The Big Ten Conference holds a reputation as a smash-mouth, grind-it-out league for good reason. When cold, winter winds blow over those states, real football comes out to play. This league isn't the Pac-12 out West or SEC in the South, where mild temperatures and rain highlight your late-November forecasts. Despite how the Big Ten is perceived around the country, the conference churns out some serious offensive firepower.
Two-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year winners like Purdue's Drew Brees and Penn State's Saquon Barkley are rewriting the NFL record books. Heisman Trophy winners like Michigan's Desmond Howard, Wisconsin's Ron Dayne and Ohio State's Troy Smith took home conference hardware and showed out on a national stage. The list goes on, but 2019's winner could be one of the league's best ever before he's done in Columbus, Ohio.
Justin Fields: Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year
Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields received the Big Ten's Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year honor, as well as earning the Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year award, for the 2019 season. The First-Team All-Big Ten quarterback leads the nation's No. 1 scoring offense and ranks third in college football with 282 points responsible for — that latter number trailed only Jalen Hurts and Joe Burrow during the regular season.
Despite sitting for stretches of blowouts on the College Football Playoff committee's top-ranked team, Fields leads the Big Ten in passing efficiency (192.1), ranks second in total offense per game (260.3 yards), and his 10 rushing touchdowns rank fourth heading into the Big Ten Championship Game on December 7 in Indianapolis.
Fields' 37 passing touchdowns also leads the conference, and that only trails 2018 Offensive Player of the Year Dwayne Haskins for Ohio State's single season record (50).
RELATED: Clemson's Travis Etienne Repeats as ACC Player of the Year
The 2019 college football season was the year of Ohio State. Ryan Day was named Big Ten Coach of the Year via the media vote — Minnesota's P.J. Fleck won the coaches vote — and Chase Young won both Defensive Player of the Year and Defensive Lineman of the Year.
Altogether, 18 Ohio State Buckeyes earned All-Big Ten honors, while another seven received honorable mentions.
2019 All-Big Ten Football Teams
First-Team Offense
QB - Justin Fields, Ohio State
RB - J.K. Dobbins, Ohio State
RB - Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin
WR - Rashod Bateman, Minnesota
WR - Tyler Johnson, Minnesota
TE - Brycen Hopkins, Purdue
OT - Jon Runyan, Michigan
OT - Tristan Wirfs, Iowa
OG - Jonah Jackson, Ohio State
OG - Ben Bredeson, Michigan
C - Tyler Biadasz, Wisconsin
First-Team Defense
DL - A.J. Epenesa, Iowa
DL - Joe Gaziano, Northwestern
DL - Chase Young, Ohio State
DL - Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State
LB - Malik Harrison, Ohio State
LB - Micah Parsons, Penn State
LB - Zach Baun, Wisconsin
DB - Lavert Hill, Michigan
DB - Antoine Winfield Jr., Minnesota
DB - Jordan Fuller, Ohio State
DB - Jeff Okudah, Ohio State
First-Team Specialists
PK - Keith Duncan, Iowa
P - Blake Hayes, Illinois
RET - Javon Leake, Maryland
Second-Team Offense
QB - Tanner Morgan, Minnesota
RB - Stevie Scott III, Indiana
RB - Rodney Smith, Minnesota
WR - Whop Philyor, Indiana
WR - KJ Hamler, Penn State
TE - Pat Freiermuth, Penn State
OT - Thayer Munford, Ohio State
OT - Branden Bowen, Ohio State
OG - Steven Gonzalez, Penn State
OG - Wyatt Davis, Ohio State
C - Cesar Ruiz, Michigan
Second-Team Defense
DL - Kwity Paye, Michigan
DL - Kenny Willekes, Michigan State
DL - Carter Coughlin, Minnesota
DL - Shaka Toney, Penn State
LB - Khaleke Hudson, Michigan
LB - Josh Uche, Michigan
LB - Chris Orr, Wisconsin
DB - Geno Stone, Iowa
DB - Antoine Brooks, Maryland
DB - Lamar Jackson, Nebraska
DB - Damon Arnette, Ohio State
Second-Team Specialists
PK - Logan Justus, Indiana
P - Adam Korsak, Rutgers
RET - Aron Cruickshank, Wisconsin
Third-Team Offense
QB - Shea Patterson, Michigan
RB - Reggie Corbin, Illinois
RB - Master Teague, Ohio State
WR - Chris Olave, Ohio State
WR - David Bell, Purdue
TE - Luke Farrell, Ohio State
OT - Alaric Jackson, Iowa
OT - Alex Palczewski, Illinois
OG - Blaise Andries, Minnesota
OG - Michael Onwenu, Michigan
C - Josh Myers, Ohio State
Third-Team Defense
DL - Carlo Kemp, Michigan
DL - Raequan Williams, Michigan State
DL - Khalil Davis, Nebraska
DL - Davon Hamilton, Ohio State; Robert Windsor, Penn State
LB - Dele Harding, Illinois
LB - Paddy Fisher, Northwestern
LB - Cam Brown, Penn State
DB - Sydney Brown, Illinois
DB - Michael Ojemudia, Iowa
DB - Ambry Thomas, Michigan
DB - Shaun Wade, Ohio State
Third-Team Specialists
PK - Blake Haubeil, Ohio State
P - Will Hart, Michigan
RET - Dre Brown, Illinois
