4 Lions make all-Big Ten

Four Penn State players have been selected to the all-Big Ten first team in voting by the conference coaches and media on Monday.

Senior Mike Hull led the Nittany Lions' contingent, as he was selected the Butkus-Fitzgerald linebacker of the year. The conference's leading tackler and all-American candidate also was named first-team all-Big Ten by the coaches and media.

Junior defensive tackle Anthony Zettel also was selected first-team all-Big Ten. Senior placekicker Sam Ficken and redshirt freshman wide receiver DaeSean Hamilton earned second-team all-conference honors.

Rutgers junior wide receiver Leonte Carroo made the all-Big Ten first team while junior defensive tackle Darius Hamilton, redshirt freshman defensive end Kemoko Turay, and senior offensive guard Kaleb Johnson earned honorable mention.

Rutgers senior quarterback Gary Nova was named the Big Ten offensive player of the week by the conference office. Nova engineered the biggest comeback victory in school history as Rutgers rallied from a 35-10 deficit to defeat Maryland, 41-38, Saturday in College Park, Md.

Nova made 28 of 42 passes, throwing for 347 yards and four touchdowns in the win over the Terps. It was his second game of at least 300 yards this season and seventh of his career.

Nearly two years after Jameis Winston was first accused of sexually assaulting an FSU student, the star quarterback's code-of-conduct hearing in connection with the incident is scheduled for Tuesday.

After numerous delays and squabbling between attorneys, FSU is holding the hearing at noon to determine whether Winston committed four code-of-conduct violations - including sexual activity without consent and creating a hostile environment.

Winston and his representatives have repeatedly said he is innocent and his contact with the woman who has since withdrawn from school was consensual.

Ohio State coach Urban Meyer was asked if he thought the College Football Playoff might just downgrade his team because star quarterback J.T. Barrett broke his ankle in Saturday's win over Michigan.

"I think that's wrong, if that happens," he said, clearly upset. "Whether it's Ohio State or some other team, I don't know how you do that."

The thinking goes that Ohio State is less worthy of one of the four playoff spots because it's not as good a team without Barrett, who took over for the injured Braxton Miller and had a sensational season with a school-record 35 touchdown passes and 3,772 total yards.

The sixth-ranked Buckeyes (11-1, 8-0 Big Ten, No. 6 CFP) are preparing redshirt sophomore Cardale Jones to start against the Badgers at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Saturday.

The Big Ten says it set a conference record for total attendance and that nine schools saw increases in their average this season.

The 14 conference members drew a combined 6,359,218 for home games this season, eclipsing the previous mark of 6,061,514 set last season when there were only 12 teams. It was also the third time in league history that the Big Ten surpassed the six million mark.