That smell in the air? It’s awards season folks. Yes, we’ll all be glued to our television sets, our beverage consumption game cards in hand and hoping our favorite players are called off to win major awards!
On Monday night the Big Ten will officially release its individual award winners and All-Big Ten teams, but our friends over at Talking10.com, an independent site covering the Big Ten, got us started with its first annual batch of individual awards.
It meant the first chance for Badgers RB Melvin Gordon to take home some hardware. He did just that, winning both the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and Running Back of the Year awards.
Here is what talking10.com had to say about Gordon:
This wasn’t even close to being a contest this year. Gordon went out and rushed for the fourth-best total in FBS history already this year, putting up 2,260 yards. That total puts him fist in rushing yards, rushing yards per game (188.3) and rushing touchdowns (26).
He also amassed 29 total touchdowns this season (26 rushing and three receiving). That number is second in UW and history to former teammate Montee Ball’s FBS record 39 (tied with Barry Sanders), and he has a chance to move himself in to second place on the Big Ten list with two games to go.
Gordon has put up statistics that just don’t make sense all season long, including a 408-yard performance at home against Nebraska that stood as the single-game record for one week. He has also put up five games of 200-plus yards. Additionally, Gordon needs just 368 yards to break Barry Sanders’ single-season rushing record. With two games to go for Gordon, this could be a historically great year. No question he’s the winner of this award for us, and likely the Big Ten too.
No other Badger player took home individual position award honors, but you can see the rest of the winners here.
Look for many Badgers to earn All-Big Ten honors later in the day from various outlets, including from talking10.com.
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