Brent Yarina, BTN.com Senior Editor, November 26, 2012
It's time for my final regular season Big Ten Player Rankings. This week, Le'Veon Bell and Jordan Hill reenter the list following jaw-dropping individual performances. See all the latest changes in this post. Remember, this feature ranks the Big Ten's top six offensive and defensive players. So, consider offense the Legends Division and the defense the Leaders Division, or vice versa.
[RELATED: Tom Dienhart's Power Rankings ]
OFFENSE
1. Braxton Miller, QB, Ohio State – Lost in a season full of eye-popping statistical days, there's this: Miller's only thrown six interceptions, including zero in the last three games.
Week 13 stats: 14-18, 189 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT; 20 car., 57 yards | 2012 stats
Previous ranking: No. 1
2. Taylor Martinez, QB, Nebraska – Martinez barely reached 100 total yards (104) in the awful weather conditions at Iowa, but, surprise, surprise, the clutch quarterback notched his fifth second-half comeback in Big Ten play.
Week 13 stats: 8-14, 63 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT; 16 car., 41 yards | 2012 stats
Previous ranking: No. 2
![Michigan at Ohio State](http://btn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/uspw_6784890.jpg?w=300)
3. Matt McGloin, QB, Penn State – McGloin finished the season as the Big Ten leader in passing yards (3,266) and touchdown passes (24). He also threw the fewest interceptions (5) among regular starters, despite leading the conference in attempts.
Week 13 stats: 19-37, 200 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT | 2012 stats
Previous ranking: No. 3
4. Montee Ball, RB, Wisconsin – You are looking at the NCAA career touchdown leader. An incredible accomplishment, Ball's TD run (Watch TD) at Penn State gave him 79 in his career, breaking a tie with Travis Prentice.
Week 13 stats: 27 car., 111 yards, 1 TD | 2012 stats
Previous ranking: No. 4
5. Carlos Hyde, RB, Ohio State – Just how impressive has Hyde's dominant seven-game run been? Put it this way: His 15 touchdowns during the span are three more than Montee Ball has scored in the same time frame.
Week 13 stats: 26 car., 146 yards, 1 TD | 2012 stats
Previous ranking: No. 6
6. Le?Veon Bell, RB, Michigan State – No doubt about it, a portion of Bell's numbers are the result of receiving more carries than any other Big Ten back (350; 39 more than Montee Ball). Still, the Spartans' lone consistent weapon finished the regular season as the Big Ten's leading rusher, thanks to Saturday's career-high 266-yard day.
Week 13 stats: 35 car., 266 yards, 1 TD; 1 rec., 9 yards | 2012 stats
Previous ranking: NR
Next in line: Venric Mark, RB, Northwestern
Dropped out: Devin Gardner, QB, Michigan (No. 6)
[RELATED: See who won Week 13 Big Ten Game Balls]
DEFENSE
1. Ryan Shazier, LB, Ohio State – Shazier and the Buckeyes limited Michigan, which entered Saturday averaging 440 total yards and 38 points in its last three games, to 279 total yards and 21 points.
Week 13 stats: 5 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1 sack
Previous ranking: No. 1
2. Jake Ryan, LB, Michigan – It came in a losing effort, of course, but Ryan was up to his usual strong play at rival Ohio State, making plays behind the line of scrimmage and knocking a pair of balls loose.
Week 13 stats: 9 tackles, 2 TFL, 2 FF, 1 sack
Previous ranking: No. 2
![Wisconsin at Penn State](http://btn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/uspw_6786348.jpg?w=300)
3. Michael Mauti, LB, Penn State – Mauti missed the final game of his Penn State career Saturday due to a left knee injury. His teammates honored him on their helmets.
Week 13 stats: DNP (injury)
Previous ranking: No. 3
4. Daimion Stafford, S, Nebraska – Stafford continued his big-play heroics Friday, registering his fourth interception in the last five games.
Week 13 stats: 7 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 INT
Previous ranking: No. 6
5. John Simon, DE, Ohio State – A right knee injury prevented Simon from building off his Week 12 four-sack performance and robbed him of one last game vs. Michigan.
Week 13 stats: DNP (injury)
Previous ranking: No. 4
T-6. Max Bullough, LB, Michigan State – Bullough and the Spartans dominated a struggling Minnesota offense, surrendering just 96 total yards, including four rushing yards on 19 carries (0.2 yards per carry).
Week 13 stats: 7 tackles, 1 TFL
Previous ranking: No. 5
T-6. Jordan Hill, DT, Penn State – Hill was an absolute beast in an overtime win over Wisconsin, notching an impressive 12 tackles from his defensive tackle position.
Week 13 stats: 12 tackles, 3 TFL, 2 sacks
Previous ranking: No. 5
Next in line: Eric Martin, DE, Nebraska
About Brent Yarina | BTN.com web editor Brent Yarina covers football and men's basketball for BTN.com. He writes the popular uniform feature "Clothes Call," which also focuses on the latest cosmetic changes across Big Ten arenas and stadiums. Read all of his work here. You can subscribe to Yarina's RSS feed and follow him on Twitter @BTNBrentYarina. |