Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer, August 20, 2013

We?re nine days from the 2013 football season kicking off. Indiana (Indiana State) and Minnesota (UNLV) get things started for the Big Ten on Thursday, Aug. 29 on BTN/BTN2Go. To help count down the days to kickoff, BTN.com is ranking the top 25 players. Join as we count it down, from 25-1, every day.

No. 9: Chris Borland, LB, Wisconsin

At 5-11, 248 pounds, Borland plays like a Tasmanian Devil. The senior is a whirling dervish who is always around the ball and making plays. Borland is one of three players in Wisconsin annals to have forced and recovered at least three fumbles in the same season (twice, 2009 and 2012). And he has forced 13 fumbles in his career. A first-team All-Big Ten pick by the coaches last year, Borland will be the key cog in what should be a stout front seven for a Badger defense that is running a new 3-4 scheme this fall, as Wisconsin aims to advance to a fourth Rose Bowl in succession.

BTN.com?s top 25 players of 2013
1.
Aug. 28
2.
Aug. 27
3.
Aug. 26
4.
Aug. 25
5.
Aug. 24
6.
Aug. 23
7.
Aug. 22
8.
Aug. 21
9.
Chris Borland, LB, Wisconsin
10.
Max Bullough, LB, Michigan State
11.
Ra'Shede Hageman, DT, Minnesota
12.
Kenny Bell, WR, Nebraska
13.
Tyler Scott, DE, Northwestern
14.
Ameer Abdullah, RB, Nebraska
15.
Brandon Vitabile, C, Northwestern
16. Jack Mewhort, OT, Ohio State
17.
Kain Colter, QB, Northwestern
18. Jared Abbrederis, WR, Wisconsin
19. Spencer Long, G, Nebraska
20.
Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State
21.
Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
22.
Deion Barnes, DE, Penn State
23.
Isaiah Lewis, S, Michigan State
24. James White, RB, Wisconsin
25.
Anthony Hitchens, LB, Iowa