Will Buckeyes Collect 2017 Season’s Big Ten Offensive Awards?

Predictions on the Big Ten Offensive Awards.

The end of the 2017 season is still four months away, but it is never too early to project which players will win the Big Ten Conference Offensive Awards.

Many of the conference’s top teams return a bulk of their starters so the competition for each award will be fierce.

Here are my predictions:

Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year:

Likely candidates for this award include Ohio State’s J.T. Barrett, Penn State’s Saquon Barkley and Trace McSorley, Michigan’s Wilton Speight and Northwestern’s Justin Jackson. The darkhorse is Minnesota’s Rodney Smith.

Unless Northwestern makes a run at the West Division title, Jackson will be eliminated simply because he does not play for one of the Big Three teams.  That’s unfortunate because he’s a phenomenal player, but the other four players will dominate the headlines.

Barkley and McSorley will put up ridiculous numbers.  The schedule works against the Nittany Lions this year compared to last.  How will Penn State handle going on the road to Iowa, Ohio State, Northwestern and Michigan State?  I suspect there will be a game or two with below normal stats.

Barrett is no stranger to winning offensive awards.  He is a dynamic playmaker, protects the ball and usually lethal when the game is on the line.  That will keep him in the hunt for capturing the Big Ten’s best offensive player.

Pick:  Barrett