Is Big Ten the conference of QBs? Ranking league's starters from No. 1 to No. 18

You can make the case for the Big Ten as the conference of quarterbacks.

Two of the nation’s best play at Ohio State and Oregon. There’s another productive Power Four transfer set to take control at Indiana. Another proven Power Four transfer will start at Penn State. Youngsters with oceanic potential reside at Washington, Michigan and Maryland.

If quarterback play can decide the national championship — and there’s ample evidence that says just that — the Big Ten looks in prime position to capture a fourth in a row for the first time in the poll era.

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USA TODAY Sports ranks the quarterbacks in the Big Ten, beginning with a clearcut top two:

1. Julian Sayin, Ohio State

Maybe the biggest hurdle to Sayin claiming the Heisman Trophy is his teammate, wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, who is widely seen as the best pound-for-pound player in the country. To his credit, Sayin is coming off a year with 3,610 yards and 32 touchdowns while averaging 9.2 yards per attempt. There’s every reason to think he’ll take another step forward in 2026 under new OSU offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.

2. Dante Moore, Oregon

Moore is seen as maybe the nation’s top overall draft prospect after a 2025 season that saw him throw for 30 scores in leading the Ducks to the playoff semifinals. He’ll have to prove he can handle Indiana after tossing three interceptions in two losses to the Hoosiers.

3. Demond Williams Jr., Washington

After completing 69.5% of his attempts for 3,065 yards and 28 scores last year, Williams is poised to become a national name if the Huskies do better against elite competition. UW managed just 27 combined points in losses to Ohio State, Michigan and Oregon.

4. Josh Hoover, Indiana

Hoover becomes the next transfer to grab the reins of the IU offense after a productive run at TCU. The one catch is turnovers. Hoover was in a high-volume system but still tossed 24 interceptions the past two years, the majority coming on the road.

5. Jayden Maiava, USC

Maiava gets lost in the shuffle in the Big Ten but has an opportunity to climb this list if USC can leap back into the playoff picture. The former UNLV transfer will have plenty to work with thanks to more transfer help and the addition of one of the year’s top recruiting classes.

6. Nico Iamaleava, UCLA

After a hit-or-miss first year at UCLA, Iamaleava will get a better chance to showcase his skill set under new coach Bob Chesney. Chesney's offense at James Madison ranked ninth in points per game last season as the Dukes made the playoff.

7. Rocco Becht, Penn State

Becht is one of the most experienced quarterbacks in the country and a huge get for Penn State, which can lean on his knowledge of Matt Campbell’s scheme and style to help speed up the learning curve under the former Iowa State coach.

8. Bryce Underwood, Michigan

Whether the new Michigan staff can get more out of Underwood is one of the league’s biggest preseason questions. Given his five-star talent and the recent work done by offensive coordinator Jason Beck, Underwood has a very good chance of blossoming at some point this season.

9. Anthony Colandrea, Nebraska

Colandrea started at Virginia and then transferred to UNLV, where his career took off under coach Dan Mullen. With his improvisational skills and running ability, he might be just what Nebraska needs under center after relying the past two years on the more immobile Dylan Raiola, who has since left for the backup role at Oregon.

10. Drake Lindsey, Minnesota

Lindsey was one of the nicest surprises in the Big Ten as a freshman, posting 18 touchdowns through the air and another four on the ground while tossing just six interceptions in 389 attempts. After a midseason lull against some of the league's best teams, he rebounded to post eight scores without a pick from the start of November through the bowl win against New Mexico. Next, Lindsey has to work on developing more pocket awareness after struggling against Big Ten pass rushes in 2025.

11. Malik Washington, Maryland

Washington has all-conference potential if Maryland can keep his development on track. There were clear flashes in 2025, notably in competitive losses to Nebraska and Michigan State. Making sure Washington fulfills his potential is vital for the immediate future of Maryland football and under-fire coach Mike Locksley.

12. Colton Joseph, Wisconsin

Joseph is fast enough to bust off a 75-yard touchdown run against the national champions, as he did on the first play of last season in Old Dominion’s opener against Indiana. But he’ll be placed in more of a drop-back passing game at Wisconsin after showcasing his dual-threat ability at ODU to the tune of 2,624 passing yards and another 1,007 yards on the ground. The Badgers will go only as far as the offense goes, and the offense will go only as far as Joseph’s comfort level allows.

13. Katin Houser, Illinois

Houser (East Carolina) is one of three Group of Six transfers set to start in the Big Ten, joining Colandrea and Joseph. He’s much more of a traditional passer than that pair, with great size and enough of an arm to push the ball downfield in Illinois coordinator Barry Lunney’s scheme. Houser went for 3,300 yards, 19 touchdowns and just six interceptions last season and went 14-6 as the starter for ECU.

14. Aidan Chiles, Northwestern

After a disappointing run at Michigan State, Chiles has another chance to maximize his obvious gifts under new Northwestern offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. He has the tools to succeed and could flourish in this friendly scheme.

15. Alessio Milivojevic, Michigan State

There isn’t a big sample size on Milivojevic, who made four starts in a lost 2025 season for MSU and had 10 touchdowns against three interceptions while struggling with his pocket command. The early results are pretty promising, though.

16. Dylan Lonergan, Rutgers

The Boston College transfer has been way too inconsistent as a starter and must find a way to avoid the multiple-game dip in production that defined his 2025 season. To Lonergan’s credit, he did throw just five interceptions in 284 attempts.

17. Ryan Browne, Purdue

Browne ranked near the bottom of the Power Four last season in touchdown-to-interception ratio, completion percentage and efficiency rating. Purdue will give him a better supporting cast, so the numbers should improve. There’s plenty of room for improvement, though.

18. Hank Brown or Jeremy Hecklinski, Iowa

For now, Iowa lands last for the uncertainty about which player will take starting snaps beginning with the opener against Northern Illinois. Brown (6-4 and 218 pounds) has more prototypical size and the bigger arm but Hecklinski has the athleticism to match former starter Mark Gronowski’s impact on the running game.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is Big Ten the conference of QBs? Ranking league's starters from No. 1 to No. 18