Wanna know how dumb and weird this season is? When you want to look up Big Ten scores from the past weekend on ESPN.com, you have to select Week 13. Has CFB really been going on that long? In any event, it’s about to come to an abrupt end, and I for one can’t wait to watch the CCG get canceled and the Natty get delayed because of COVID outbreaks. And I’m dreading the rash of columns and articles detailing just how much getting COVID really hurt all the players for the long term throughout 2021.

Also, Maryland and Michigan got canceled. God willing, Michigan cancels next week too.

OTE’s Offensive Player of Week 6

Shameen Jones - WR - Rutgers Scarlet Knights

8 receptions, 88 yards, 2 TDs

Well, it finally happened. Congrats, Big Ten. You let a Rutgers player win OTE’s prestigious Offensive Player of the Week. TBH it was not a spectacular week for offensive performances—entirely expected when the conference’s top team and one of its best offenses have games canceled—but Jones put up a Plaxico Burress-y enough line to win this week. Let’s be just a little bit real here: It’s still kind of a big deal when Rutgers wins a Big Ten conference game, and Jones played a big part. That’s good enough for us. Also it hilariously/cruelly reminds Purdue fans of their shame.

Honorable Mentions for OTE Offensive POTW

Hassan Haskins - RB - Mich; 17 car, 101 yds 2 TDs
Despite the terribleness and hilarity of his team, Haskins has had a decidedly fine year!

Dontay Demus, Jr - WR - Maryland; 6 rec 114 yds, 1 TD
I’m honestly not certain Maryland has played any games this season, but assuming they have, and assuming they played this past weekend, Demus had a pretty good game!

Keyvone Lee - RB - Penn State; 22 car, 134 yds, 1 TD
Big, big game for the true freshman third(?) string running back for Penn State. I had kinda hoped PSU’s 2020 was foreshadowing a garbage 4-6 year stretch for Coach James Franklin, but at least parts of the Nittany Future look bright?

87Townie: I’m going to nominate Keyvone Lee, the true freshman running back who stepped up when the three guys ahead of him went out. Kid had 22 carries for 134 yards and a touchdown. Running back was supposed to be a strength for PSU this season...but we are down to playing 4th stringers. That shows up in blocking (or lack thereof) and route running (our RB’s are usually part of the passing game - Lee didn’t have a catch). But the kid can run. He isn’t flashy, he just punched UM’s defence in the teeth over and over again...for 6.1 yards per carry. And that’s not inflated by big runs, his longest was only 24 yards. They just couldn’t stop him.

OTE’s Defensive Player of Week 6

Shakur Brown - Cornerback - Michigan State Spartans

2 tackles, 1 hurry, 2 interceptions, 54 total INT yards

Getty Images

Michigan State did the conference a solid, finally taking out what is absolutely one of the worst Northwestern teams in the past three seasons, largely on the strength of Shakur Brown’s timely and multiple turnovers. We all laughed and laughed and laughed when the endlessly pass-interferencing No Fly Zone called themselves the No Fly Zone, but it sure is nice to see MSU’s secondary make some magic happen. I just can’t believe Fitzgerald’s consistently terrible ass defense even threw the ball down the field twice in a single game.

Honorable Mentions for OTE Defensive POTW

Micah McFadden - LB - Ind; 3 tack, 1 tfl, 2 sack, 1 hurry, 1 INT

Dayvion Nixon - DL - Iowa; 8 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 sack
Last week’s DPOTW stays on the board with an Hon Nom against a fellow member of the QOH.

stewmonkey13: generally a terror monster in the inside. Nixon best DL in the league.

Drew Beesley - DE - Michigan State; 5 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, 2 sacks, 2 hurries
My loyal readers and fellow OTE users: Want to know how seriously I take these awards? So seriously that I went out and scouted the box scores MYSELF to find Beesley as worth mentioning. Your official “writer,” Andrew K., didn’t so much as breathe Beesley’s name! Remember that next time you question whether Wisconsin won a bunch of awards because I’m biased.**

Micah McFadden - LB - Indiana; 2 tackles, 1 TFL, 2 sack, 1 hurry, 1 INT
At some point Indiana developed an actual semblance of a defense, and it turns out that may have been what they’re usually-pretty-solid offense were missing. Or there’s a pandemic on, no way of knowing.

OTE’s Special Teams Player of Week 6

Aron Cruickshank - KR - Rutgers Scarlet Knights

2 returns, 59.0 yard return average, 100 long, 1 TD

It hurts a little—not a lot, but a little—to see former Wisconsin Badger jet sweeper and Rose Bowl kickoff returner Aron Cruickshank win this award. But he scored a touchdown and my hands are tied.

The tackling angles weren’t perfect, sure, but Cruickshank is FAST and generates a lot of reaction movement/wasted energy by defenders with just a twitch of the hips or a flick of the head. Kiiiiiiiiinda wish Wisconsin still had him around.

Honorable Mentions for OTE’s Special Teams POTW

Keith Duncan - K - Iowa Hawkeyes; 4/5 FGs made, 48 yard long, 2/2 XPs
I certainly have never subscribed to the rule that kickers have to make all their kicks to win awards here, and please don’t go look it up. There weren’t many good options this week! Also when you score 14 of a team’s 26 points in a 6-point win, you were pretty valuable.

Anthony Pecorella, Colton Spangler - P - Maryland; 6 punts, 47.3 yard avg, long 55
I don’t know why Maryland used two punters in the game, and I’m certainly not going to investigate the reason. The two had a pretty good combined day, though!

Haydon Whitehead - P - Indiana; 7 punts 45.4 avg 53 long
We needed 3 Hon Noms for STPOTW and Haydon Whitehead was the best 3rd choice. At least he put in a full day at the office, notching 7 punts. That’s all I got.

** I absolutely am