B1G QB rankings entering Week 7: The ‘not top 3’ becomes clearer and clearer

Taulia Tagovailoa keeps running into the same wall.

No, not specifically JT Tuimoloau, who had 1.5 sacks to help Ohio State rattle the Big Ten’s QB elder statesman as the Buckeyes won a battle of unbeatens 37-17 over Tagovailoa’s Maryland squad.

But every time the 4th-year Terps starter has his team on the brink of a Top 25 ranking, he faces a B1G bully defense and winds up without his lunch money. Two years ago, Iowa picked off 5 of Tagovailoa’s passes and whacked Maryland 51-14 in  a battle of unbeatens. Last year, with Maryland at 3-0, Tagovailoa threw 2 picks in a 34-27 loss to Michigan. This year? Two more picks as the Terps turned a 10-0 lead into a 20-point loss.

It’s not all on the 5-foot-11 marginal NFL prospect, of course. Maryland under 5th-year coach Mike Locksley has made strides, but it remains weak in the trenches and short on depth.

But Tagovailoa did throw a pick-6 with his team up 10-0 in the second quarter, greatly helping the struggling, homestanding Buckeyes. Then he butchered clock management at the end of the first half, costing Maryland a FG try. Tau’s little brother remains an above-average college quarterback, but he’s not the best one in the B1G.

Given all the game-managing going on in a year of massive QB turnover in the league, no one has solidified a claim to the No. 1 spot. But we’re going to replace Tagovailoa at the top — and the league QBs who haven’t lost this season are the candidates.

No one else in the league is in the conversation. The “not top 3” group has been clearly established. Maybe Tagovailoa will tease us again before it’s all said and done, but for now he’ll have to settle for best of the rest status.

14. Deacon Hill, Iowa

Week 6: vs. Purdue (W, 20-14), 6-21, 110 yards, TD, INT
Season: 54.8 ypg, 37.5%, 2 TDs, 2 INTs, 83.24 rating

Only Iowa can win this way, and it doesn’t have much to do with quarterback play. With Cade McNamara out for the season, Hill made his first start and looked really good at … throwing to tight end Erick All, who had all of the Hawkeyes’ receiving stats other than 1 catch for 13 yards by running back Kaleb Johnson. (We’re reviewing film to see if any WRs were on the field at Kinnick Stadium.) Hill also lost 25 yards on 2 carries, but Iowa’s other guys racked up 206 yards on the ground.

Up next: at Wisconsin

13. Athan Kaliakmanis, Minnesota

Week 6: vs. Michigan (L, 52-10), 5-15, 52 yards, TD, 2 INTs
Season: 132.8 ypg, 55.9%, 6 TDs, 6 INTs, 110.84 rating

Kaliakmanis also lost 9 yards on the ground and saw both his interceptions turn into pick-6s.

New Minnesota co-OCs Matt Simon and Greg Harbaugh to Iowa counterpart Brian Ferentz: Hold our beers. Outside of his 35-yard TD pass, Kaliakmanis contributed to 8 yards of offense. Playing against No. 2 Michigan is no picnic, but Kaliakmanis and the Gophers (3-3) have looked extremely limited all season.

Up next: Bye

12. Tayven Jackson, Indiana

Week 6: Bye
Season: 172.4 ypg, 61.7%, 2 TDs, 3 INTs, 125.23 rating

Jackson, a transfer from Tennessee, will do well this weekend to escape the Big House with his health. Any signs of hope he can generate would be gravy.

Up next: at Michigan

11. Noah Kim, Michigan State

Week 6: Bye
Season: 218.0 ypg, 56.9%, 6 TDs, 6 INTs, 118.99 rating

Kim has fallen off since the axing of Mel Tucker as head coach, and things got really ugly in a loss to Iowa prior to the bye week. It’ll be interesting to see if Kim remains the starter, as former 4-star Katin Houser waits in the wings.

Up next: at Rutgers

10. Luke Altmyer, Illinois

Week 6: vs. Nebraska (L, 20-7), 29-47, 289 yards, TD, INT
Season: 227.5 ypg, 64.2%, 6 TDs, 8 INTs, 126.56 rating

The transfer from Ole Miss gobbled up a bunch of empty calories against the visiting Huskers. He couldn’t help with his legs in this one, taking 3 sacks and winding up with -3 rushing yards. He is far from Bret Bielema’s biggest  issue (21 net rushing yards Friday night might be), as he’s been mostly solid outside of a 4-pick game vs. Penn State.

