Big Ten Daily (Nov. 26): Does Michigan's Blake Corum Deserve Heisman Consideration?
Blake Corum doesn't get the type of national attention that he deserves. The Michigan running back has produced another outstanding season for the Wolverines, yet his name is rarely mentioned in the Heisman Trophy conversation.
Corum added another solid performance to his impressive season in No. 3 Michigan's 30-24 victory over No. 2 Ohio State on Saturday. The veteran running back racked up 88 rushing yards and scored two touchdowns.
Thanks to the win, Michigan improved to 12-0 and is heading to Indianapolis to play No. 17 Iowa in the Big Ten Championship Game next weekend. A spot in the College Football Playoff is a lock.
It's rare that a player of Corum's caliber doesn't receive much attention in terms of Heisman candidacy. He hasn't been overly dominant, but he is the best player on one of the country's top teams.
Corum has rushed for 976 yards and 22 touchdowns during Michigan's undefeated season. He'll almost assuredly eclipse the 1,000-yard mark next week at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Following Saturday's performance, Corum was listed with the ninth-best odds to win college football's top individual award, via Fan Duel. He's behind teammate J.J. McCarthy and Buckeyes wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.
To summarize, Corum has no shot to win the Heisman.
Maybe the Michigan running back isn't the most deserving candidate this year. It's hard to put him in the same conversation as Bo Nix (Oregon), Jayden Daniels (LSU) and Michael Penix Jr. (Washington). But shouldn't he get some recognition?
Rushing for 1,000 yards, scoring more than 20 touchdowns and being the best offensive player on a national championship contender should warrant more consideration.
David Braun's Improbable Success
After officially finishing the regular season with a 7-5 record, Northwestern's David Braun should be the conference's only candidate for Big Ten Coach of the Year.
Northwestern defeated Illinois 45-43 in Champaign to secure a winning record. It was an improbable run for a coach who took over under unfortunate circumstances.
Braun was pushed into the interim position following Pat Fitzgerald's termination over an alleged hazing scandal within the program. He accepted the role with no FBS coaching experience on his resumé.
To say Braun exceeded expectations would be a massive understatement. The Wildcats won just four total games the previous two seasons. There was a grim outlook for 2023, considering the offseason distractions.
The expectation was for Braun to just cross the finish line without any additional drama. Instead, he led Northwestern to a seven-win season, a 5-4 mark in Big Ten play and a rivalry win over Illinois.
Just a few weeks ago, Northwestern removed the interim tag from Braun's title, naming him the permanent head coach. Next, we should hear that the Wildcats' new leader is the Big Ten Coach of the Year.
Minnesota Still Goes Bowling
Sometimes, it's better to be lucky than good. That's the case for Minnesota, which will still make a bowl appearance despite ending the year with a 5-7 record.
The Gophers dropped each of the their last four games, including a 28-14 decision to Wisconsin in Rivalry Week. Because not enough teams reached the six-win mark, a bowl bid remained available for a sub-.500 squad.
Minnesota's Academic Progress Rate (APR) was near the top of the list, qualifying for one of the vacant spots.
Hawaii kicker Matthew Shipley drilled a 51-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Warriors to a 27-24 win over Colorado State, which ended its season at 5-7. That kick also sent the Gophers to the postseason.
So, again, sometimes it's better to be lucky than good.
It's not exactly how Minnesota would've liked to clinch a postseason berth, but it is a huge benefit for P.J. Fleck's program. The Gophers get 15 extra practices, another game under their belt and an opportunity to end the season on a positive note.
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