We are now five full weeks into the college football regular season, and we continue to get more data points with Big Ten quarterbacks to see who is doing the best at their position. That includes Ohio State football’s new starter under center, Kyle McCord, who orchestrated one memorable game-winning drive over Notre Dame on Saturday before he and his teammates took the week off last Saturday.
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.
Buy Buckeyes TicketsSo 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 McCord and Big Ten signal-callers such as J.J. McCarthy of Michigan, Drew Allar of Penn State, Maryland’s Taulia Tagovailoa and surprising newcomer, Gavin Wimsatt of Rutgers following Week 4 of the college football season? This thing still looks like it’s a heat between two arch rival schools, but there’s still a long way to go.
Here’s how things stack up after another week of an already wild college football season in the Big Ten.
14
Cade McNamara, Iowa (now injured)
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 28.0
Total Before Last Week | 29.5
Ranking Last Week | 14 (⇔ no change)
13
Tayven Jackson, Indiana
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 33.8
Total Before Last Week | 33.5
Ranking Last Week | 13 (⇔ no change)
12
Heinrich Haarberg, Nebraska
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 38.8
Total Before Last Week | 40.7
Ranking Last Week | 11 (⇓ one spot)
11
Noah Kim, Michigan State
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 39.9
Total Before Last Week | 39.9
Ranking Last Week | 12 (⇑ one spots)
10
Ben Bryant, Northwestern
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 41.6
Total Before Last Week | 41.8
Ranking Last Week | 10 (⇔ no change)
9
Luke Altmyer, Illinois
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 50.0
Total Before Last Week | 57.3
Ranking Last Week | 6 (⇓ three spots)
8
Tanner Mordecai, Wisconsin
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 451.5
Total Before Last Week | 48.6
Ranking Last Week | 9 (⇑ one spot)
7
Hudson Card, Purdue
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 54.9
Total Before Last Week | 52.1
Ranking Last Week | 8 (⇑ one spot)
6
Athan Kaliakmanis, Minnesota
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 65.0
Total Before Last Week | 57.3
Ranking Last Week | 7 (⇑ one spot)
5
Drew Allar, Penn State
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 74.9
Total Before Last Week | 82.2
Ranking Last Week | 3 (⇓ two spots)
4
Gavin Wimsatt, Rutgers
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 76.0
Total Before Last Week | 76.2
Ranking Last Week | 4 (⇔ no change)
3
Taulia Tagovailoa, Maryland
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 76.0
Total Before Last Week | 70.7
Ranking Last Week | 5 (⇑ two spots)
2
Kyle McCord, Ohio State
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 87.7
Total Before Last Week | 87.7
Ranking Last Week | 2 (⇔ no change)
1
J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 94.2
Total Before Last Week | 91.0
Ranking Last Week | 1 (⇔ no change)
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