The 2013 Big Ten Conference football season was the 118th season for the Big Ten. The conference began its season on Thursday, August 29, as Minnesota and Indiana began their 2013 season of NCAA Division I FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) competition. Michigan State began their season the following day, and the rest of the conference began their season on September 1.
This was the league's final season as a 12-team conference before Maryland and Rutgers join the Big Ten Conference for the 2014 season. It was also the final season with the "Leaders" and "Legends" divisions; when Maryland and Rutgers join, the conference will reorganize its divisions on a pure geographic basis. The six schools in the Central Time Zone will be joined by Purdue in the new West Division, with the other schools making up the East Division. Under the new setup, the only protected cross-division rivalry game will be Indiana–Purdue.
Michigan State upset undefeated Ohio State to win the Big Ten Championship Game. The B1G put seven teams into bowl games, including two into the BCS with Michigan State going to the Rose Bowl and Ohio State to the Orange Bowl. The B1G went 2-5 in bowl games with the only wins coming from Michigan State in the Rose Bowl and Nebraska in the Gator Bowl.
Rankings
Pre Wk2 Wk3 Wk4 Wk5 Wk6 Wk7 Wk8 Wk9 Wk10 Wk11 Wk12 Wk13 Wk14 Wk15 Wk16 FinalIllinois AP RV C RV HarrisNot released BCS Not released Indiana AP C HarrisNot released BCS Not released Iowa AP RV RV RVC RV RV RV RV HarrisNot released RV RVBCS Not released Michigan AP 17 17 11 15 18 19 18 RV 24 23 RV C 17 17 12 1418 17 16 24 23 21 RV HarrisNot released 24 22 21 RV RV RV BCS Not released 22 21 Michigan State AP RV RV RV RV RV RV RV RV RV 24 18 14 13 11 10 4 3C RV RV RV 24 RV RV RV RV RV 24 19 16 13 11 9 4 3HarrisNot released RV RV 23 18 15 13 11 10 4BCS Not released 22 17 16 13 11 10 4Minnesota AP RV RV RV RV RV RV RV C RV RV RV 25 23 RV RV RV HarrisNot released RV RV RV 25 RV RV RVBCS Not released 25 Nebraska AP 18 22 23 RV RV RV RV RV 25 RV RV RV RV RVC 18 19 15 RV RV 25 24 21 21 RV RV RV RV RV 25HarrisNot released 23 23 RV RV RV RV RV BCS Not released 24 Northwestern AP 22 19 17 18 17 16 19 RV C 22 20 16 16 16 15 18 RV HarrisNot released RV BCS Not released Ohio State AP 2 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 4 3 2 7 12C 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 3 3 3 2 6 10HarrisNot released 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 2 7BCS Not released 4 4 4 3 3 3 2 7Penn State AP RV RV RV C Ineligible for rankingHarrisNot released Ineligible for rankingBCS Not released Ineligible for rankingPurdue AP C HarrisNot released BCS Not released Wisconsin AP 23 21 20 24 23 RV RV 25 22 22 21 17 16 14 21 19 22C 23 21 18 RV 24 RV RV RV 24 23 22 20 17 14 21 19 21HarrisNot released RV 24 24 22 21 19 15 21 19BCS Not released 24 24 22 19 15 21 19
+ Legend Improvement in ranking Drop in ranking Not ranked previous week No change in ranking from previous week RV Received votes but were not ranked in Top 25 of poll
Spring games April 6 Nebraska
April 12 Illinois
April 13 Indiana Michigan Northwestern Ohio State * at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati Purdue
April 20 Michigan State Penn State Wisconsin
April 27 Iowa Minnesota Wisconsin
Schedule Index to colors and formattingBig Ten member wonBig Ten member lostBig Ten teams in bold All times Eastern time.
† denotes Homecoming game
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Date Bye WeekSeptember 21 Illinois
Week 5
Date Bye WeekSeptember 28 Indiana #18 Michigan Michigan State Nebraska #17 Northwestern Penn State
Week 6
Date Bye Week October 5 Purdue Wisconsin
Week 7
Date Bye Week October 12 Illinois Iowa Minnesota #4 Ohio State
Week 8
Date Bye Week October 19 Nebraska Penn State
Week 9
Date Bye Week October 26 Indiana #24 Michigan Purdue #22 Wisconsin
Week 10
Week 11
Date Bye Week November 9 #18 Michigan State Northwestern #4 Ohio State
Week 12
Date Bye Week November 16 Iowa Minnesota
Week 13
Week 14
Big Ten Championship Game
Bowl games The Big Ten did not have enough teams available to fill the Heart of Dallas Bowl and Little Caesars Pizza Bowl due to landing two teams in the BCS and also a lack of bowl eligible teams.
