The Big Ten boasts 6 of the top 13 pass defenses in the FBS. The B1G East has 4 of the top 6. So granted, it’s a brutal league for quarterbacks.

Taulia Tagovailoa might have participated in the Heisman race if he had portaled westward a year or 2 ago ala former Indiana and current Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr., the leading passer in the nation at 335.9 yards per game.

Talents of the 5-star variety such as JJ McCarthy and Drew Allar might have found more open airways in any of the other Power 5 conferences.

Instead, they signed up for this threshing machine of a conference.

In terms of passing yards per game, the Big Ten has only 2 of the top 50 qualifying quarterbacks in the country — Maryland’s Tagovailoa at No. 20 (274.2) and Ohio State’s Kyle McCord at No. 27 (263.5). The Pac-12 has 5, including 3 of the top 4. The SEC has 7, The ACC 6, the Big-12 5.

So, no, Iowa isn’t the lone program dragging the Big Ten back to the stone age in terms of QB play. This year’s group of mostly first-year starters — many of them newly arrived transfers — has taken a collective step back. It wasn’t quite this ugly when CJ Stroud and Aidan O’Connor were around.

The Big Ten went yet another week without a single 300-yard passer, and more B1G QBs in Week 12 threw for less than 200 yards (9) than more than 200 (5).

B1G individual passing games so far in 2023

300+ yards: 11
200-299 yards: 55
100-199 yards: 71
< 100 yards: 17

(Numbers reflect each team’s leading passer each game, whether that player started or not.)

The Big Ten has 11 300-yard passing games all season. Penix has 8 by himself. LSU’s Jayden Daniels has 7, plus 1,000+ rushing yards on the season.

B1G quarterbacks don’t measure up nationally. So let’s just keep comparing them to each other, shall we.

From bottom to top, here’s where the current starters in the B1G stand entering the final week of the regular season:

14. Deacon Hill, Iowa

Week 12: vs. Illinois (W, 15-13), 19-29, 167 yards, TD
Season: 88.2 ypg, 49.7%, 5 TDs, 5 INTs, 96.29 rating

The 6-3, 258-pound redshirt sophomore posted a second straight solid outing and improved to 5-1 since replacing injured Cade McNamara as the Hawkeyes’ starter. He’s still no more than a game-manager, but lately he’s looking like a good one.

Up next: at Nebraska

13. Katin Houser, Michigan State

Week 12: at Indiana (W, 24-21), 26-41, 245 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs
Season: 104.3 ypg, 58.7%, 6 TDs, 4 INT, 116.52 rating

Making his sixth start since replacing Noah Kim, the 2022 4-star recruit improved his bond with tight end Maliq Carr, who had season highs with 9 catches for 100 yards and 2 TDs. That connection might be something to build on looking ahead to next season.

Up next: vs. Penn State

12. Gavin Wimsatt, Rutgers

Week 12: at Penn State (L, 27-6), 10-16, 130 yards, INT
Season: 135.1 ypg, 49.2%, 8 TDs, 7 INTs, 106.35 rating

Wimsatt added 31 rushing yards, despite losing 24 yards on 3 sacks, accounting for over 70% of the Scarlet Knights’ offense. This was one of his better performances, impressive against Penn State’s hyper-aggressive defense.

Up next: vs. Maryland

11. Chubba Purdy, Nebraska

Week 12: at Wisconsin (L, 24-17), 15-23, 169 yards, TD, INT
Season: 38.6 ypg, 57.1%, 1 TD, 2 INTs, 112.53 rating

Purdy became the Huskers’ third starter of the season, replacing Heinrich Haarberg, who exited early in Nebraska’s previous game with an ankle sprain. Purdy ran for 105 yards and a TD, helped get the game to overtime and committed just 1 turnover. So he probably will get the nod over Haarberg and Jeff Sims for the season finale as the Huskers try to gain bowl eligibility.

Up next: vs. Iowa

10. Athan Kaliakmanis, Minnesota

Week 12: at Ohio State (L, 37-3), 11-19, 89 yards, INT
Season: 151.9 ypg, 52.6%, 13 TDs, 8 INTs, 115.51 rating

Kaliakmanis and the Golden Gophers were overmatched at Ohio State. They need a win this week for bowl eligibility.

Up next: vs. Wisconsin

9. Tanner Mordecai, Wisconsin

Week 12: vs. Nebraska (W, 24-17), 18-28, 160 yards, TD
Season: 192.8 ypg, 64.7%, 4 TDs, 3 INTs, 118.97 rating

In his second game since missing 3 with an injury, Mordecai made enough plays to earn a bowl-clinching victory in overtime. He added 51 yards on the ground. It’s been a trying final college season for the guy who threw for 72 TDs at SMU over the past 2 seasons.

