The Big Ten quarterback rankings got another big shakeup after Week 2. That can happen when Ohio State blows a 20-point lead at Texas, Oregon loses to Oklahoma State, and Michigan surprises many with a win against Oklahoma.
Indiana quarterback Josh Hoover takes over the No. 1 spot after throwing eight touchdown passes and no interceptions in his first two games with the Hoosiers. Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin slides from No. 1 to No. 4, and three of last week’s top 8 quarterbacks drop out.
1. Josh Hoover, Indiana (Prev: 4)
- Last week: W 55-0 vs. Howard, 6 of 11 for 145 yds, 4 TD
- Next: vs. Western Kentucky, Sat. Sept. 19, 4 p.m. ET
Hoover threw four touchdown passes for the second straight game, and three went to wide receiver Charlie Becker in a 55-0 rout of Howard. Neither Hoover nor Becker played in the second half. The TCU transfer is 19 of 27 for 376 yards, eight touchdowns and no interceptions this season.
2. Jayden Maiava, USC (Prev: 2)
- Last week: W 49-30 vs. Louisiana, 19 of 29 for 261 yds, 5 TD, 1 INT
- Next: at Rutgers, Sat. Sept. 19, 3:30 p.m. ET
Maiava threw an interception on USC’s opening drive and then responded with a career-high five touchdown passes in a 49-30 win over Louisiana. Two went to freshman tight end Mark Bowman. The Trojans’ quarterback is 67 of 83 for 896 yards, 10 touchdowns and one interception through three games.
3. Rocco Becht, Penn State (Prev: 6)
- Last week: W 27-9 at Temple, 21 of 27 for 268 yds, 3 TD
- Next: vs. Buffalo, Sat. Sept. 19, 12 p.m. ET
Becht threw for 268 yards and three touchdowns in Philadelphia, including two to tight end Benjamin Brahmer. Penn State struggled in the first quarter but controlled the third to pull away. The Iowa State transfer is 34 of 45 for 539 yards, seven touchdowns and no interceptions through two games.
4. Julian Sayin, Ohio State (Prev: 1)
- Last week: L 24-23 at Texas, 17 of 32 for 278 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
- Next: vs. Kent State, Sat. Sept. 19, 12 p.m. ET
Sayin drops three spots after Ohio State’s 24-23 loss at No. 4 Texas, but the move says more about the three quarterbacks ahead of him than his own play. He hit wide receiver Jeremiah Smith for a 19-yard touchdown as the Buckeyes built a 23-3 lead. His 53% completion rate was the lowest of his career as a starter.
5. Katin Houser, Illinois (Prev: NR)
- Last week: L 31-27 vs. Duke, 24 of 35 for 271 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT
- Next: vs. Southern Illinois, Sat. Sept. 19, 2 p.m. ET
Houser threw three first-half touchdown passes to wide receiver Collin Dixon, who set career highs with 11 catches and 166 yards. But Illinois scored only a field goal after halftime, and the East Carolina transfer’s fourth-quarter interception ended a drive with the Illini down 31-27. He has 453 passing yards, six touchdowns and one interception this season.
6. Bryce Underwood, Michigan (Prev: NR)
- Last week: W 17-10 vs. Oklahoma, 9 of 17 for 111 yds, 87 rush yds, 1 rush TD
- Next: vs. UTEP, Sat. Sept. 19, 3:30 p.m. ET
Underwood returns to the top 8 after Michigan’s 17-10 win over No. 11 Oklahoma. The Wolverines used a run-heavy plan, and he finished with a game-high 87 rushing yards and a 38-yard touchdown run. He threw only four passes after halftime. “My guys trusted me to carry the ball,” he said.
7. Dante Moore, Oregon (Prev: 3)
- Last week: L 39-31 at Oklahoma State, 14 of 29 for 191 yds, 2 TD
- Next: vs. Portland State, Fri. Sept. 18, 10:30 p.m. ET
Moore falls four spots after No. 6 Oregon lost to an Oklahoma State team that entered on a 12-game losing streak. He started 3 of 11 for 17 yards before throwing second-half touchdown passes of 36 and 38 yards. The Cowboys sacked him four times, but he still hasn’t thrown an interception this season.
8. Malik Washington, Maryland (Prev: NR)
- Last week: W 38-14 at UConn, 34 of 41 for 347 yds, 2 TD
- Next: vs. Virginia Tech, Sat. Sept. 19, 7:30 p.m. ET
Washington climbs back into the top 8 one week after dropping out. The Maryland quarterback completed 18 straight passes, the program’s longest streak since at least 1953, and posted a career-high 82.9% completion rate. “Malik was really efficient today,” Maryland head coach Michael Locksley said.
Who dropped out of the top 8?
Demond Williams Jr. (Washington), Drake Lindsey (Minnesota), Ryan Browne (Purdue)
Williams went 26 of 41 for 249 yards without a touchdown pass in Washington’s 16-14 win over Utah State. Lindsey completed 31 of 48 passes for 279 yards but didn’t throw a touchdown pass in Minnesota’s 38-13 loss to Mississippi State. Browne threw for a career-high 329 yards, but Purdue lost 38-36 to Wake Forest in double overtime.
Just missed
Anthony Colandrea (Nebraska), Alessio Milivojevic (Michigan State)
Colandrea completed 20 of 24 passes for 222 yards and a career-high four touchdowns, all in the first half, in Nebraska’s 56-7 win over Bowling Green. Milivojevic went 12 of 20 for 170 yards and two touchdowns in Michigan State’s 35-7 win over Eastern Michigan.
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