Bowl GameDateSiteTelevisionTime (EST)OpponentVisiting teamHome teamScoreAttendanceTexas BowlDecember 27Reliant Stadium • Houston, TXESPN6:00 p.m.ACCSyracuseMinnesotaL 21–1732,327 Buffalo Wild Wings BowlDecember 28Sun Devil Stadium • Tempe, AZESPN10:15 p.m.Big 12MichiganKansas StateL 31–1453,284 Gator BowlJanuary 1EverBank Field • Jacksonville, FLESPN212:00 p.m.SECNebraska#23 GeorgiaW 24–1960,712 Outback BowlJanuary 1Raymond James Stadium • Tampa, FLESPN1:00 p.m.SECIowa#14 LSUL 21–1451,296 Capital One BowlJanuary 1Citrus Bowl • Orlando, FLABC1:00 p.m.SEC#19 Wisconsin#8 South CarolinaL 34–2456,629 Rose BowlJanuary 1Rose Bowl • Pasadena, CAESPN5:00 p.m.Pac-12#5 Stanford#4 Michigan StateW 24–2095,173 Orange BowlJanuary 3Sun Life Stadium • Miami Gardens, FLESPN8:30 p.m.ACC#12 Clemson#7 Ohio StateL 40–3572,080
Records against FBS conferences 2013 records against FBS conferences:
Through January 3, 2014
ConferenceRecordACC2–2American3–2Big 121–1C-USA1–0Independents3–3MAC11–2Mountain West4–0Pac-123–3SEC1-3Sun Belt0–0Total29–16
Players of the Week Week Offensive Defensive Special Teams Freshman Player Position Team Player Position Team Player Position Team Player Position Team Week 1 Nathan Scheelhaase QB ILL Collin Ellis LB NW Sam Ficken PK PSU Christian Hackenberg QB PSUWeek 2Jeremy GallonWRMICHShilique CalhounDEMSU Marcus Jones PR/KR MINNCorey ClementRBWIS Akeem Hunt KR PURWeek 3Kenny GuitonQBOSURyan ShazierLBOSUJustin DuVernoisPILLChristian HackenbergQBPSUWeek 4Kenny GuitonQBOSUB.J. LoweryDBIOWAKevonte Martin-ManleyPRIOWAMitch LeidnerQBMINMelvin GordonRBWISWeek 5Braxton MillerQBOSUJames MorrisLBIOWACameron JohnstonPOSUAaron BaileyQBILLWeek 6Ameer AbdullahRBNEBDarqueze DennardCBMSUBradley RobyCBOSUJoey BosaDEOSUCarlos HydeRBOSUWeek 7Jeremy LangfordRBMSUC.J. OlaniyanDEPSUMike SadlerPMSUChristian HackenbergQBPSUWeek 8Jeremy GallonWRMICHMax BulloughLBMSUMitch EwaldPKINDDesmond KingDBIOWAWeek 9Braxton MillerQBOSUJames MorrisLBIOWAChris HawthornePKMINDontre WilsonRBOSUWeek 10Philip NelsonQBMINDenicos AllenLBMSUPeter MortellPMINJordan WesterkampWRNEBBill BeltonRBPSUWeek 11Tevin ColemanRBINDRandy GregoryDENEBPeter MortellPMINTommy Armstrong Jr.QBNEBChris BorlandLBWISWeek 12Carlos HydeRBOSURyan ShazierLBOSUBrendan GibbonsPKMICHCorey ClementRBWISWeek 13Steve HullWRILLRyan ShazierLBOSUPat SmithPKNEBRalphael Green IIIDTINDChristian HackenbergQBPSUWeek 14Tre RobersonQBINDChristian KirkseyLBIOWAJeff BudzienPKNWChristian HackenbergQBPSU
Players of the Year AwardPlayerSchoolGraham-George Offensive Player of the YearBraxton MillerOhio StateNagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the YearChris BorlandWisconsinThompson-Randle El Freshman of the YearChristian HackenbergPenn StateGriese-Brees Quarterback of the YearBraxton MillerOhio StateRichter-Howard Receiver of the YearAllen RobinsonPenn StateAmeche-Dayne Running Back of the YearCarlos HydeOhio StateKwalick-Clark Tight End of the YearDevin FunchessMichiganRimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the YearTaylor LewanMichiganSmith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the YearShilique CalhounMichigan StateButkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the YearChris BorlandWisconsinTatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the YearDarqueze DennardMichigan StateBakken-Andersen Kicker of the YearJeff BudzienNorthwesternEddleman-Fields Punter of the YearCody WebsterPurdueDave McClain/Hayes-Schembechler Coach of the YearMark DantonioMichigan State
All-Conference Players Coaches All-Conference Selections