Up next: at Minnesota

8. Hudson Card, Purdue

Week 12: at Northwestern (L, 23-15), DNP
Season: 211.2 ypg, 58.6%, 12 TDs, 8 INTs, 119.34 rating

Dinged up most of the season, Card sat out for the first time last weekend. Bennett Meredith and Ryan Browne split the QB duties against the Wildcats, with the more mobile Browne getting the majority of the snaps. Meredith went 5-for-7 for 36 yards. Browne went 12-of-16 for 104 yards and ran for 85 more, but threw 2 picks. First-year coach Ryan Walters said Monday that Card is likely to return for the season finale.

Up next: vs. Indiana

7. Ben Bryant, Northwestern

Week 12: vs. Purdue (W, 23-15), 13-24, 230 yards, TD, INT
Season: 193.0 ypg, 59.7%, 9 TDs, 4 INTs, 123.79 rating

Bryant won for the second straight weekend since returning from an injury, helping the Wildcats clinch a bowl berth. The transfer from Cincinnati hung tough through 5 sacks as he and Northwestern continued to overachieve for new coach David Braun.

Up next: at Illinois

6. Brendan Sorsby, Indiana

Week 12: vs. Michigan State (L, 24-21), 19-34, 192 yards, 2 TDs
Season: 145.5 ypg, 57.6%, 10 TDs, 2 INTs, 131.26 rating

The Hoosiers adsorbed a second straight 3-point loss, again with Sorsby playing well. The 6-3, 230-pound redshirt freshman seems to have a future in Bloomington, assuming the Texan wants to stick with Tom Allen’s struggling program.

Up next: at Purdue

5. John Paddock, Illinois

Week 12: at Iowa (L, 15-13), 22-47, 215 yards
Season: 157.3 ypg, 56.0%, 6 TDs, 1 INT, 145.05 rating

Coming off a 507-yard passing game, the injury fill-in for Luke Altmyer couldn’t reproduce that magic against Iowa’s stout defense. It wasn’t for a lack of trying, though. In his final year of eligibility, the 6-0, 190-pound transfer from Ball State has put the ball up 83 times over the past 2 weekends. Coach Bret Bielema recently said Paddock will start the season finale too, as the Illini seek a 6th win for bowl eligibility.

Up next: vs. Northwestern

4. Drew Allar, Penn State

Week 12: vs. Rutgers (W, 27-6), 6-13, 79 yards
Season: 185.8 ypg, 60.8%, 21 TDs, 1 INT, 134.57 rating

Allar’s first season as the starter has been petering out down the stretch, and he missed most of the second half against Rutgers after taking a big hit to his throwing shoulder. Backup Beau Pribula did major damage with his legs to put away the Scarlet Knights. Coach James Franklin said there’s a chance both quarterbacks will play Friday night at Michigan State.

Up next: at Michigan State

3. Taulia Tagovailoa, Maryland

Week 12: vs. Michigan (L, 34-27), 21-31, 247, 2 INTs
Season: 274.2 ypg, 65.5%, 22 TDs, 10 INTs, 140.87 rating

The 5th-year senior competed against Michigan about as well as any QB has this season. But, alas, he committed 3 turnovers, including a fumble that turned into a scoop-and-score for the Wolverines. He’s 5 passing yards short of 11K heading into the final 2 games of his college career.

Up next: at Rutgers

2. JJ McCarthy, Michigan

Week 12: at Maryland (W, 34-27), 12-23, 141 yards, INT
Season: 212.3 ypg, 73.8%, 18 TDs, 4 INTs, 178.28 rating

McCarthy hasn’t thrown a TD pass the past 3 weeks, and Michigan again relied heavily on its defense and running game in a tight win over a B1G East opponent. The toughest divisional opponent of them all awaits, and McCarthy has been trending the wrong way for almost a month.

Up next: vs. Ohio State

1. Kyle McCord, Ohio State

Week 12: vs. Minnesota (W, 37-3), 20-30, 212 yards, 2 TDs
Season: 263.5 ypg, 66.4%, 22 TDs, 4 INTs, 163.23 rating

After putting the Gophers away with a big third quarter, McCord sat out most of the fourth quarter. The junior first-year starter seems healthy and well prepped for The Game.

Up next: at Michigan