Big Ten quarterback rankings entering Week 10: Does Rutgers have a QB?

Rule 1 of good quarterback play: don’t give the ball to the other team.

Of the 10 QBs who started games in the Big Ten on Saturday, 5 broke Rule 1. Nebraska’s Casey Thompson and Penn State’s Sean Clifford were the most egregious offenders, and got dropped accordingly in these rankings.

On the top side, CJ Stroud produced another gem for Ohio State. Illinois’ Tommy DeVito and Michigan’s JJ McCarthy managed their teams to victory with mistake-free outings.

Elsewhere, we have QBs returning from and leaving with injuries. Mounting interception totals. New starters getting trial runs. Entrenched starters who aren’t much fun.

All 14 B1G teams play in Week 10. Here’s our assessment of the quality of the men leading the offenses.

14. Gavin Wimsatt(?), Rutgers

Week 9 stats: 6-17, 68 yards, INT
Season: 40.0%, 46.3 ypg, TD, 3 INT, 72.10 rating

Wimsatt made his 2nd career start, even though the previous week’s starter, Noah Vedral, was available and played in a backup role against Minnesota. Greg Schiano is apparently looking for his future QB, but answers were not forthcoming in a 31-0 loss to the Golden Gophers. Wimsatt is one of 3 QBs to make a start this season for the Scarlet Knights, along with Vedral and Evan Simon. Rutgers ranks 121st in the nation in total offense; QB isn’t its only issue. Wimsatt ran 4 times for 9 yards, so the dual-threat thing fell flat, too.

13. Spencer Petras, Iowa

Week 9 stats: 21-30, 220 yards, TD
Season: 55.6%, 151.1 ypg, 3 TDs, 5 INTs, 105.10 rating

Petras had his most efficient game of the season against B1G West doormat Northwestern. Alex Padilla remained on the sideline.

12. Brendan Sullivan, Northwestern

Week 9 stats: 23-30, 159 yards, 2 TDs, INT
Season: 73.2%, 138.7 ypg, 4 TDs, 3 INTs, 132.60 rating

Sullivan made his 2nd start since replacing Ryan Hilinski as the Wildcats’ starter in a loss to Iowa. The 6-3, 212-pound sophomore is laying a foundation for the future while his team struggles in the present.

11. Casey Thompson, Nebraska

Week 9 stats: 7-15, 172 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs
Season stats: 62.9%, 252.9 ypg, 12 TDs, 10 INTs, 147.56 rating

The transfer from Texas has thrown 2 INTs in each of his past 3 games, and he left early in a loss to Illinois after taking a blow to his elbow. He’ll face Minnesota next if he’s able to go in an early game Saturday at home.

10. Connor Bazelak, Indiana

Week 9 stats: Bye
Season: 54.8%, 262.4 ypg, 12 TDs, 9 INTs, 107.13 rating

The Missouri transfer has the lowest completion percentage among qualifying Big Ten quarterbacks and has thrown more picks than anyone in the league other than Nebraska’s Casey Thompson. Riding a 5-game losing stretch, Bazelak faces visiting Penn State’s stout secondary Saturday.

9. Payton Thorne, Michigan State

Week 9 stats: 17-30, 215 yards, TD, INT
Season: 64.3%, 214.3 ypg, 12 TDs, 8 INTs, 134.71 rating

Thorne made some big-time connections to Keon Coleman in a 29-7 loss to Michigan, but couldn’t do much else. Next up is a trip to Illinois to face the best defense in the country.

8. Tanner Morgan, Minnesota

Week 9 stats: 14-21, 122 yards
Season: 66.9%, 183.7 ypg, 7 TDs, 5 INTs, 150.43 rating

The 6th-year senior returned from a concussion after missing 1 game and went back to handing off to Mohamed Ibrahim in a 31-0 rout of Rutgers.

7. Sean Clifford, Penn State

Week 9 stats: 32-47, 371 yards, 3 TDs, 3 INTs
Season: 62.8%, 227.0 ypg, 16 TDs, 6 INTs, 145.45 rating

Lions fans wish they could separate the guy who throws the TDs from the one who turns the ball over, but their 6th-year senior quarterback is what he is: maddeningly erratic. He posted the best yardage total in the league in Week 9, but also was the victim of a strip-sack and a pick-6 in a loss to Ohio State. The 4th-year starter passed Trace McSorley for the program lead in TD passes (78) and needs 245 yards to pass his predecessor in passing yards.

6. Graham Mertz, Wisconsin

Week 9 stats: Bye
Season: 63.3%, 203.8 ypg, 17 TDs, 6 INTs, 159.59 rating

Mertz remains No. 2 in the B1G in touchdown passes and No. 3 in QB rating after having the weekend off. Wisconsin (4-4) hosts Maryland (6-2) in a game that could have a major effect on each team’s immediate future. The Badgers are in the bowl game hunt under interim coach Jim Leonhard, and Mertz is a key reason why.

5. Taulia Tagovailoa, Maryland

Week 9 stats: Bye
Season: 72.5%, 285.9 ypg, 13 TDs, 5 INTs, 157.62 rating

Tagovailoa sat out the previous weekend with an apparent lower leg injury, but he is expected to play Saturday at Wisconsin. If he can’t go, redshirt freshman Billy Edwards Jr. will again fill in.

4. Aidan O’Connell, Purdue

Week 9 stats: Bye
Season: 66.3%, 324.3 ypg, 15 TDs, 8 INTs, 137.51 rating

The 6th-year senior will try to bounce back from a 3-pick game in a loss at Wisconsin when the Boilermakers return to action Saturday against visiting Iowa. Purdue needs a win to keep control of its destiny in the B1G West race.

3. JJ McCarthy, Michigan

Week 9 stats: 15-25, 167 yards, TD
Season: 74.6%, 183.0 ypg, 10 TDs, 2 INTs, 164.49 rating

The sophomore played another mistake-free game in a win over Michigan State, and added 50 rushing yards to the Wolverines’ cause. His completion percentage dropped a couple points but still leads the nation. The 2021 5-star recruit has been up to the task through 7 starts for the No. 4 team in the AP poll. Next up is a trip to New Jersey for a Saturday night game against Rutgers.

2. Tommy DeVito, Illinois

Week 9 stats: 20-22, 179 yards, 2 TDs
Season: 72.5%, 199.3 ypg, 12 TDs, 2 INTs, 150.24 rating

The Syracuse transfer posted his most efficient game yet for the Fighting Illini in a 26-9 victory over Nebraska. DeVito has gone 5 games without throwing a pick heading into Saturday’s game against visiting Michigan State.

1. CJ Stroud, Ohio State

Week 9 stats: 26-33, 354 yards, TD
Season: 71.3%, 297.1 ypg, 28 TDs, 4 INTs, 200.16 rating

In a matchup against then No. 13 Penn State, Stroud threw for a few less yards and 2 fewer TDs than Sean Clifford. But in a hostile road environment, the Heisman candidate played more efficiently than his counterpart and didn’t turn the ball over in a 44-31 victory. The redshirt sophomore continues to lead the country in QB rating and touchdown throws.