Ranking Big Ten quarterbacks by Total QBR through Week 11

The Big Ten football season is headed down the home stretch, 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 like J.J. McCarthy of Michigan, Sean Clifford of Penn State, and Payton Thorne of Michigan State following Week 11 of the college football season?

Here’s how things stack up after another week of action in the heartland.

13

Spencer Petras, Iowa

Iowa quarterback Spencer Petras (7) warms up before an NCAA Big Ten Conference football game against Northwestern, Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Credit: USA TODAY Sports

Inside the Numbers

Total QBR | 29.5
Total Before Last Week | 20.3
Ranking Last Week | 14 (⇔ no change)

 

12

Ryan Hilinski, Northwestern

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

Inside the Numbers

Total QBR | 45.2
Total Before Last Week | 47.1
Ranking Last Week | 11 (⇓ one spot)

 

11

Connor Bazelak, Indiana

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

Inside the Numbers

Total QBR | 46.9
Total Before Last Week | 46.2
Ranking Last Week | 12 (⇑ up one spot)

10

Graham Mertz, Wisconsin

Nov 5, 2022; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Graham Mertz (5) throws a pass during the third quarter against the Maryland Terrapins at Camp Randall Stadium. Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Inside the Numbers

Total QBR | 53.9
Total Before Last Week | 67.9
Ranking Last Week | 9 (⇓ one spot)

 

9

Casey Thompson, Nebraska

Oct 7, 2022; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Casey Thompson (11) throws the ball against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during the second half at SHI Stadium. Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Inside the Numbers

Total QBR | 55.1
Total Before Last Week | 55.8
Ranking Last Week | 10 (⇑ one spot)

 

8

Tanner Morgan, Minnesota

Nov 5, 2022; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers quarterback Tanner Morgan (2) looks to pass during the second quarter against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium. Credit: Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

Inside the Numbers

Total QBR | 60.4
Total Before Last Week | 60.2
Ranking Last Week | 8 (⇔ no change)

7

Taulia Tagovailoa, Maryland

Nov 20, 2021; College Park, Maryland, USA; *Maryland Terrapins quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa (3) throws from the pocket against the Michigan Wolverines during the first half at Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium. Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Inside the Numbers

Total QBR | 65.8
Total Before Last Week | 69.8
Ranking Last Week | 6 (⇓ one spot)

 

6

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 | 66.2
Total Before Last Week | 66.0
Ranking Last Week | 7 (⇑ one spot)

 

5

Sean Clifford, Penn State

Oct 29, 2022; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; 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. Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

Inside the Numbers

Total QBR | 69.7
Total Before Last Week | 70.2
Ranking Last Week | 4 (⇓ one spot)

 

4

Tommy DeVito, Illinois

Oct 29, 2022; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini quarterback Tommy DeVito (3) looks to pass against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium. Credit: Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

Inside the Numbers

Total QBR | 72.2
Total Before Last Week | 75.5
Ranking Last Week | 3 (⇓ one spot)

 

3

Aidan O'Connell, Purdue

Purdue Boilermakers Quarterback Aidan O’Connell (16) practices ahead of the NCAA football game, against the Iowa Hawkeyes, on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind. Credit: USA TODAY Sports

Inside the Numbers

Total QBR | 73.8
Total Before Last Week | 70.0
Ranking Last Week | 5 (⇑ two spots)

2

J.J. McCarthy, Michigan

Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy runs the ball against Michigan State during the first half on Saturday, October 29, 2022, in Ann Arbor. Credit: USA TODAY Sports

Inside the Numbers

Total QBR | 79.5
Total Before Last Week | 80.7
Ranking Last Week | 2 (⇔ no change)

1

C.J. Stroud, Ohio State

Nov 12, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) drops to throw during the first quarter against the Indiana Hoosiers at Ohio Stadium. Credit: Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

Inside the Numbers

Total QBR | 90.8
Total Before Last Week | 91.1
Ranking Last Week | 1 (⇔ no change)

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