Week 2 turned the Big Ten quarterback board upside down, and the top of the list now belongs to Indiana’s Josh Hoover. After another spotless, high-scoring start, Hoover moves to No. 1 in the conference rankings heading into Week 3.
Hoover has been as sharp as anyone in the league so far. In Indiana’s 55-0 rout of Howard, he threw four touchdown passes for the second straight game, and three of them went to wide receiver Charlie Becker.
Neither player came back after halftime. Through two games, the TCU transfer is 19 of 27 for 376 yards, eight touchdowns and no interceptions.
Behind him, USC’s Jayden Maiava keeps climbing on the strength of a huge response after an early mistake. He threw an interception on the Trojans’ opening drive, then bounced right back with a career-best five touchdown passes in a 49-30 win over Louisiana.
Two of those scores went to freshman tight end Mark Bowman. Through three games, Maiava is 67 of 83 for 896 yards, 10 touchdowns and one interception.
Iowa State transfer Rocco Becht holds steady near the top after a strong showing in Philadelphia. He threw for 268 yards and three touchdowns, with two of those going to tight end Benjamin Brahmer, as Penn State shook off a slow first quarter and took control in the third. Becht has opened his season with 34 completions on 45 attempts for 539 yards, seven touchdowns and no interceptions.
Ohio State’s Julian Sayin takes the biggest hit among the high-end names, falling from No. 1 to No. 4 after the Buckeyes’ 24-23 loss at No. 4 Texas.
He still connected with Jeremiah Smith on a 19-yard touchdown to help Ohio State build a 23-3 lead, but his 53% completion rate was the lowest of his career as a starter. The drop reflects the quarterbacks ahead of him as much as anything Sayin did.
Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer had one of the more productive afternoons in the group, even in a loss. He threw three first-half touchdown passes to Collin Dixon, who posted career highs with 11 catches and 166 yards, but Illinois managed only a field goal after halftime.
Altmyer’s fourth-quarter interception ended a drive with the Illini trailing 31-27. He’s up to 453 passing yards, six touchdowns and one interception this season.
Michigan’s Bryce Underwood is back inside the top eight after the Wolverines’ 17-10 win over No. 11 Oklahoma.
Michigan leaned on the run, and Underwood finished with a game-high 87 rushing yards and a 38-yard touchdown run. He attempted only four passes after halftime.
“My guys trusted me to carry the ball,” he said.
Oregon quarterback Dante Moore slips four spots after the Ducks’ loss to an Oklahoma State team that had entered on a 12-game losing streak. Moore opened 3 of 11 for 17 yards, then settled in with second-half touchdown passes of 36 and 38 yards. He was sacked four times, but he still has not thrown an interception this season.
Maryland’s Malik Washington gets back into the top eight after a record-setting efficiency day. He completed 18 straight passes, the program’s longest streak since at least 1953, and finished with a career-high 82.9% completion rate. “Malik was really efficient today,” Maryland head coach Michael Locksley said.
Three quarterbacks sit just outside that group: Washington’s Demond Williams Jr., Minnesota’s Drake Lindsey and Purdue’s Ryan Browne. Williams went 26 of 41 for 249 yards without a touchdown in a 16-14 win over Utah State.
Lindsey completed 31 of 48 passes for 279 yards in Minnesota’s 38-13 loss to Mississippi State. Browne set a career high with 329 passing yards, but Purdue fell 38-36 to Wake Forest in double overtime.
Nebraska’s Anthony Colandrea and Michigan State’s Alessio Milivojevic also drew attention in Week 2. Colandrea completed 20 of 24 passes for 222 yards and a career-high four touchdowns, all in the first half, during Nebraska’s 56-7 win over Bowling Green. Milivojevic finished 12 of 20 for 170 yards and two touchdowns in Michigan State’s 35-7 win over Eastern Michigan.
In Other News...
Indiana Just Got Bad News In A Key 2027 Recruiting Fight
Indianas push to reshape its frontcourt already had an important early piece in place with Felix Kiehlneker, the 7-foot-1 German center who committed to the Hoosiers as part of the 2027 class. That addition fit neatly with Darian DeVries plan to lean hard into size and interior talent after last seasons struggles, and it gave Indiana a foothold in a recruiting cycle where the paint is clearly a priority.
The next step has gotten more complicated with five-star target Darius Wabbington, one of the top names on Indianas board, moving up his official visit to Illinois. For a program trying to build momentum in the frontcourt, any shift like that matters, especially when a rival is pressing harder for the same elite big man. The Hoosiers still have time to make their case, but the race for Wabbington now looks a little tighter than it did before. [Read more 🡒]
Indianas Easy Schedule Just Sparked A Bigger Hoosiers Debate
Indianas non-conference football schedule has become more than a calendar note, and under the current College Football Playoff setup it carries real strategic weight. Choosing lighter early opponents can reduce the chance of an early stumble that might damage playoff hopes, and it is easy to see why a coaching staff would value that margin for error.
Still, the approach comes with a tradeoff that keeps surfacing in the broader discussion around the Hoosiers. Easier games may protect the record, but they can also leave less room for competitive preparation and player development, which is why there is a growing case for wanting a tougher slate even while understanding the logic behind the way it is built. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Backfield Suddenly Looks Like A Real Big Ten Strength
The backfield conversation around Indiana has changed quickly enough that its worth pausing on, because Turbo Richards arrival has brought a different kind of speed and a different kind of fit to Coach Millers offense. A former Boston College running back, Richard has talked about the adjustment to the Big Tens pace and physicality, and about how the system has challenged him to sharpen everything from practice habits to game execution. Hes also been part of a pairing with Lee Beebe Jr. that gives Indiana more than one way to attack defenses, which is exactly the sort of depth this league tends to reward.
Richards own profile helps explain why the Hoosiers think this can work. He brings top-end speed, but hes also comfortable in short-yardage situations, which makes him more than just a one-note big-play threat. The real question now is how far that combination can carry Indiana as the competition stiffens, because the early signs suggest the Hoosiers may have found a backfield that can handle different game scripts, even if the next step will be proving it when the stakes rise. [Read more 🡒]