Quarterback play is always paramount in modern college football, as opposed to past decades when the running game mattered most in the sport. This is true in the Big Ten. Fernando Mendoza, the starting quarterback for the title-winning Indiana Hoosiers last season, was picked No. 1 in this past NFL draft. This upcoming season, the best quarterbacks in college football reside in the Big Ten. Whoever comes out on top in the Big Ten will have a quarterback who proved to be the best in college football.
Here is my ranking of the top five quarterbacks in the Big Ten:
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Dante Moore shone last season, and just like last year, he was in conversations for being the best quarterback in college football. Moore threw for 2733 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. He is dangerous in the pocket and an underrated athlete. Last year, he made the most of having great weapons and a great run game, helping lead Oregon’s prolific offense to a college football playoff berth. This season, he enters with more continuity and a deeper set of weapons at each of the skill positions. I expect Moore to have a big season and end the year off being the undisputed #1 overall pick just like Fernando Mendoza.
Sayin’s season last year was incredible, and he was extremely efficient. He had all the resources to be in that position with weapons, Jeremiah Smith, and Carnell Tate, but he still maximized his opportunity as a freshman starter. He ended the year with 3323 passing yards, 31 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. The connection he has with Jeremiah Smith is already a proven one, and he showed he can run the offense even better than Will Howard did the year prior. However, as expected from most freshmen, under the bright lights, he did fall short in the College Football Playoff vs the Miami Hurricanes and in the Big Ten championship vs the Indiana Hoosiers. Although his season was special, he still has more room to grow. If he takes that next step, the Ohio State Buckeyes will have another national title trophy in their case.
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Jayden Maiava still does not get the credit he deserves for how good he truly was last season. In his first season as a starting quarterback, he led the Trojans‘ offense to being a top unit in the country. Lincoln Riley’s offense was dangerous and high scoring because of how good and confident Maiava was last season. Maiava threw for 3431 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. Maiava is a gun slinger, and he takes a lot of shots, but playing more under control would do wonders for his perception and draft stock. If he can have a similar season, with fewer interceptions and showcase his running ability more, there is reason to believe he can be one of the first quarterbacks taken in this next draft. The success of the Trojans this year falls on Maiava’s back, but I am confident he will take a step forward and not back in year 2.
Demond Williams just might be the most exciting player on this list; he is not as consistent as the ones above him. There was a trend last season where the Huskies were unstoppable at home, but when they were on the road, they were a completely different team. Williams Jr.’s play was a big part of that. Williams is still a player to watch for the Heisman because of his elite dual-threat skill set. Last season, Williams threw for 2850 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. If Williams is more consistent this year, he can make up for the Huskies having a lot of quarterback marks on their offense. If the Huskies want to sniff a postseason run, it will come at the hands of Williams having a special season.
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5. Josh Hoover- Indiana Hoosiers
Hoover enters the Big Ten with experience and consistency. In 2024, Hoover threw for 3697 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Last season was a lesser year for him, but he still threw for 3472 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. Hoover is a gunslinger, and he has pinpoint accuracy, two necessary traits to being a great quarterback. However, his turnovers cost TCU more often than not. He had success in the Big 12, but the Big Ten is a whole new ball game. He has to prove himself, and if he plays well, the Hoosiers should not miss a beat from last year’s title win. Curt Cignetti is a great player developer, and he knows how to get the most out of his players. Hoover could be his next-best example of that and be a lot higher on this list toward the end of this upcoming season.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Micah Huff’s top 5 Big Ten quarterbacks heading into this season
