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Week 7 B1G QB Rankings: Fields, Clifford separating from the rest of the pack
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We had a mixed bag of performances this week.
There were a few B1G quarterbacks — Justin Fields, Sean Clifford and Jack Coan to name a few — who played really well in Week 6. Other guys like Nate Stanley and Shea Patterson did not. That caused a few significant changes to the rankings this week.
Because Johnny Langan made his first start at Rutgers, I opted not to rank him this week. Hunter Johnson was sidelined with an injury, so Northwestern won’t have a representative this week, either.
So, let’s take a look at the B1G QB rankings as we head into Week 7:
Unranked this week
Hunter Johnson, Northwestern (injury)
Johnny Langan, Rutgers (first start)
12. Jack Plummer, Purdue
Last week vs. #12 Penn State: 13-of-27 — 119 yards — 1 TD — 0 INT
Talk about being thrown into the fire. Plummer’s first B1G start came against Penn State, which owns one of the top defenses in college football. He was harassed from start to finish, being sacked 10 times in the game. I’m guessing he needed an ice bath after that one. Give him some credit, he didn’t throw an interception in the game, despite having to deal with all the pressure.
Last week: Unranked
11. Josh Jackson, Maryland
Last week vs. Rutgers: 9-of-16 — 179 yards — 2 TD — 0 INT
A nice bounce-back game for Jackson, who struggled in losses to Temple and Penn State. His numbers weren’t great, but he did throw for 179 yards and had two touchdowns against Rutgers before leaving with an injury. For what it’s worth, Tyrrell Pigrome stepped in and did a nice job in relief, as well.
Last week: No. 11
10. Brandon Peters, Illinois
Last week vs. Minnesota: 5-of-10 — 32 yards — 0 TD — 1 INT
Peters was another quarterback who left the game early due to injury, exiting early in the second quarter. Illinois’ offense suffered with his departure, as the Illini didn’t score a single offensive touchdown against Minnesota. It just goes to show how important he is to Rod Smith’s offense. When Peters isn’t in the game, it’s rough sledding for Lovie Smith and company.
Last week: No. 10
9. Shea Patterson, Michigan
Last week vs. #14 Iowa: 14-of-26 — 147 yards — 0 TD — 1 INT
We keep waiting for Patterson to have that breakout moment and show us he’s a top five quarterback in the B1G. That time just hasn’t come this year. He played well enough to win against a good Iowa defense, but his struggles with accuracy and decision making this season continue to hamper Michigan’s offense. Maybe he’ll figure something out in the coming weeks, but it hasn’t looked great so far.
Last week: No. 8
8. Michael Penix, Indiana
Last week: OFF
An off week for the Hoosiers. Penix will be back in action this weekend against Rutgers.
Last week: No. 9
7. Jack Coan, Wisconsin
Last week vs. Kent State: 12-of-15 — 134 yards — 2 TD — 0 INT
Perhaps this is a little low for Coan, who’s done exactly what Wisconsin has needed so far this season. He had another solid outing against Kent State, but now he’ll face another huge test against a stout Michigan State front. If he figures out that defense, then I’ll have no trouble moving Coan higher on this list.
Last week: No. 7
6. Adrian Martinez, Nebraska
Last week vs. Northwestern: 13-of-20 — 145 yards — 0 TD — 0 INT
Martinez hasn’t had that huge game yet, but he’s still proving to be a threat through the air and on the ground. Give Northwestern’s defense credit for containing him and keeping Nebraska out of the end zone most of the game. No turnovers was key on Saturday, which is something Martinez had struggled with in the first five games. Unfortunately a leg injury kept him sidelined during the game-winning drive.
Last week: No. 6
5. Nate Stanley, Iowa
Last week vs. #19 Michigan: 23-of-42 — 250 yards — 0 TD — 3 INT
Gross. I could’ve dropped Stanley quite a bit after that three-interception performance against Michigan, but a good chunk of his struggles come from the offensive line, which allowed eight sacks in the game. Stanley needs to erase this one from his memory, and fast. An even better front seven comes to Kinnick Stadium this weekend with Iowa hosting Penn State. He’s going to have to play much better to stay in the top five.
Last week: No. 3
4. Tanner Morgan, Minnesota
Last week vs. Illinois: 9-of-17 — 155 yards — 3 TD — 1 INT
Statistically, Morgan didn’t have the best game of the year — then again nothing compares to that performance against Purdue. Still, he found the end zone three times in slippery atmosphere. Morgan gets plenty of help from his receivers and run game, but he’s also putting up some big numbers this year.
Last week: No. 5
3. Brian Lewerke, Michigan State
Last week vs. #4 Ohio State: 20-of-38 — 218 yards — 1 TD — 1 INT
This probably isn’t going to be a very popular placement for Lewerke, but considering how much of the workload he has to carry for Michigan State to be successful, he’s into the top three this week. Ohio State really limited his ability to pick up yards on the ground, but he was able to get the Spartans down the field a few times. Aside from a missed read that would’ve led to another touchdown, Lewerke actually played pretty well on Saturday.
Last week: No. 4
2. Sean Clifford, Penn State
Last week vs. Purdue: 20-of-29 — 264 yards — 3 TD — 1 INT
It’s still hard for me to believe how well Clifford has played through five weeks. He did it again on Saturday, albeit against a weak Purdue defense. Still, Clifford is getting things done through the air and on the ground, and he’s not turning the football over at a high rate. What more can you ask for from your first-year starter?
Last week: No. 2
1. Justin Fields, Ohio State
Last week vs. #25 Michigan State: 17-of-25 — 206 yards — 2 TD — 1 INT
Can we start talking Heisman now? Fields showed his human side, throwing his first interception of the season, but he made a really talented Michigan State defense look elementary. That’s not the easiest thing to do. He did succumb to the pressure the defensive line put on early in the game, but once he got settled in, he had little trouble.
Last week: No. 1
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