Big Ten Quarterback Rankings for 2026

NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

With Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, Oregon’s Dante Moore and Indiana’s Josh Hoover leading the rankings, the Big Ten has a strong argument for being the best conference for quarterback play in the 2026 college football season. The depth and talent under center extend to the next tier. USC’s Jayden Maiava is coach Lincoln Riley’s next star at quarterback; Washington’s Demond Williams Jr. is back after a dynamic ‘25 season; and Michigan’s Bryce Underwood is poised for a breakout year.

Ranking the quarterbacks by conference or nationally is no easy task. To help compile the rankings, some projection was involved for 2026. This was not a ranking of quarterbacks based only on accomplishments so far or pro potential. All factors — pure talent, supporting cast, having a clear hold on the No. 1 position, previous production, ’26 projection, and scheme changes (just to name a few) — were considered to rank the quarterbacks in the Big Ten.

After appearing in eight games in 2024, Browne transferred to North Carolina for the spring semester. However, he returned to West Lafayette in time for the ‘25 campaign and started all 12 games for the Boilermakers. The Michigan native was up and down last fall, throwing for 2,153 yards and nine scores against 10 picks and rushing for 206 yards and four touchdowns. In Big Ten games in ‘25, Browne averaged only 5.6 yards per attempt and had the lowest quarterback rating (103.01) among qualified signal-callers in the conference.

Surace is battling Boston College transfer Dylan Lonergan for the No. 1 spot on the depth chart this fall. The quarterback competition between Surace and Lonergan is expected to go deep into fall practice — and perhaps into the 2026 season. Lonergan brings more experience with stops at Alabama and Boston College (13 career games). However, after an uneven start, Lonergan was benched in ‘25 as the Eagles’ starter, before regaining the job late in the year. In two seasons at Rutgers, Surace has played in only three games and attempted nine passes.

Hecklinski and Hank Brown opened fall practice locked in a tight battle to replace Mark Gronowski for the starting job. After transferring from Wake Forest to Iowa last season, Hecklinski saw snaps in just two games and completed both of his pass attempts for eight yards. Hecklinski looked sharp in a recent open practice for the Hawkeyes and brings more upside to the quarterback position. His development is crucial for coach Kirk Ferentz in 2026.

Milivojevic gave Michigan State’s offense a spark late in the 2025 campaign, and the Illinois native could be a key building block of coach Pat Fitzgerald’s first team. In nine appearances last year, Milivojevic completed 64.2% of his throws for 1,267 yards and 10 touchdowns against three picks. In a 23-20 defeat to Minnesota, Milivojevic completed 20 of 28 passes for 311 yards and a touchdown. He also threw for 292 yards and four scores in a 38-28 victory over Maryland in the season finale. Can Milivojevic build on that production over a full season?

Chiles hasn’t quite lived up to his four-star recruiting hype, but after stops at Oregon State and Michigan State, this stint at Northwestern is his last chance to capitalize on his potential. Over 30 games at the FBS level, Chiles has passed for 4,116 yards and 27 touchdowns. However, he’s also tossed 14 picks on 561 career attempts and averaged just 7.3 yards per attempt. Chiles lost his starting job at Michigan State last year, but an opportunity to work under new coordinator Chip Kelly should bring the best out of his talent. In addition to his intriguing arm talent, Chiles rushed for 531 yards and 12 scores over the last three years. That ability could shine in Kelly’s offense.

Joseph’s dynamic playmaking ability should bring a needed spark to a Wisconsin offense that averaged only 12.8 points per game last year. In 12 games at Old Dominion in 2025, Joseph threw for 2,624 yards and 21 touchdowns and rushed for 1,007 yards and 13 scores. Joseph finished eighth nationally in total offense per game (302.6 yards) and generated 16 rushes of 20-plus yards. How Joseph’s all-around skill set translates to the Big Ten against tougher defenses remains a question mark. However, his mobility and big plays in the passing game will help the Badgers take a massive step forward on offense this fall.

Houser is back in the Big Ten after two seasons at East Carolina. The California native started his collegiate career at Michigan State (2022-23) before taking over as ECU’s starter for the last two years. During that span at ECU, Houser threw for 5,306 yards and 37 touchdowns against 17 interceptions. He also connected on 64% of his throws and scored 13 times on the ground. Houser tied for fourth among American Conference signal-callers with 12 completions of 40-plus yards last season.

After throwing for 2,382 yards and 18 touchdowns in his first year as Minnesota’s starter last fall, the arrow is clearly pointing up for Lindsey entering 2026. The Arkansas native connected on 63.9% of his passes in Big Ten play last season but ranked near the bottom of the conference in completions (five) of 40-plus yards. Lindsey’s arm talent should continue to develop in ‘26. If the Golden Gophers can establish more balance with the ground game and generate more big plays from the receiving corps, Lindsey’s game will jump to the next level this fall.

Colandrea’s chaos gene might be what Nebraska’s offense needs as it looks to take the next step in 2026. After accounting for over 4,500 total yards in two seasons at Virginia, Colandrea transferred to UNLV last year. He thrived in coach Dan Mullen’s offense, throwing for 3,459 yards and 23 touchdowns and adding 649 yards and 10 scores on the ground. Colandrea led the Mountain West by averaging 293.4 total yards per game and 7.5 yards per play. The Florida native isn’t afraid to take chances (29 career interceptions), but his playmaking and rushing ability will add a different dimension to Nebraska’s offense this fall.

