In the Big Ten’s early QB hierarchy, the familiar faces are outshining the new arrivals

Transfers and impact freshmen soaked up most of the off-season conversation about the Big Ten quarterbacks, but after two weeks of action, the league’s holdovers have far outperformed the newcomers.

By every measurement, there is a clear line of distinction between the two groups within the league’s 18 starters. The six returning starters are 12-0, and the five starters elevated from within the program are 10-0. They have combined to complete 73.8% of their passes for 52 touchdowns and just three interceptions. None of the returning starters have thrown an interception through two weeks.

As for the transfers and true freshman starters, they have combined for a 9-5 record, 20 touchdowns, nine interceptions and a 61.7 completion percentage.

Is this a trend? It’s too early to say.

Illinois’ Luke Altmyer and Penn State’s Drew Allar have proven results from years past to support their strong starts to 2025, while Oregon’s Dante Moore and Ohio State’s Julian Sayin have elite rosters around them. New faces like Michigan true freshman Bryce Underwood and Iowa transfer Mark Gronowski have played on the road against ranked opponents. Others haven’t been tested yet.

Collective grading isn’t fair yet considering the teams have faced unbalanced competition, but two games provide a window into how each passer has settled into the season.

Let’s break the QBs down into four different groups.

Returning starters

Luke Altmyer, Illinois: Through two games, Altmyer has completed 75% of his passes for 513 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions. In a 45-19 win at Duke, which won nine games last year, Altmyer threw for 296 yards and three touchdowns. He looks even sharper than last year, when he had three game-winning touchdown passes in the final minute of regulation or in overtime.

Aidan Chiles, Michigan State: Chiles flashed at times and looked erratic in others during his first year in East Lansing. After a solid performance in the 2025 opener against Western Michigan, Chiles turned in a breakout performance in an overtime win against Boston College, passing for 231 yards and four touchdowns and running for another score. No player was better in the Big Ten this week.

Dylan Raiola, Nebraska: The sophomore and former five-star prospect experienced ups and downs during his first college season, but he has shown growth this year. Blessed with incredible arm strength and the ability to adjust arm angles, Raiola has completed 57 of 73 passes for 607 yards and six touchdowns. More importantly, he engineered a victory in a 20-17 neutral-site win against Cincinnati to open the season.

Jayden Maiava, USC: In his second year working with Lincoln Riley after transferring from UNLV, Maiava has smoothed out his 2024 inconsistencies against two overmatched opponents. Maiava has completed 73.8% with a Big Ten-leading 707 passing yards for six touchdowns. He doesn’t throw the prettiest passes, but he puts the ball where his receivers can make plays.

Drew Allar, Penn State: Allar’s performance in the first two weeks can best be described as “workmanlike.” He has completed 69.5% of his passes for 417 yards and three scores in two blowout wins for No. 2 Penn State. Allar has the best track record, and the highest floor, of any Big Ten quarterback.

Athan Kaliakmanis, Rutgers: The former Minnesota starter is off to a strong start in his second season with the Scarlet Knights. Kaliakmanis, a senior from Antioch, has 511 passing yards and six touchdowns while completing 74.6% of his passes. While he hasn’t beaten any power-conference opponents, he has secured wins over two of the MAC’s top teams.

Elevated starters

Julian Sayin, Ohio State: No Big Ten quarterback faced a stiffer test in Week 1 than Sayin making his first start against No. 1 Texas. The redshirt freshman was solid, but most importantly, he didn’t commit a big mistake. On Saturday, Sayin threw four touchdown passes and completed 16 consecutive passes in helping new No. 1 Ohio State overwhelm Grambling 70-0. With that receiving corps, it would surprise no one if he earns first-team all-Big Ten honors.

Dante Moore, Oregon: Two years removed from an up-and-down true freshman season at UCLA, Moore has displayed why he was the No. 4 overall recruit in the 2023 class. The redshirt sophomore has 479 passing yards and six touchdowns (77.3 completion percentage) and helped ignite a 69-3 win against Oklahoma State on Saturday. There’s a reason why the Ducks declined to sign a quarterback in the transfer portal this year.

Demond Williams, Washington: When compared with his Big Ten peers, Williams’ passing numbers seem pedestrian: 480 yards, two touchdowns, 69.4 completion percentage. But they’re still strong overall, and the sophomore leads the league’s quarterbacks in rushing yards (132) after the Huskies opened with two blowout wins. He’s the Big Ten’s most dynamic dual-threat.

Drake Lindsey, Minnesota: Perhaps the least known of the league’s new starters, Lindsey has opened in solid fashion with 429 yards, three touchdowns and a rushing score. The redshirt freshman’s only interception came when his pass bounced off a falling teammate. Lindsey has a big arm, and he can grow with the Gophers.

Ryan Browne, Purdue: Browne transferred to North Carolina last winter, then moved back to Purdue this summer. In two games, he has 481 passing yards, five total touchdowns and completed 65.3% of his passes in two blowouts. His challenges intensify this week at home against USC.

True freshmen

Bryce Underwood, Michigan: A decent debut against New Mexico gave way to a tough night at Oklahoma. Underwood has just one touchdown and is completing 54.5% of his passes, but two games are way too early to judge him against his preseason hype. He has limitless talent. At some point this season, it will pop.

Malik Washington, Maryland: The overlooked prospect has dazzled in wins against Florida Atlantic and Northern Illinois. Washington has five touchdowns and 512 passing yards but is still working on his accuracy (59%). It’s fair to suggest he will give the Terrapins reason for hope while dealing with inconsistency once Big Ten play arrives.

Transfers

Fernando Mendoza, Indiana: Mendoza has produced the best numbers among the transfers with 438 passing yards, four touchdown passes and a 64.3 completion percentage. But the No. 22 Hoosiers were lethargic in a 27-14 win against Old Dominion and needed a big second half to crush Kennesaw State. Considering the competition, it’s difficult to know where he stands.

Nico Iamaleava, UCLA: So far, it’s been rough. The Bruins are the Big Ten’s only winless team, with a home blowout to Utah and a 7-point loss at UNLV. Iamaleava has thrown two touchdowns and two interceptions and taken six sacks. His talent is obvious, as he put on display last year before leaving Tennessee, but his debut in Westwood is inauspicious at best.

Mark Gronowski, Iowa: Gronowski has shown his limitations as a passer — especially arm strength — in two starts, and his numbers are the worst in the Big Ten (127 yards, 53.8 completion percentage). A shockingly bad first quarter against Albany has given way to better production, but he’s far from the difference maker many expected when he signed with Iowa after winning the FCS player of the year award at South Dakota State. The Neuqua Valley High School graduate does have 76 rushing yards and two scores.

Preston Stone, Northwestern: A four-interception start to the season in a 23-3 loss to Tulane provided a rough introduction for the former SMU starter. Stone came back with three touchdown passes against Western Illinois, but he has plenty to prove. With Oregon coming to Evanston this week, it could get rough.

Danny O’Neil, Wisconsin: O’Neil replaced an injured Billy Edwards (a Maryland transfer) in the opener and has performed decently. A San Diego State transfer, O’Neil has completed 76.1% of passes for 403 yards and four touchdowns, but he also has two interceptions. The Badgers’ wins have come against Miami (Ohio) and Middle Tennessee. We’ll learn more about O’Neil this week when Wisconsin travels to Alabama.

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