make Trace McSorley OPOTW this week? (Note: the Big Ten Conference chose Saquon instead.)

Honorable mentions go out to Saquon (161 yards of offense and 3 scores) and Minnesota’s Kobe McCrary (153 rushing yards and a score).

Defensive Players of the Week: Linebackers Joe Bachie (MSU) and Jason Cabinda (PSU)

With nearly identical stats (13 tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble each), any separation between these two this week would require an extensive viewing of their games, so like the conference, OTE will simply name them co-DPOTW and let other people argue about which one was better.

Special Teams Player of the Week: Hunter Niswander, Northwestern Punter

Play of the Week: The Fake Flea Flicker

When multiple OTE writers declare that they’ve never seen such a play before, it’s probably good enough to be our play of the week.

Honorable mention goes to Jonathan Celestin of Minnesota for his game-sealing pick six against Illinois. There’s not a version of just the pick itself available to put here, so WSR found the next best thing. (For context, Celestin’s father passed away in the offseason.)