The Big Ten football season is about half over, and it’s time to check in 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.
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 8 of the college football season? Here’s a ranking of the top 14 based on quarterbacks that play an average of 20 action plays per game.
14
Spencer Petras, Iowa
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 20.7
Total Before Last Week | 23.1
Ranking Last Week | 14 (⇔ no change)
13
Evan Simon, Rutgers
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 40.1
Total Before Last Week | 38.1
Ranking Last Week | 13 (⇔ no change)
12
Connor Bazelak, Indiana
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 48.3
Total Before Last Week | 42.5
Ranking Last Week | 11 (⇓ one spot)
11
Ryan Hilinski, Northwestern
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 48.8
Total Before Last Week | 47.4
Ranking Last Week | 12 (⇑ one spot)
10
Casey Thompson, Nebraska
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 54.3
Total Before Last Week | 53.3
Ranking Last Week | 10 (⇔ one spot)
9
Payton Thorne, Michigan State
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 61.7
Total Before Last Week | 61.7
Ranking Last Week | 8 (⇓ one spot)
8
Tanner Morgan, Minnesota
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 62.4
Total Before Last Week | 62.8
Ranking Last Week | 8 (⇓ one spot)
7
Graham Mertz, Wisconsin
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 63.0
Total Before Last Week | 59.1
Ranking Last Week | 9 (⇑ two spots)
6
Sean Clifford, Penn State
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 73.2
Total Before Last Week | 65.4
Ranking Last Week | 6 (⇔ no change)
5
Aidan O'Connell, Purdue
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 74.9
Total Before Last Week | 77.3
Ranking Last Week | 3 (⇓ two spots)
4
Taulia Tagovailoa, Maryland
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 75.2
Total Before Last Week | 77.3
Ranking Last Week | 5 (⇑ one spot)
3
Tommy DeVito, Illinois
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 75.3
Total Before Last Week | 74.8
Ranking Last Week | 4 (⇑ one spot)
2
J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 81.2
Total Before Last Week | 81.2
Ranking Last Week | 2 (⇔ no change)
1
C.J. Stroud, Ohio State
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 92.6
Total Before Last Week | 94.4
Ranking Last Week | 1 (⇔ no change)
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