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Making decisions this week was tough, resulting in a longer wait for this week’s rankings. Seriously, how long has it been since the B1G had such quality depth at the position?
There were so many great performances this weekend: Adrian Martinez was spectacular against Minnesota; David Blough was huge in a win over Ohio State; Shea Patterson came through in some clutch moments to beat Michigan State. It was really a fun weekend to watch the quarterbacks.
Well, some of them, at least.
Let’s not delay this any longer. Here’s how we’ve assembled this week’s quarterback rankings. Go ahead, argue away.
14. Artur Sitkowski, Rutgers (Even)
Actually one of the better games of the season from Sitkowski, not that there’s been a lot to compare it to. The numbers weren’t great, but he didn’t turn the football over and Rutgers had a chance to beat Northwestern. At this point, you really can’t ask for much else.
Last week vs. Northwestern: 15-of-31, 81 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs
13. Kasim Hill, Maryland (Even)
Maryland’s offense isn’t designed to throw a lot, but you’d think Matt Canada would find ways to use a former 4-star prospect a little bit better. After throwing three touchdown passes against Rutgers last week. Hill completed just six passes against Iowa in a shutout loss. He’s still only hit double digits in the completion category twice this season.
Last week vs. No. 19 Iowa: 6-of-15, 47 yards, 1 INT
12. A.J. Bush, Illinois (Even)
Throwing as many interceptions as completions is never a good thing and it resulted in Bush getting replaced by M.J. Rivers Saturday. Earlier in the year, Bush looked like a solid dual-threat option under center for the Illini. He still has the ability to do a lot with his legs, but he’s struggling to find his targets.
Last week vs. No. 23 Wisconsin: 2-of-8, 10 yards, 0 TDs, 2 INTs
11. Zack Annexstad, Minnesota (Even)
Annexstad actually didn’t play poorly against Nebraska, throwing for over 200 yards and completing 11-of-16 passes. It just wasn’t enough to keep up with the high-powered Huskers offense. Minnesota probably needed a more powerful passing attack to keep up with Nebraska. Annexstad just isn’t ready for that role yet.
Last week vs. Nebraska: 11-of-16, 214 yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT
10. Alex Hornibrook, Wisconsin (Even)
Life couldn’t have gotten much worse for Hornibrook after last week’s outing. The junior rebounded this weekend, though not quite as nicely as you would’ve liked to see. He still threw two interceptions against Illinois and wasn’t the most accurate. Hornibrook has an important test coming up against Northwestern next weekend and he’ll need to be a little better than he’s been recently.
Last week vs. Illinois: 13-of-22, 188 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs
9. Clayton Thorson, Northwestern (Down 1)
Completing passes at a 50 percent clip against one of the worst defenses in college football isn’t a flattering stat. Northwestern’s entire offense was flat though, and couldn’t seem to figure anything out on that side of the ball. Thorson didn’t throw any interceptions, which is a positive, but this might’ve been his worst outing of the season. Even Pat Fitzgerald was disappointed in the showing.
Last week vs. Rutgers: 17-of-34, 150 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs
8. Brian Lewerke, Michigan State (Down 2)
There were such high expectations for Lewerke early in the season, but a poor offensive line, no rushing attack and injuries to so many key receivers have really hindered is ability. Now, he might be dealing with a major shoulder issue himself. This has been a disappointing year for Lewerke, but he’s not the one entirely at fault. His performance against Michigan was one of the worst of his career.
Last week vs. No. 6 Michigan: 5-of-25, 66 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs
7. Peyton Ramsey, Indiana (Even)
Despite Indiana’s recent struggles, Ramsey has been a consistent piece for the Hoosiers. He’s never been too low, or really too high. The sophomore has kept his team in games with opportunities to win. IU hasn’t been able to take advantage of that, which was the case again this weekend against Penn State. The next step for Ramsey is to become a guy who can lead those game-winning drives.
Last week vs. No. 18 Penn State: 26-of-36, 236 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
6. Adrian Martinez, Nebraska (Up 3)
Martinez often gets overlooked because of Nebraska’s 1-6 start, but there’s no denying how spectacular he was against Minnesota. In addition to the big passing numbers, the freshman rushed for 125 yards and a touchdown. Midway through the season, Martinez is proving to be one of the most exciting quarterbacks in the B1G, even if his efforts aren’t leading to a lot of wins. This kid is going to be really fun to watch.
Last week vs. Minnesota: 25-of-29, 276 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs
5. Nate Stanley, Iowa (Down 2)
The top five spots are so close that it’s coming down to weekly performances, at least right now. Stanley wasn’t overly impressive a week after throwing six touchdown passes against Indiana, but Iowa didn’t need much from him. A windy day at Kinnick Stadium also affected his ability. It’s going to see how Stanley performs on Saturday in Happy Valley against Penn State.
Last week vs. Maryland: 11-of-22, 86 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
4. Trace McSorley, Penn State (Down 2)
Yes, McSorley dropped below the No. 2 spot for the first time all year. Yes, he’s still a bad dude. McSorley rushed for over 100 yards and came up with some big time touchdowns late in the game, but his accuracy as a passer has been off for most of the season. Considering the number of quality quarterbacks in the B1G, the senior had to take a bit of a slide this week.
Last week vs. Indiana: 19-of-36, 220 yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT
3. Shea Patterson, Michigan (Up 2)
One pass might’ve moved Patterson up on this list. On the road in a rivalry game with the score tied, Patterson hit Donovan Peoples-Jones down the sideline for a 79-yard touchdown strike. Michigan hasn’t had that weapon in how many years? Patterson continues to come up big for the Wolverines and has made some huge plays in key situations this year.
Last week vs. No. 24 Michigan State: 14-of-25, 212 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs
2. David Blough, Purdue (Up 2)
Saturday’s win over Ohio State marked the fourth time in five games that Blough has thrown for more than 300 yards and three touchdown passes. He’s done it by getting the ball to his playmakers and being able to stretch the field. There may not be a hotter quarterback in the B1G, or the country, than Blough.
Last week vs. No. 2 Ohio Sate: 25-of-43, 378 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs
1. Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State (Even)
A lot of people will likely want Haskins docked for the loss to Purdue. But the Buckeyes’ loss was a reflection of how poorly Ohio State runs the football than a poor outing from Haskins. He threw 73 passes against the Boilermakers and still completed 67 percent of his throws. Haskins still has 30 touchdown passes, 2,800 yards and a 71 percent completion rate. His spot atop the list is still safe.
Last week vs. Purdue: 49-of-73, 470 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB