It’s award season, folks, and Indiana’s Tevin Coleman is a finalist for the Doak Walker Award. The Doak Walker is presented annually to the country’s best running back. Coleman’s competition for the hardware are familiar foes in Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon and Nebraska’s Ameer Abdullah.

So I guess we can start referring to the Big Ten as the “running back conference,” right?

Here’s how the three stack up.

I know most would say it’s a one horse race and Gordon is clearly the most deserving, but what Coleman did this year is far more impressive, in my opinion. First, he hasn’t had his starting QB by his side for the last five weeks. That means he’s been facing at least eight defenders in the box and has had defensive coordinators keying on him week in and week out. He’s the only threat on the entire offense, yet puts up video game numbers nearly every Saturday.

Unfortunately, I don’ think that is going to sway votes away from Gordon. As good as Coleman as been, Gordon is right there with him. Both are electric runners who can make you miss or run you over. The thing Gordon has going for him is touchdowns and a winning record. Remember, Wisconsin is 9-2. Indiana is 3-8. Team records shouldn’t really matter when discussing the best overall player, but the fact of the matter is, they do.

Barring a surprise, Coleman will finish second to Gordon, but that won’t take away from what Coleman’s done this season. Considering the help Coleman’s had around him, it’s been a remarkable year for the junior, and lucky for us, we get to see him for one more game.