• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • News
  • Lifestyle
Matt Stevens' SI Publishers All-Big Ten Preseason Ballot thumbnail

Matt Stevens’ SI Publishers All-Big Ten Preseason Ballot

July 24, 2020
What is inflation? thumbnail

What is inflation?

June 20, 2025
Housing Starts Plunge as Layoffs Rise—Is the U.S. Economy Losing Its Momentum? thumbnail

Housing Starts Plunge as Layoffs Rise—Is the U.S. Economy Losing Its Momentum?

June 20, 2025
Note to Democrats: War With Iran Is a Monumental Mistake thumbnail

Note to Democrats: War With Iran Is a Monumental Mistake

June 20, 2025
Obama, back in public eye, offers a careful warning of a Democratic slide thumbnail

Obama, back in public eye, offers a careful warning of a Democratic slide

June 19, 2025
The US Should Not Support Israel’s War on Iran, Say Democrats and Republicans thumbnail

The US Should Not Support Israel’s War on Iran, Say Democrats and Republicans

June 19, 2025
Slain Minnesota lawmaker attended Boston University, Harvard thumbnail

Slain Minnesota lawmaker attended Boston University, Harvard

June 19, 2025
Analyst Reveals Cold Hard Truth for New England Patriots' Intriguing Rookie thumbnail

Analyst Reveals Cold Hard Truth for New England Patriots’ Intriguing Rookie

June 19, 2025
Chuck Todd: Trump 'openly admitting that he's politicizing law enforcement thumbnail

Chuck Todd: Trump ‘openly admitting that he’s politicizing law enforcement

June 17, 2025
ICE arrests brother of anti-ICE activist leader in Massachusetts thumbnail

ICE arrests brother of anti-ICE activist leader in Massachusetts

June 15, 2025
Judge says Trump illegally deployed National Guard to help with LA protests, must return control thumbnail

Judge says Trump illegally deployed National Guard to help with LA protests, must return control

June 14, 2025
Red Sox To Acquire Jorge Alcala thumbnail

Red Sox To Acquire Jorge Alcala

June 13, 2025
Red Sox Rookie Roman Anthony's Sister Steals Spotlight At Game thumbnail

Red Sox Rookie Roman Anthony’s Sister Steals Spotlight At Game

June 12, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact
  • Donate
Friday, June 20, 2025
66 °f
Wellfleet
58 ° Tue
63 ° Wed
68 ° Thu
61 ° Fri
  • Login
  • Register
FREE Cape Cod News
DONATE
  • FREE Cape Cod News
  • Cape Cod News
  • News
    • News
    • Massachusetts
    • Breaking News
    • Cape Cod Weather
    • Storm Watch
    • Environment
  • Politics
    • democrats
    • republicans
  • Business
    • business
    • cryptocurrency
    • economy
    • money
    • Real Estate
    • Tech
  • World
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Photos
    • Orleans
    • Eastham
    • Wellfleet
    • Truro
    • Provincetown
    • Brewster
    • Chatham
  • Videos
No Result
View All Result
Free Cape Cod News
No Result
View All Result
  • FREE Cape Cod News
  • Cape Cod News
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • World
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Photos
  • Videos
Home Entertainment Sports

Matt Stevens’ SI Publishers All-Big Ten Preseason Ballot

FREE Cape Cod News by FREE Cape Cod News
July 24, 2020
in Sports
Reading Time: 14 mins read
Donate
0
Matt Stevens' SI Publishers All-Big Ten Preseason Ballot thumbnail
633
SHARES
1.4k
VIEWS
Share on TwitterShare on Facebook

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — While only one Illinois player made the Sports Illustrated Publishers All-Big Ten Conference team, Illini Now/Sports Illustrated wanted to give you a look at their individual ballot as we voted for a few more Illini players that we think could have a major impact on a 2020 season.

Here is the ballot of Matt Stevens, Illini Now/Sports Illustrated editor/publisher, with some editorial comments on the selections.

2020 Sports Illustrated Publishers Preseason All-Big Ten Selections

Offense

—————-

Quarterback: Justin Fields (Ohio State) 

ANALYSIS: This is a no-brainer in my opinion despite the fact that this league will have solid quarterback play in the form of Minnesota’s Tanner Morgan, Nebraska’s Adrian Martinez, Indiana’s Michael Penix Jr. and even Illinois senior Brandon Peters.

