If the Nittany Lions are about to make history, they’ll need No. 11 to be every bit as dominant as he has been for the last month.

Penn State star edge rusher Abdul Carter was close to unstoppable for much of the Lions’ regular season. It came as no surprise Tuesday that Carter was recognized as the Big Ten’s top defensive player. The 6-3, 252-pound Carter was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year.

Penn State's Abdul Carter is the Big Ten defensive player of the year, and Tyler Warren is the Big Ten tight end of the year.

Oregon has allowed only 43 TFLs and 12 sacks this season, ranking fifth and 13th in the FBS, respectively. In the Ducks’ win against Ohio State in October, the Buckeyes — with Jack Sawyer, J.T. Tuimoloau and their vaunted pass rush — failed to sack Gabriel. In the Ducks’ last four games, they’ve allowed only two sacks.

Carter was named the Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year and the Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year.

The Big Ten Conference announced Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel as its Offensive Player of the Year, among other awards.

Oregon's Dillon Gabriel was named Big Ten offensive player of the year after leading the top-ranked Ducks to their first perfect regular season since 2010, the conference announced Tuesday. Penn State's Abdul Carter was named defensive player of the year and Indiana's Curt Cignetti coach of the year in voting by coaches and media.