College Football Awards: Our Midseason All-Big Ten Team

With the college football season about to pass its midpoint, it's time to reflect on the stars of the season's first half. While the Big Ten as a whole is not as strong as it was in 2010, there are plenty of dynamic players who have turned heads through the first six weeks.

As the weather gets cooler and the games become more significant, here's a look at the Big Ten's best from the first half of 2011.

QB: Denard Robinson, Michigan (Jr.)

The dual-threat quarterback first became a star last season with a performance for the ages at Notre Dame, but his Heisman hopes quickly fell apart when he struggled to stay healthy during a 2-6 finish to the season.

Robinson is back, again sparked by a dramatic comeback win over the Fighting Irish, and the Wolverines are 6-0 and on the fringe of the Top 10.  His 720 yards rushing are 85 more than any other Big Ten player.

RB: Montee Ball, Wisconsin (Jr.)

Ball has received the majority of the carries this season for the Badgers, 37 more than fellow back James White.  He is averaging over 100 yards and 2.5 touchdowns per games, and the Badgers are right in the thick of the national title race.

He has yet to face an elite defense (no, Nebraska's is not elite), and will be tested by the strong units from Illinois, Michigan State, Ohio State and Penn State in the second half of the season.

RB: Rex Burkhead, Nebraska (Jr.)

Burkhead is a versatile back who is a threat both as a ball-carrier and as a pass-catcher.  His two late touchdowns capped a 21-point comeback for the Cornhuskers last Saturday night against Ohio State.

His 635 yards on the ground and nine touchdowns are both tied for second in the Big Ten.  With QB Taylor Martinez's struggles in the passing game, having a safety valve in Burkhead has paid major dividends for the 'Huskers.

WR: B.J. Cunningham, Michigan State (Sr.)

Despite having a trio of talented running backs, Michigan State has the second-best passing offense in the Big Ten, thanks in large part to Cunningham.

The senior is averaging 116 yards per game, and has a pair of touchdowns.  With back-to-back games against Michigan and Wisconsin in East Lansing the next two weeks, Cunningham will get a chance to shine on the biggest stage.

WR: A.J. Jenkins, Illinois (Sr.)

Although Ron Zook has struggled to keep track of the score this season (going for two with a seven-point lead?), Illinois is 6-0 and Jenkins has been a major factor in the Illini's fast start.

Jenkins is closing is career in Champaign with a memorable season, already finding the end zone seven times, and averaging 136 yards per game.  He holds the Big Ten lead in all three major statistical categories:  catches, yards and touchdowns.

WR: Nick Toon, Wisconsin (Sr.)

Toon has shown the skills that his father Al, the great New York Jets receiver, blessed him with in the first half of the season.

The senior is a big-play threat, averaging 18 yards per catch, and his 46-yard touchdown against Nebraska broke a close game wide open.  His six touchdowns are second amongst Big Ten receivers.

TE: Jake Stoneburner, Ohio State (Jr.)

It's not necessarily a good thing for an offense when the tight end leads the team in catches and touchdowns, but such is the situation right now in Columbus.

Stoneburner came out of the gates flying this season, with three touchdowns in the season opener.  He has added two more scores onto that, including a 32-yard touchdown last week at Nebraska.

OT: J.B. Shugarts, Ohio State (Sr.)

Ohio State's offense has struggled for much of the season, but found some life last week with 27 points against Nebraska.

Shugarts has been the leader of a rebuilt offensive line, and has helped the Buckeyes ground attack still have some effectiveness with top rusher Dan Herron suspended.

OT: Jeff Allen, Illinois (Sr.)

Allen has been the blind-side protector of Nathan Scheelhasse, who is second in the Big Ten in passing efficiency.

The senior just started his 40th game last week against Indiana, and is well on his way to his first All-Big Ten season, despite being ejected from a win against Western Michigan for a personal foul penalty.

OG: Joel Foreman, Michigan State (Sr.)

The Spartans are fairly young up front, but Foreman provides a veteran presence to help the team maintain its physical style.

The senior has 41 career starts, and on Saturday will be looking to win his fourth consecutive game against rival Michigan.

OG: Kevin Zeitler, Wisconsin (Sr.)