Running back: Journey Brown (Penn State), Tyler Goodson (Iowa)

ANALYSIS: I think Journey Brown could carry Penn State to a second place finish in the eastern division of this conference and make Sean Clifford’s life a lot easier. Tyler Goodson, in my opinion, is one of those dynamic athletes at the tailback position that scares defenses on every snap.

Wide receivers: Rashod Bateman (Minnesota), Chris Olave (Ohio State)

ANALYSIS: Wait, where is Rondale Moore? I believe Moore is the most dynamic athlete in the Big Ten and that is weird to suggest for a player from Purdue. However, it is also a disservice to simply list him as a wide receiver so I put him as a kick returner and I seriously debated voting for him for player of the year. Bateman is, in my opinion, the most polished wide receiver in this conference and Olave is undoubtedly set up for a huge year.

Tight end: Pat Friermuth (Penn State)

ANALYSIS: The safety blanket for Clifford is going to see his NFL draft stock soar even more this season when they see he’s a two-way player as a blocker as well.

Offensive tackles: Cole Van Lanen (Wisconsin), Alaric Jackson (Iowa)

Offensive guards: Wyatt Davis (Ohio State), Kendrick Green (Illinois) 

ANALYSIS: People are going to start to understand regionally and maybe even nationally that Green is set up to be one of the best upperclassmen guards in the country and the Peoria native is likely gone from Champaign after this season.

Center: Josh Myers (Ohio State)

Defense

—————

Defensive lineman: George Karlaftis (Purdue), Zach Harrison (Ohio State), Lorenzo Neal (Purdue), Kwity Paye (Michigan)

ANALYSIS: I picked two defensive ends (Harrison and Karlaftis) and two defensive tackles (Paye and Neal). The surprise pick here is probably Neal but the son of the former NFL player is one of the best interior lineman in this league when he’s motivated and healthy. Those two qualities have not yet been in large quantities during his college career.

Linebacker: Micah Parsons (Penn State), Paddy Fisher (Northwestern), Jack Sanborn (Wisconsin), Jake Hansen (Illinois) 

ANALYSIS: If “Lovie Ball” is real and not just some magic then Hansen has to be commended for being able to get turnovers for Lovie Smith’s Illini defense. I believe that by getting nominated to three different preseason watch lists, Hansen is going to be a focal point to an Illini defense that returns a lot of pieces in the back seven of its 4-3 defense.

Cornerback: Shawn Wade (Ohio State), Ambry Thomas (Michigan)

ANALYSIS: No change to how the rest of the SI publishers thought about the cornerback position. These two players are on an elite level when it comes to cover corners.

Safety: Eric Burrell (Wisconsin), Dax Hill (Michigan)

ANALYSIS: Again, no change with the rest of the SI publishers. There was a major consensus on the All-Big secondary.

Special Teams

——————

Kicker: Keith Duncan (Iowa)

Punter: Blake Hayes (Illinois)

ANALYSIS: Duncan and Hayes were unanimous selections by all nine publishers for good reason.

Kickoff returner: Ihmir Smith-Marsette (Iowa)

Punt returner: Rondale Moore (Purdue)

ANALYSIS: This is where I got creative because I wished the SI Big Ten publishers would’ve had an “all-purpose” position like the Associated Press All-America lists because in my opinion, that perfectly describes how Purdue head coach Jeff Brohm is going to use Moore. Any time Purdue can get the football in the hands of Moore in the open field (receiving, handoffs, reverses, kick and punt returns), they’re going to do that.

Sports Illustrated Publishers’ Big Ten Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Justin Fields (Ohio State)

ANALYSIS: Again, I seriously thought about Moore here. He has the chance to lift up a Purdue team to a possible surprise team in the Western Division but there’s too much optimism that Fields, the former No. 1 recruited player in the nation in the same class as Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence, will have video game type numbers.

Sports Illustrated Publishers’ Big Ten Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Jack Sanborn (Wisconsin)

ANALYSIS: I gave serious consideration to Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons and Ohio State cornerback Shaun Wade for this spot. However, if Wisconsin is to win the Western Division (and I think they will), Sanborn will have the opportunity to be a difference-making type player this season.

Sports Illustrated Publishers’ Big Ten Preseason Coach of the Year: Pat Fitzgerald (Northwestern)

ANALYSIS: This is the spot that I make my big prediction. Even with a 10-game conference schedule where you likely have to go 5-5 to qualify for a bowl, I believe Northwestern will rebound from last season’s disaster to being a bowl team in 2020. If that happens, Fitzgerald deserves most, if not all, of the credit.

