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It’s only been two weeks so there’s still so many unknowns right now. But after the second Saturday of the college football season, we’re (kinda) getting a beat for the quarterback position across the B1G.
There were some impressive performances on Saturday, as well as a few letdowns. The big question? Can anyone dethrone Dwayne Haskins at the top of the rankings?
Here are the B1G quarterback rankings following Week 2.
14. Artur Sitkowski, Rutgers (-1)
The true freshman didn’t have a great debut against Texas State in Week 1 and he was no match for an elite Ohio State defense. Sitkowski was harshly introduced to B1G football by taking a few punishing hits from Chase Young and Nick Bosa. The only positive? The Buckeyes are out of the way.
Last week vs. Ohio State: 6-of-18, 38 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT
13. AJ Bush Jr., Illinois (-1)
Bush left Saturday’s game against Western Illinois after throwing just seven passes. When he has played, he’s been a weapon for the Illini with his arm and his legs. Through two games he hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass and Illinois hasn’t played great competition. There’s still some unknowns about his game.
Last week vs. Western Illinois: 5-of-7, 33 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT
12. Elijah Sindelar, Purdue (-3)
The idea that Purdue has two really good quarterbacks is beginning to flounder after the first two weeks of the season. Sindelar was a little more consistent on Saturday than against Northwestern, but the Boilermakers passing attack still struggled. Granted it was downpouring in West Lafayette, but Purdue has to be better throwing the ball.
Last week vs. Eastern Michigan: 8-of-14, 87 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
11. Clayton Thorson, Northwestern (-4)
It’s somewhat difficult to see Thorson on the field right now, knowing what he used to be able to do. The ACL injury has seriously hindered his ability to escape the pocket and extend plays. He’s still a really accurate passer, but he’s been flat-footed and hasn’t been able to put the same zip on the football as he did in the past.
Last week vs. Duke: 22-of-38, 198 yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT
10. Zack Annexstad, Minnesota (+1)
Has there been a smarter use of a quarterback in the B1G? P.J. Fleck understands what he has in Annexstad and doesn’t put the true freshman in high-pressure situations. Annexstad made a huge play late the game to keep a drive alive, eventually leading to a game-winning score against Fresno State. He sure hasn’t looked like true freshman walk-on through two games.
Last week vs. Fresno State: 16-of-25, 175 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT
9. Peyton Ramsey, Indiana (+1)
Even through the roughest conditions, Ramsey was incredibly consistent and accurate in the Hoosiers’ 20-16 win over Virginia on Saturday. Through two weeks, Ramsey has completed 73 percent of his passes, third-best in the B1G. That’s really good considering he’s played on the road and in a monsoon in his first two games of the year.
Last week vs. Virginia: 16-of-22, 150 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT
8. Adrian Martinez, Nebraska (+6)
Aside from the injury at the end of the game, the debut for the dual-threat freshman couldn’t have gone much better. Martinez threw for 187 yards and rushed for an additional 117 yards and totaled three touchdowns. Assuming he’s healthy, Martinez is going to be a star in Scott Frost’s offense.
Last week vs. Colorado: 15-of-20, 187 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
7. Nate Stanley, Iowa (E)
The first two weeks haven’t gone quite as planned for Stanley. He’s had a couple of ho-hum performances and Iowa’s offense has been essentially stagnant. Still, Stanley has the ability to be a game-changer for the Hawkeyes. Eventually we’ll see his big-play ability, right?
Last week vs. Iowa State: 16-of-28, 166 yards, 0 TD, 0 TD
6. Kasim Hill, Maryland (-1)
Hill hasn’t been overly accurate for the Terrapins in the first two games, but he hasn’t needed to be with such a potent rushing attack behind him. Maryland hit nearly 450 yards on the ground against Bowling Green, so Hill wasn’t exactly in high demand.
Last week vs. Bowling Green: 8-of-16, 121 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
5. Shea Patterson, Michigan (+1)
He only threw 17 passes but there were two deliveries Patterson made against Western Michigan that no other Wolverines quarterback has been able to make in the Jim Harbaugh era. Patterson showed exactly why there was so much hype surrounding his arrival in Ann Arbor, even if it didn’t translate to big numbers.
Last week vs. Western Michigan: 12-of-17, 125 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INT
4. Alex Hornibrook, Wisconsin (E)
With Jonathan Taylor in the backfield, Hornibrook was essentially a game-manager in Wisconsin’s win over New Mexico. He completed 8-of-11 passes but the Badgers continued to hand the ball off to their workhorse in a lopsided victory. We may see more out of Hornibrook on Saturday against BYU.
Last week vs. New Mexico: 8-of-11, 148 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
3. Trace McSorley, Penn State (E)
You might’ve expected McSorley to post Heisman-type numbers through the first two weeks of the season, but it hasn’t played out quite that way. He’s got the worst completion percentage in the B1G and only has three touchdown passes in the first two games. Still, he’s got that clutch gene and he’s been a huge factor on the ground, too.
Last week vs. Pitt: 14-of-30, 145 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INT
2. Brian Lewerke, Michigan State (E)
It would be really interesting to see what Lewerke could do with this receiving corps if Michigan State’s offensive line was more effective. But the Spartans QB is constantly on the run and isn’t get the time he needs in the pocket. Even with the obstacles, Lewerke leads the conference in passing yardage.
Last week vs. Arizona State: 27-of-39, 314 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
1. Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State (E)
Who else would you put at No. 1? Haskins has completed nearly 80 percent of his throws, he has more touchdown passes than 125 college football programs and he’s been the leader of an offense that’s scored 129 points in two games. By the end of the year, Haskins is going to find his name right in the mix of the Heisman race. The only challenger to his spot atop this list may be his teammate, Tate Martell.
Last week vs. Rutgers: 20-of-23, 233 yards, 4 TDs, 0 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