The Wisconsin Badgers saw 11 players earn All-Big Ten recognition as the conference announced its postseason awards winners this week.
Sophomore running back Jonathan Taylor, the nation’s leading rusher, was named Ameche-Dayne Big Ten Running Back of the Year, while one of his primary blockers, senior guard Michael Deiter, was tabbed as Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year.
Taylor and Deiter were among four consensus first-team All-Big Ten selections for the Badgers, along with senior guard Beau Benzschawel and sophomore center Tyler Biadasz. Junior tackle David Edwards and senior linebacker T.J. Edwards, selected by a panel of league media, gave UW a total of six first-team All-Big Ten picks overall.
A Doak Walker Award finalist for the second straight season, Taylor leads the nation in rushing with 1,989 yards and an average of 165.8 per game. He has topped the 100-yard mark in 11 of 12 games this season and has gone for 200-plus yards four times, including an FBS-best 321 yards at Purdue. He’s just the fourth player in FBS history to rush for 1,900 yards in consecutive seasons and has already smashed Ron Dayne’s record for the most yards by a FBS player through his sophomore season (3,966).
Taylor is the third Badger to win the Big Ten award named for UW Heisman Trophy winners Ron Dayne and Alan Ameche. He joins two-time winner Montee Ball (2011, 2012) and Melvin Gordon (2014).
Deiter, who has helped the Badgers rush for an average of 268.4 yards per game, is Wisconsin’s first recipient of the Rimington-Pace award, which has been handed out since 2011.
Three seniors on defense, ILB Ryan Connelly (coaches), S D’Cota Dixon (consensus) and OLB Andrew Van Ginkel (coaches) were named third-team All-Big Ten.
Redshirt freshman TE Jake Ferguson (consensus) and senior K Rafael Gaglianone (coaches) earned honorable mention.
Wisconsin fullback Alec Ingold was named the Badgers’ recipient of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.
