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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Phil Harrison

Ranking Big Ten quarterbacks by Total QBR after Week 9

The Big Ten football season is more than half over, and it’s time to check in once again on which conference quarterbacks are doing the best at their position, including Ohio State football’s C.J. Stroud.

The metric we like to use more than any other is ESPN’s Total QBR rating. We find it to be a better indicator of performance because it takes into account many aspects others don’t, including the level of competition.

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So what is Total QBR exactly? According to ESPN, Adjusted Total Quarterback Rating “values the quarterback on all play types on a 0-100 scale adjusted for the strength of opposing defenses faced.”

OK. we’re game.

So where are Stroud and other Big Ten signal-callers following Week 9 of the college football season? Here’s a ranking of the top 13 based on quarterbacks that play an average of 20 action plays per game.

Spencer Petras, Iowa

Iowa sophomore quarterback Spencer Petras fires a throw in the second quarter against Wisconsin on Saturday, Dec. 12, 2020, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. USA TODAY Sports

Inside the Numbers

Total QBR | 26.8
Total Before Last Week | 20.7
Ranking Last Week | 14 ( no change)

Connor Bazelak, Indiana

Indiana’s Connor Bazelak (9) throws during the Indiana versus Idaho football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022. USA TODAY Sports

Inside the Numbers

Total QBR | 46.2
Total Before Last Week | 48.3
Ranking Last Week | 12 (⇔ no change)

Ryan Hilinski, Northwestern

Oct. 30, 2021; Evanston, Illinois; Northwestern Wildcats quarterback Ryan Hilinski (12) passes the football in the first half against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Ryan Field. Quinn Harris-USA TODAY Sports

Inside the Numbers

Total QBR | 48.4
Total Before Last Week | 48.8
Ranking Last Week | 11 (⇔ no change)

Casey Thompson, Nebraska

USA TODAY Sports

Inside the Numbers

Total QBR | 54.7
Total Before Last Week | 54.3
Ranking Last Week | 10 (⇔ no change)

 

Graham Mertz, Wisconsin

Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Graham Mertz (5) against Eastern Michigan during their football game on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021, in Madison, Wisconsin. Wm. Glasheen USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Inside the Numbers

Total QBR | 63.2
Total Before Last Week | 63.0
Ranking Last Week | 7 ( two spots)

 

Payton Thorne, Michigan State

Oct. 8, 2022; East Lansing; Michigan State Spartans quarterback Payton Thorne (10) scrambles and tries to evade Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Denzel Burke (10) at Spartan Stadium. Dale Young-USA TODAY Sports

Inside the Numbers

Total QBR | 63.7
Total Before Last Week | 61.7
Ranking Last Week | 9 ( one spot)

 

Tanner Morgan, Minnesota

Sept. 10, 2022; Minneapolis; Minnesota Golden Gophers quarterback Tanner Morgan (2) passes in the third quarter against Western Illinois Leathernecks at Huntington Bank Stadium. Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports

Inside the Numbers

Total QBR | 62.4
Total Before Last Week | 62.8
Ranking Last Week | 8 ( one spot)

 

Sean Clifford, Penn State

Oct. 29, 2022; University Park, Pennsylvania; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Sean Clifford (14) looks to throw a pass during the first quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Beaver Stadium. Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

Inside the Numbers

Total QBR | 71.2
Total Before Last Week | 73.2
Ranking Last Week | 6 (⇔ no change)

 

Aidan O'Connell, Purdue

Purdue quarterback Aidan O’Connell signals to his receivers prior to taking the snap in the third quarter against Iowa on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. USA TODAY Sports

Inside the Numbers

Total QBR | 74.9
Total Before Last Week | 74.9
Ranking Last Week | 5 (⇔ no change)

 

Taulia Tagovailoa, Maryland

Nov. 7, 2020; University Park, Pennsylvania; Maryland Terrapins quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa (3) runs with the ball against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the fourth quarter at Beaver Stadium. Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Inside the Numbers

Total QBR | 75.1
Total Before Last Week | 75.2
Ranking Last Week | 4 (⇔ no change)

 

Tommy DeVito, Illinois

Credit: USA TODAY Sports

Inside the Numbers

Total QBR | 77.0
Total Before Last Week | 75.3
Ranking Last Week | 3 (⇔ no change)

 

J.J. McCarthy, Michigan

Michigan Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) runs the offense against the Connecticut Huskies during the first half at Michigan Stadium, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. USA TODAY Sports

Inside the Numbers

Total QBR | 79.1
Total Before Last Week | 81.2
Ranking Last Week | 2 (⇔ no change)

 

C.J. Stroud, Ohio State

Oct. 8, 2022; East Lansing, Michigan; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) celebrates after throwing his fourth touchdown in the first half of the NCAA Division I football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Michigan State Spartans at Spartan Stadium. USA TODAY Sports

Inside the Numbers

Total QBR | 93.1
Total Before Last Week | 92.6
Ranking Last Week | 1 (⇔ no change)

Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on Twitter.

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