There were some offensive line questions for Wisconsin heading into the season with John Moffitt and Gabe Carimi having graduated, but Zeitler has helped the Badgers continue their dominance on the ground.

Wisconsin is churning out 243 yards per game on the ground, and the line passed its first test with flying colors in dominating Nebraska.

C: Mike Brewster, Ohio State (Sr.)

It's been a rough year for Brewster, first seeing his father Tim fired as the head coach at Minnesota, followed by an offseason of scandal for the Buckeyes that left his team thin on offense.

Despite his team's struggles, Brewster is performing like the All-American that he was in 2010, and should be the most coveted center in the 2012 NFL draft.

DL: Devon Still, Penn State (Sr.)

Still was recently added to the Bednarik Award watch list, based on his torrid start to the 2011 season and helping the Nittany Lions overcome a dismal offense to win five of their first six.

The senior has nine tackles for losses and a pair of sacks for a defense allowing only 10.5 points per game.

DL: Whitney Mercilus, Illinois (Jr.)

Mercilus has been the biggest surprise in the conference this season, leading the league in sacks and tackles for losses.

His 8.5 sacks are four more than any other Big Ten player, and the junior has been the catalyst of the second-best run defense in the league.

DL: Jerel Worthy, Michigan State (Jr.)

Worthy has been dominant in the middle of the Big Ten's top rushing defense, using his 300-pound frame to push around opponents.

He has a pair of sacks on the season, and the Spartan defense has allowed more than seven points only once this season.

DL: Craig Roh, Michigan (Jr.)

Mike Martin got the most preseason love of any Michigan defensive lineman, but Roh has been the most impressive, helping the Wolverines to a 6-0 start after having one of the worst defenses in their history in 2010.

The junior has 2.5 sacks and 4.5 tackles for losses, and the Wolverines defense has gone from one of the worst in the Big Ten to the top half of the league overnight.

LB: James Morris, Iowa (So.)

Morris looks like the second coming of Pat Angerer, the great Hawkeyes linebacker who left after the 2009 season.

The 2010 freshman All-American leads the conference in tackles with 53 in only five games, and has shown no signs of a sophomore slump.

LB: Lavonte David, Nebraska (Sr.)

Nebraska's defense took a lot of heat for its performance in a blowout loss to Wisconsin, and was struggling again last week against Ohio State.

David then came up with the game-changing forced fumble that turned the game around, allowing the Cornhuskers to rally from 21 points down to stun the Buckeyes.  He is third in the conference in tackles, and is poised for a huge second half of the season.

LB: Mike Taylor, Wisconsin (Jr.)

Taylor has thrived in the first half of the 2010 season, and has been helped by the return of Chris Borland after missing all of the 2010 season.

The junior has been named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for his strong performances against Oregon State and Nebraska, and his 8.8 tackles per game are fourth in the conference.

LB: Jonathan Brown, Illinois (So.)

Brown was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in a 17-14 win over Arizona State in Week 3.

The sophomore has six tackles for losses, 3.5 of those coming in the win over the Sun Devils, the Illini's marquee win to date.

CB: Tavon Wilson, Illinois (Sr.)

Wilson has been the star of an experienced secondary that held red-hot Brock Osweiler and Arizona State to 14 points.

The senior has 41 tackles and was named the Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Week last week after registering 3.5 tackles for loss in a win at Indiana.

CB: Antonio Fenelus, Wisconsin (Sr.)

Fenelus has stepped up for a Badgers secondary that lost both Jay Valai and Niles Brinkley, and the senior had a big interception to spark the rout of Nebraska.

While a bit undersized at 5'9", but he plays bigger than he is and has helped the Badgers defense hold their opponents to an average of only 10 points per game. 

S: Jordan Kovacs, Michigan (Jr.)

What a difference a coach can make for a defense, as Kovacs has thrived so far under new coordinator Greg Mattison.

The junior's three sacks are the most amongst Big Ten defensive backs, and he's also added 36 tackles for the revitalized Wolverines defense.

S: Micah Hyde, Iowa (Jr.)

Hyde leads the league in interceptions with three, and has been the bright spot for a Hawkeyes secondary that is struggling to replace Brett Greenwood and Tyler Sash.

The junior also has 33 tackles and four pass breakups, and when he's not defending passes, he returns punts as well.