High expectations surrounded Washington as a true freshman last season, and the Maryland native certainly flashed the potential that made him a four-star prospect coming out of high school. Washington started all 12 games last year, throwing for 2,963 yards and 17 touchdowns to nine picks. He also added 303 yards and four scores on the ground. Washington is just starting to scratch the surface of his potential. If Maryland can develop a more consistent rushing attack and find a few playmakers at receiver, he should easily climb this list as a sophomore in ‘26.

Iamaleava’s play was under the spotlight last season after a post-spring transfer from Tennessee to UCLA. Despite a limited supporting cast and a short development period within the offense, Iamaleava threw for 1,928 yards and 13 touchdowns and added 505 yards and four scores on the ground. The former five-star recruit’s talent isn’t in question, having flashed in spots at both Tennessee and UCLA. However, new coach Bob Chesney and coordinator Dean Kennedy must find a way to elevate his overall game to another level in ‘26.

Becht followed new Penn State coach Matt Campbell from Iowa State to Happy Valley this offseason. With 42 appearances over four years at Iowa State, Becht is among the most experienced signal-callers. Familiarity with Campbell and the offensive staff should pay dividends right away, as Becht passed for 9,274 yards and 64 touchdowns with the Cyclones. Additionally, Becht ran for 499 yards and 19 scores in that span. The senior brings a high floor of play to Happy Valley and should be a key cog in Campbell’s hopes of a fast start in his new surroundings.

After winning a high-profile recruiting battle to keep Underwood at home in the state of Michigan, it was no surprise that high expectations surrounded this pairing in 2025. However, Underwood experienced his share of growing pains over 13 starts. Through the air, Underwood accumulated 2,428 yards and 11 touchdowns against nine interceptions. Additionally, he ran for 392 yards and six scores. Although Underwood needs to show progress as a passer, the offensive scheme under new coach Kyle Whittingham and coordinator Jason Beck should be a strong fit for his skill set. A step forward should be in order for Underwood in ‘26.

After an impressive showing in limited snaps in 2024, Williams Jr. was a popular breakout candidate prior to ‘25. The Arizona native delivered on that hype, throwing for 3,065 yards and 25 touchdowns and rushing for 611 yards and six scores. Williams Jr. finished second among Big Ten quarterbacks in total offense per game (282.8 yards) and fourth in completion rate (69.5%). However, in order to move up the pecking order among Big Ten quarterbacks, Williams Jr. must elevate his game in the big-time matchups. In three games against ranked opponents, he tossed five interceptions and averaged only 6.1 yards per attempt.

It’s no secret that USC coach Lincoln Riley is one of the best offensive minds in college football and has a strong track record of success when it comes to quarterback development. Maiava emerged as the next star for Riley last year and made a significant jump in play from his first season with the Trojans in ‘24. After transferring from UNLV to USC in 2024, Maiava threw for 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns to six interceptions over seven appearances. However, the Hawaii native displayed marked improvement across the board in ‘25. In 13 starts, Maiava threw for 3,711 yards and 24 touchdowns and added six scores on the ground. His 9.2 yards per attempt average tied for sixth nationally among qualified signal-callers, while his 10 completions of 50-plus yards led all Big Ten quarterbacks in ‘25. Per Hudl IQ, Maiava posted a success rate of 53.6% and 24% of his completions went for 15-plus yards.

When it comes to quarterback play, coach Curt Cignetti and coordinator Mike Shanahan deserve the benefit of the doubt. Kurtis Rourke was a key cog in Indiana’s playoff run in 2024, while Fernando Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy and was instrumental in guiding this program to a national title last season. Hoover should be the next star pupil for Cignetti in Bloomington after passing for 9,629 yards and 71 touchdowns at TCU from 2022-25. The Texas native displayed good accuracy with the Horned Frogs (65.2%) and averaged over eight yards per attempt in each of the last two seasons. The biggest knock on Hoover was a high interception total (33) at TCU. With a strong supporting cast and a standout defense playing complementary football, Hoover shouldn’t need to take as many chances.

Moore’s decision to return to Eugene in 2026 is a big reason why the Ducks are among the frontrunners to win the national title. In his first year directing Oregon’s high-powered offense, Moore continued the program’s long line of successful signal-callers. The Michigan native passed for 3,565 yards and 30 touchdowns over 15 contests. Additionally, Moore ranked fourth nationally with a 71.8% completion rate. His 8.7 yards per attempt also ranked fourth among Big Ten quarterbacks. Also, per Hudl IQ, 20.5% of Moore’s completions resulted in a gain of 15-plus yards. With another step forward in ‘26, Moore could be the No. 1 pick in next year’s NFL Draft.

It’s a tough call between Sayin and Dante Moore for the No. 1 spot among Big Ten quarterbacks. Sayin gets a slight edge after throwing for 3,610 yards and 32 touchdowns against only eight picks in his first year as the starter for the Buckeyes. The California native led all FBS signal-callers with a 77% completion rate, while his 17 completions of 40-plus yards tied for second-most nationally. Per Hudl IQ, Sayin posted a success rate of 61.5% and a 11.7% CPOE mark.

This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Aug 21, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos

Big Ten Quarterback Rankings for 2026

Archives