B1G QB Rankings after Week 4: Blough, Hornibrook climb after brilliant performances

Each week it seems like the rankings are getting more an more difficult to figure out.

It’s really a fun problem to have, though it causes a lot of those Twitter arguments we hear so much about. Have some great outings from several B1G quarterbacks, Week 4 might’ve been the toughest week to rank.

There were very many drastic movers this week, though Purdue quarterback David Blough to jump up four spots after impressive outings in back-to-back weeks. And Alex Hornibrook made a climb after an incredible showing on the road against Iowa.

But let’s avoid any spoilers and dive into those quarterback rankings.

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14. Artur Sitkowski, Rutgers (E)

Saturday marked the third straight game in which Sitkowski didn’t eclipsed 50 yards through the air. He’s also not completed more than 46 percent of his passes over the last three weeks. On a positive note, he didn’t throw any interceptions against Buffalo. That was a first for the freshman. He also didn’t make it very long, getting pulled for Giovanni Rescigno.

Last week vs. Buffalo: 6-of-13, 39 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs

13. Adrian Martinez, Nebraska (-1)

Michigan’s defense shut down anything Martinez wanted to do through the air and on the ground. The leg injury probably didn’t help his mobility, especially against such a furious front line. This wasn’t exactly the best “welcome back” performance.

Last week vs. Michigan: 7-of-15, 22 yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT

12. AJ Bush/MJ Rivers, Illinois (+1)

A passing attack may actually exist in Champaign after all. Rivers has really provided some nice balance to the Illinois offense, averaging 140.6 yards per game through the air. That’s not great, but it’s certainly more effective than in the previous two years of the Lovie Smith era. The numbers may not be great, but the eye test tells us they’ve made huge improvements under center.

Last week vs. Penn State: 17-of-28, 149 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT

11. Clayton Thorson, Northwestern (-2)

Thorson was on the bye week and a few strong performers passed him by. He’ll have a chance to move back up next Saturday.

Last week: bye

10. Kasim Hill, Maryland (+1)

Much more consistent play from Hill against Minnesota. He didn’t throw a lot, but he was able to get the ball into the hands of his playmakers effectively against the Gophers defense. Those guys took care of the rest. Life is a little easier when your teammates are ripping off 20+ yard plays all afternoon.

Last week vs. Minnesota: 10-of-14, 117 yards, 1 TD, 0 INTs

9. Peyton Ramsey, Indiana (-1)

Ramsey posted his biggest numbers of the year against Michigan State but he also had his most inconsistent performance of the season. Indiana’s offensive line didn’t provide much help, allowing four sacks and struggling to get an push up front. Ramsey has still been awfully good this year, he just wasn’t ready for the Spartans’ pressure.

Last week vs. Michigan State: 32-of-46, 272 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs

8. Zack Annexstad, Minnesota (-1)

For the first time all season, the true freshman was rattled. Annexstad had his lowest completion percentage of the year (43.8) and threw his first two interceptions on the season. Playing on the road in the B1G and having a banged up leg really affected the Minnesota quarterback this week.

Last week vs. Maryland: 14-of-32, 169 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs

7. David Blough, Purdue (+4)

Jeff Brohm may have actually found a permanent starter. Blough had another big outing for the Boilermakers and leading them past No. 23 Boston College for the program’s first win over a ranked opponent in nearly seven years. The senior may continue to rise in our rankings if he becomes the permanent start.

Last week vs. Boston College: 21-of-28, 296 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs

6. Nate Stanley, Iowa (-1)

The last two weeks have proven that Stanley is still one of the better quarterbacks in the league. Against a good Wisconsin defense, Stanley averaged 11.1 yards per pass and found the end zone twice. The only reason he drops this week is because his Wisconsin counterpart delivered a lights-out performance at Kinnick Stadium.

Last week vs. Wisconsin: 14-of-23, 256 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT

5. Alex Hornibrook, Wisconsin (+1)

Saturday night was Hornibrook’s time to silence his doubters. And he did exactly that. Hornibrook had one of the most consistent outings of his career, and led a 10-play, 88-yard, game-winning drive under the lights at Kinnick Stadium. That’s an easy thing to do. Maybe his performance in Iowa City will spark a hot streak.

Last week vs. Iowa: 17-of-22, 205 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs

4. Brian Lewerke, Michigan State (-1)

Lewerke had his worst performance of the season coming out of the bye week. He completed just 56 percent of his passes and had two interceptions against the Hoosiers. Lewerke is still a top five quarterback in the B1G, but his stock is beginning to drop a little bit. Offensive line play is contributing to that, as well.

Last week vs. Indiana: 14-of-25, 213 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs

3. Shea Patterson, Michigan (+1)

He just keeps getting better and better every week. Granted, Michigan hasn’t really played a quality opponent since Week 1 against Notre Dame, but these matchups should be good practice for games against Penn State, Michigan State, Ohio State and Wisconsin down the road. Not huge numbers, but the Wolverines didn’t really need them against Nebraska.

Last week vs. Nebraska: 15-of-22, 120 yards, 1 TD, 0 INTs

2. Trace McSorley, Penn State (E)

We’ve always known McSorley is a great dual-threat option under center, but he’s been extremely effective as a runner this year. In addition to his passing numbers, McSorley racked up another 92 yards on the ground. He also became just the second Penn State quarterback in program history to eclipse 8,000 passing yards, joining Christian Hackenberg.

Last week vs. Illinois: 12-of-19, 160 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT

1. Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State (E)

Haskins is just on another level right now. He had five touchdown passes in the first half against Tulane and has 16 TDs through the first four games of the season. The last B1G quarterback to do that was Purdue’s Curtis Painter in 2007. Haskins has some tremendous playmakers around him, but he’s been absolutely spectacular through four weeks.

Last week vs. Tulane: 21-of-24, 304 yards, 5 TDs, 0 INTs