Predictions

——————

Big Ten West winner: Wisconsin

Big Ten East winner: Ohio State

Big Ten Conference champion: Ohio State – This is simple. Ohio State, in terms of talent and coaching, is so far ahead of everybody else in this league that it is hard to envision they’ll take a regular season loss except for the result of a terrible day of execution and motivation. 

FREE Digital Newspaper Subscription!
Sign up for your free digital subscription. The FREE Cape Cod News

Unsubscribe
FREE Cape Cod News

FREE Cape Cod News

Free Cape Cod News is what's happening in the Cape Cod, U.S and World & what people are talking about right now. Local newspaper. Stay in the know. Subscribe to get notified about our latest news.

Related Posts

Red Sox To Acquire Jorge Alcala thumbnail
Sports

Red Sox To Acquire Jorge Alcala

by FREE Cape Cod News
June 13, 2025
Red Sox Notes: Boston Voices Frustrations With Ongoing Slump thumbnail
Sports

Red Sox Notes: Boston Voices Frustrations With Ongoing Slump

by FREE Cape Cod News
May 28, 2025
American basketball player in Indonesia could face death penalty over alleged drug smuggling thumbnail
Sports

American basketball player in Indonesia could face death penalty over alleged drug smuggling

by FREE Cape Cod News
May 17, 2025
Philadelphia Eagles NFL Draft 2025 Positional Needs: Edge Rusher thumbnail
Sports

Philadelphia Eagles NFL Draft 2025 Positional Needs: Edge Rusher

by FREE Cape Cod News
April 24, 2025
Load More
Please login to join discussion

Follow Us on Twitter

FREE Cape Cod News - Your source for local Cape Cod news, latest breaking U.S. and World news. Every day, all day. Subscribe for your favorite categories.

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Chuck Todd: Trump 'openly admitting that he's politicizing law enforcement thumbnail

Chuck Todd: Trump ‘openly admitting that he’s politicizing law enforcement

June 17, 2025
New England serial killer fears stoked by 13th body found in small town thumbnail

New England serial killer fears stoked by 13th body found in small town

June 8, 2025
What is inflation? thumbnail

What is inflation?

June 20, 2025
Note to Democrats: War With Iran Is a Monumental Mistake thumbnail

Note to Democrats: War With Iran Is a Monumental Mistake

0
Housing Starts Plunge as Layoffs Rise—Is the U.S. Economy Losing Its Momentum? thumbnail

Housing Starts Plunge as Layoffs Rise—Is the U.S. Economy Losing Its Momentum?

0
What is inflation? thumbnail

What is inflation?

0
What is inflation? thumbnail

What is inflation?

June 20, 2025
Housing Starts Plunge as Layoffs Rise—Is the U.S. Economy Losing Its Momentum? thumbnail

Housing Starts Plunge as Layoffs Rise—Is the U.S. Economy Losing Its Momentum?

June 20, 2025
Note to Democrats: War With Iran Is a Monumental Mistake thumbnail

Note to Democrats: War With Iran Is a Monumental Mistake

June 20, 2025

FREE Cape Cod News On Twitter

Today’s News

  • What is inflation? June 20, 2025
  • Housing Starts Plunge as Layoffs Rise—Is the U.S. Economy Losing Its Momentum? June 20, 2025
  • Note to Democrats: War With Iran Is a Monumental Mistake June 20, 2025
  • Obama, back in public eye, offers a careful warning of a Democratic slide June 19, 2025
  • The US Should Not Support Israel’s War on Iran, Say Democrats and Republicans June 19, 2025
FREE Cape Cod News

Copyright © 2024 Free Cape Cod News

Navigate Site

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact
  • Donate

Follow Us

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

No Result
View All Result
  • FREE Cape Cod News
  • Cape Cod News
  • News
    • News
    • Massachusetts
    • Breaking News
    • Cape Cod Weather
    • Storm Watch
    • Environment
  • Politics
    • democrats
    • republicans
  • Business
    • business
    • cryptocurrency
    • economy
    • money
    • Real Estate
    • Tech
  • World
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Photos
    • Orleans
    • Eastham
    • Wellfleet
    • Truro
    • Provincetown
    • Brewster
    • Chatham
  • Videos
  • Login
  • Sign Up

Copyright © 2024 Free Cape Cod News