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The college football season is right around the corner, and it is going to be an exciting one in the Big Ten. The conference is loaded with good teams, and there are high expectations after back-to-back national championships. Michigan won it all in 2023, and Ohio State captured the crown last season. There should be a good amount of teams that are still alive and contending for a national championship at the end of the 2025 season, and it will be exciting to see if another team from this conference can pull it off.
In terms of contenders in the Big Ten, Ohio State, Penn State and Oregon are the teams that you can essentially write in to make the College Football Playoff. All three teams made it last year, and they are all expected to be among the best teams in the country this year as well. Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and USC are all teams to watch, too. The Hoosiers and Wolverines both have CFP experience, and they are hoping to make it again. USC and Illinois are looking for their first appearance.
All in all, there is a lot of talent in the Big Ten. That talent is going to be spread out all over the field, but we all know where talent is needed the most: at quarterback. Here are the best QBs in the Big Ten for the 2025 season:
5. Nico Iamaleava, UCLA
One of the most intriguing transfers in the country falls at No. 5 on our list. Nico Iamaleava left Tennessee in dramatic fashion during the spring, and he ended up in the Big Ten with UCLA. Iamaleava earned the starting job for the Volunteers for the first time last season, and he showed a lot of promise. He finished the year with 2,616 passing yards, and he tossed 19 touchdowns and just five interceptions. He is a very talented player, and he could be exactly what UCLA needs to flip the trajectory of the program. The Bruins were one of the worst teams in the conference last season, but with solid QB play, they might be able to turn it around.
4. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
Another transfer is up next on the list as Fernando Mendoza was a huge addition to the Indiana football team this offseason. Mendoza put together an incredibly impressive season at Cal last year as he completed just under 69% of his passes, and he threw for over 3,000 yards. He also tossed 16 touchdown passes and just six interceptions. The Golden Bears aren't a great football program, so Mendoza decided to hit the portal in the offseason.
Indiana isn't typically a big improvement from Cal, but it is now. Curt Cignetti turned things around completely for the Hoosiers in just one season, taking the team all the way to the College Football Playoff. Indiana was one of the biggest surprises in college football last season, and with more experience at the QB position this year, the team could very well make another run to the CFP.
3. Luke Altmyer, Illinois
Speaking of teams that can make a run to the CFP, let's talk about Illinois and its experienced QB Luke Altmyer. Like Indiana, Illinois is a school that typically struggles in football, but Bret Bielema has the Fighting Illini trending in the right direction. Altmyer is a big reason why. Last season, Illinois ended up winning 10 games, and Altmyer had a fantastic season. He threw for over 2,700 yards, and he finished with 22 touchdowns and six picks. That will do the trick.
Altmyer has gotten better and better throughout his career, and he is now exactly what you want in a college football QB. He has a ton of experience, he has shown the ability to excel, and he is a terrific leader. The Illinois football team is expected to be a contender in the Big Ten, and Altmyer is good enough to take the team to the CFP for the first time in program history.
2. Dylan Raiola, Nebraska
Nebraska QB Dylan Raiola is going to be an exciting player to watch next year. Raiola was far from perfect last season, but he was also a true freshman starting in arguably the toughest conference in college football. Going from high school ball to immediately starting in the Big Ten isn't easy, and Raiola was still one of the better QBs in the conference. He finished the season with over 2,800 yards, but his touchdown to interception ratio wasn't great. He tossed 13 touchdown passes and threw 11 picks. That will need to improve.
Raiola came to Nebraska with a ton of hype, and that hype is still there. He experienced some growing pains during his freshman season, but he still helped get Nebraska to a bowl game for the first time since 2016. He should take some big strides during this offseason, and he should be one of the better QBs in the country next year.
1. Drew Allar, Penn State
No surprises here. Penn State QB Drew Allar is the best QB in the Big Ten heading into the 2025 season. Allar was one of the best QBs in the conference last year as well, and now that Dillon Gabriel and Will Howard are off to the NFL, there is no one can be placed above Allar on this list. He has shown constant improvement during his Penn State career, and he is a tremendous leader both on and off the field. Last year was a big one for Allar, and he is expected to be even better this season.
Last year, Allar finished the season with 3,327 passing yards, and he tossed 24 touchdowns and just eight interceptions. The Penn State football team put together one of its best seasons in the last 10 years as it made it to the Big Ten title game and the College Football Playoff semifinals. The Nittany Lions are returning a ton of talent from last year's team, and no other player is more important than Allar. Penn State is a popular pick to win the Big Ten, and some are picking the Nittany Lions to win the national title as well.
As you can see, there is a lot of good talent at the QB position in the Big Ten this year. It was hard to pick just five players, too, as there are a lot of good players that weren't named here. It's going to be an exciting season in this conference.