Up next: at Maryland

9. Heinrich Haarberg, Nebraska

Week 6: at Illinois (W, 20-7), 12-24, 154 yards, INT: 82 rushing yards, TD
Season: 105.2 ypg, 52.1%, 4 TDs, 2 INTs, 116.87 rating

Haarberg started in place of Jeff Sims for a 4th straight week and did enough with his dual-threat game to earn a B1G road win. He had a 25-yard TD run and led the Huskers in rushing yards.

Up next: Bye

8. Gavin Wimsatt, Rutgers

Week 6: at Wisconsin (L, 24-13), 16-35, 181 yards, TD, INT
Season: 152.3 ypg, 51.8%, 6 TDs, 2 INTs, 117.42 rating

Wimsatt rushed for a team-high 43 yards, but he completed less than 50% of his passes for the 3rd time in 6 games and threw his 2nd pick-6 of the season. In the odd stat department, he has exactly 1 TD pass in each game this season.

Up next: vs. Michigan State

7. Ben Bryant, Northwestern

Week 6: vs. Howard (W, 23-20), DNP
Season: 185.2 ypg, 59.0%, 6 TDs, 3 INTs, 115.90 rating

The transfer from Cincinnati didn’t play because of a sore shoulder resulting from a hard takedown the previous week vs. Penn State. With a bye week up next, we’ll leave Bryant as the presumed starter for now. Brendan Sullivan went 13-of-18 for 131 yards and 2 TDs as the Wildcats survived against FCS Howard (2-3). Sullivan, a redshirt sophomore, was sacked 4 times.

Up next: Bye

6. Hudson Card, Purdue

Week 6: at Iowa (L, 20-14), 25-40, 247 yards, TD, 2 INTs
Season: 248.5 ypg, 63.6%, 6 TDs, 5 INTs, 126.65 rating

The transfer from Texas continues to lead the B1G in passing attempts and completions, but that’s not necessarily a good thing. He was sacked 6 times and lost 45 yards on the ground, an indication of what happens when you have to pass repeatedly against B1G defenses.

Up next: vs. Ohio State

5. Tanner Mordecai, Wisconsin

Week 6: vs. Rutgers (W, 24-13), 17-31, 145 yards, TD; 50 rushing yards
Season: 204.4 ypg, 64.4%, 3 TDs, 3 INTs, 120.61 rating

The transfer from SMU and his team are the class of the B1G West, a distinction they can affirm next weekend vs. Iowa. Mordecai is playing a different style game than he showed with the Mustangs, but things are coming together for him in Madison.

Up next: vs. Iowa

4. Taulia Tagovailoa, Maryland

Week 6: at Ohio State (L, 37-17), 21-41, 196 yards, TD, 2 INTs
Season: 276.7 ypg, 62.9%, 14 TDs, 5 INTs, 146.50 rating

The 5th-year senior was under way more pressure than OSU’s 2 sacks indicate, but throwing a pick-6 while ahead 10-0 is inexcusable. And his other interception came with the score tied at 17 with 6 minutes left in the third quarter. Maryland has never been in the AP Top 25 during Tagovailoa’s tenure, and time is running out.

Up next: vs. Illinois

3. Drew Allar, Penn State

Week 6: Bye
Season: 218.4 ypg, 64.6%, 9 TDs, 0 INTs, 141.41 rating

The 2022 5-star recruit has yet to commit a turnover in college through 15 appearances. So far, he’s been a high-level game manager for the Nittany Lions. The question is how soon the talented sophomore’s game fully kicks in. A trip to Ohio State follows this weekend’s walkover.

Up next: vs. UMass

2. JJ McCarthy, Michigan

Week 6: at Minnesota (W, 52-10), 14-20, 219 yards, TD; 2 rushing TDs
Season: 215.0 ypg, 77.6%, 11 TDs, 3 INTs, 188.53 rating

McCarthy boasts the 3nd best completion percentage in the country and the 4th best QB rating. But it’s now looking like Oregon’s Bo Nix will be the one chasing the completion percentage record. Nix (80.3%) might end up shattering Mac Jones’s mark (77.4% with Alabama in 2020). But McCarthy is producing everything the Wolverines need of him, including 6.6 yards per carry and 3 rushing TDs on the season.

Up next: vs. Indiana

1. Kyle McCord, Ohio State

Week 6: vs. Maryland (W, 37-17), 19-29, 320 yards, 2 TDs
Season: 275.0 ypg, 65.5%, 8 TDs, 1 INT, 164.01 rating

McCord caught fire in the 2nd half after his offense produced just 3 points in the first half. By the time it was done, he had thrown for career-high yardage and connected with Marvin Harrison Jr. 8 times for 163 yards and a TD. The Buckeyes scored on 5 straight second half possessions and then ran the clock out. Coming off a game-winning drive at Notre Dame, McCord continued to settle in after a slow start to the season.

Up next: at Purdue