Position Player Class Team First Team Offense (Coaches) QB Braxton Miller Jr. Ohio State RB Ameer Abdullah Jr. Nebraska RB Carlos Hyde Sr. Ohio State WR Allen Robinson Jr. Penn State WR Jared Abbrederis Sr. Wisconsin TE C.J. Fiedorowicz Sr. Iowa OT Brandon Scherff Jr. Iowa OG John Urschel Sr. Penn State C Corey Linsley Sr. Ohio State OG Ryan Groy Sr. Wisconsin OT Taylor Lewan Sr. Michigan First Team Defense (Coaches) DL Shilique Calhoun So. Michigan State DL Ra'Shede Hageman Sr. Minnesota DL Randy Gregory Jr. Nebraska DL DaQuan Jones Sr. Penn State LB Ryan Shazier Jr. Ohio State LB Chris Borland Sr. Wisconsin LB Max Bullough Sr. Michigan State DB Darqueze Dennard Sr. Michigan State DB Kurtis Drummond Jr. Michigan State DB Isaiah Lewis Sr. Michigan State DB Brock Vereen Sr. Minnesota DB Ciante Evans Sr. Nebraska DB Bradley Roby Jr. Ohio State First Team Special Teams (Coaches) PK Jeff Budzien Sr. Northwestern P Mike Sadler Jr. Michigan State P Cody Webster Sr. Purdue
Position Player Class Team Second Team Offense (Coaches) QB Connor Cook So. Michigan State RB Melvin Gordon So. Wisconsin RB James White Sr. Wisconsin WR Jeremy Gallon Sr. Michigan WR Corey Brown Sr. Ohio State TE Devin Funchess So. Michigan OT Brett Van Sloten Sr. Iowa OG Blake Treadwell Sr. Michigan State C Cole Pensick Sr. Nebraska OG Andrew Norwell Sr. Ohio State OT Jack Mewhort Sr. Ohio State Second Team Defense (Coaches) DL Carl Davis Jr. Iowa DL Frank Clark Jr. Michigan DL Michael Bennett Jr. Ohio State DL Noah Spence So. Ohio State LB Anthony Hitchens Sr. Iowa LB James Morris Sr. Iowa LB Denicos Allen Sr. Michigan State DB Blake Countess So. Michigan DB Stanley Jean-Baptiste Sr. Nebraska DB (none) DB (none) Second Team Special Teams (Coaches) PK Mitch Ewald Sr. Indiana P (none)
HONORABLE MENTION: Illinois: Jonathan Brown, Steve Hull, Nathan Scheelhaase; Indiana: Ted Bolser, Tevin Coleman, Cody Latimer, Jason Spriggs; Iowa: Austin Blythe, Conor Boffeli, Christian Kirksey, B.J. Lowery, Tanner Miller, Louis Trinca-Pasat; Michigan: Jibreel Black, Michael Schofield; Michigan State: Jack Allen, Fou Fonoti, Dan France, Jeremy Langford, Marcus Rush, Trae Waynes; Minnesota: Caleb Bak, Aaron Hill, Peter Mortell, Eric Murray; Nebraska: Jason Ankrah, Kenny Bell, Corey Cooper, Andrew Rodriguez, Jeremiah Sirles; Northwestern: Ibraheim Campbell, Tyler Scott, Brandon Vitabile; Ohio State: C.J. Barnett, Drew Basil, Joey Bosa, Doran Grant, Marcus Hall, Jeff Heuerman, Cameron Johnston, Devin Smith; Penn State: Adrian Amos, Glenn Carson, Christian Hackenberg, Ty Howle, Jordan Lucas, C.J. Olaniyan, Donovan Smith; Purdue: Ricardo Allen; Wisconsin: Beau Allen, Rob Havenstein, Tyler Marz, Pat Muldoon, Jacob Pedersen, Dezmen Southward.
Coaches selected six players as First Team All-Conference defensive backs and two players as First Team punters which resulted in less second team selections
Unanimous selections in ALL CAPS
Media All-Conference Selections
Position Player Class Team First Team Offense (Media) QB Braxton Miller Jr. Ohio State RB Ameer Abdullah Jr. Nebraska RB Carlos Hyde Sr. Ohio State WR Allen Robinson Jr. Penn State WR Jared Abbrederis Sr. Wisconsin TE Devin Funchess So. Michigan OT Taylor Lewan Sr. Michigan OG John Urschel Sr. Penn State C Corey Linsley Sr. Ohio State OG Andrew Norwell Sr. Ohio State OT Jack Mewhort Sr. Ohio State First Team Defense (Media) DL Shilique Calhoun So. Michigan State DL Ra'Shede Hageman Sr. Minnesota DL Randy Gregory Jr. Nebraska DL Noah Spence So. Ohio State LB Ryan Shazier Jr. Ohio State LB Chris Borland Sr. Wisconsin LB Max Bullough Sr. Michigan State DB Darqueze Dennard Sr. Michigan State DB B.J. Lowery Sr. Iowa DB Blake Countess So. Michigan DB Bradley Roby Jr. Ohio State First Team Special Teams (Media) PK Jeff Budzien Sr. Northwestern P Cody Webster Sr. Purdue