The Big Ten season has kicked off and there are plenty of players looking to add to their respective stat totals and lead their teams to greatness. Before the year, Michigan was the odds-on favorite to threepeat without much of a challenge from the West.
It’s the final year of divisional play and the conference is going to look very, very different in 2024. Let’s take a look at at few college football player props for the 2023 season and how they’re on their way to hit the over, or just miss.
4 Big Ten Player Props to Look at in 2023
Marvin Harrison Jr. o12.5 Touchdowns
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The consensus top receiver in next year’s NFL draft has gotten off to a slower start than anticipated. Against Indiana, he was held in check for just 18 yards off of two receptions. Against Youngstown State (FCS), it was back to normal. He showcased his route running ability and home run threat to the tune of 160 yards and two touchdowns off of just seven receptions.
Last year, Harrison hauled in 14 touchdowns and recorded multiple scores four times, including that two touchdown performance against Georgia. He stepped up in a massive way when Jaxon Smith-Njigba went down and he’s embracing the WR1 role and the target on his back in 2023.
Harrison is a massive home run threat on any given play. On one play, he will take a screen to the house. On the next, he can slice through coverage and end up wide open downfield. Even with subpar quarterback play, Harrison will get his and he should at least match his 2022 total.
Emeka Egbuka o9.5 Touchdowns
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Despite playing second fiddle to Harrison, Emeka Egbuka is a top receiver in his own right. The consensus WR2 in next year’s draft also started slow, hauling in just three passes for 16 yards. In Week 2, he broke out a five-reception, 94-yard, one-touchdown performance and looked as shifty as ever.
Egbuka is capable of being any program’s WR1 and has shown playmaking abilities each of the last two seasons. He is also a home run threat and has often been able to take a simple screen or slant for a massive score. He’s a great route runner and is as slippery as they come.
Last year, Egbuka finished with 10 touchdowns. Again, even with subpar quarterback play, Egbuka has the ability to take each and every reception to the house. He should be able to narrowly eclipse his 2022 total.
Braelon Allen o1,075.5 Rushing Yards
The Wisconsin Badgers have had stud running back after stud running back after stud running back after stud running back for what feels like the last 50 years. Braelon Allen is no different. In each of his first two years (freshman and sophomore), he eclipsed 1,200 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground. This year, he’s started off well, rushing for 161 yards and two scores, most of which came in Week 1 in a win over Buffalo.
Allen has the ability to challenge as the top running back in the Big Ten but his usage make take a dip in 2023. Last year, he ran the ball just over 19 times per game. In the two games thus far, he ran 17 times in the win and just seven times in the loss to Washington State.
These dips have become normal for Allen. In 2022, there was a game where he only toted the rock twice in a loss. The Wisconsin offense is different than it’s been but Allen will still be able to get his. While it does not look like he will go over 1,200 yards, you can bet on him getting to 1,100.
J.J. McCarthy u2,625.5 Passing Yards
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Finally, just so that we aren’t just telling you to smash the overs on every prop you see, let’s look at the signal-caller for the reigning champs. Thus far in 2023, McCarthy is almost perfect. He’s completing 87% of his passes and has amassed 558 yards and five touchdowns in two wins. He’s playing better than he did in 2022, there’s no denying that. However, it won’t be this way all year.
Assuming Michigan is able to dispatch Bowling Green with as much ease as the first two weeks, this bet will start to look foolish. But look deeper. ECU, UNLV, and Bowling Green are not exactly top competition. Yes, they should win these games handily but doing their job is not cause enough to hit the over.
The new clock rules make the game more like the NFL. Plus Michigan needs McCarthy as a game-manager since their offense runs through two of the best running backs in the Big Ten. As the competition begins to have a pulse, they’ll go back to their bread and butter and the game will shorten.
McCarthy will be forced to be as efficient as possible with his passes. Last year, he was a bit turnover-prone. If he continues that, it would be difficult for him to surpass 2,500 yards. Even if he improves, the new timing rules and running back usage will be too much for this prop to hit.