Honoring the top performances from an eventful Saturday in the Big Ten:
Michigan State DB Jalen Watts-Jackson: We usually don’t hand out helmet stickers for making just one play – but we usually don’t witness one player changing a 99.98 percent loss probability into a win, either. Watts-Jackson entered this game with just two career solo tackles, but the redshirt freshman played the role of hero Saturday when he scooped up a fumbled punt on the game’s final play and ran it back 38 yards for the game-winning touchdown. Thanks to Watts-Jackson, the Spartans won 27-23 over Michigan as time expired. Ten years from now, we’ll still be talking about Watts-Jackson’s play.
Nebraska QB Tommy Armstrong Jr.: He was nearly perfect, as he turned in a conference-best 94.7 QBR (among qualifiers) against Minnesota. Although the Gophers had a few players recovering from injuries, Armstrong still didn’t have an easy matchup as Minnesota ranked No. 15 nationally in pass defense. Still, he threw for nearly 100 yards above Minnesota’s average by finishing 18-of-26 passing for 261 yards, three TDs and no interceptions. Nebraska was sorely in need of a win and, thanks to Armstrong, there was no concern in the fourth quarter this time around. He even added eight carries for 38 yards.
Iowa RB Akrum Wadley: There were other strong candidates at running back here -- such as Saquon Barkley, Ezekiel Elliott and Robert Martin -- but Wadley, basically a third-string back, led the Big Ten on Saturday in both rushing yards (204) and touchdowns (4). His four TDs actually tied a school record, which isn’t too bad for a running back who entered the game with eight carries on the season. (He saw serious time only after starter Jordan Canzeri suffered a first-quarter injury.) Wadley flashed a lot of speed against Northwestern and wreaked havoc against an above-average run defense. He accounted for 41 percent of the Hawkeyes’ offense and averaged 7.8 yards a carry.
