Ranking The Most Dangerous Big Ten Quarterbacks Oregon Will Face

The Oregon Ducks are deep into winter workouts as they build toward the 2026 campaign, and with national previews and “way-too-early” projections flooding in, enthusiasm is only growing for football’s return.

Across every conference - including the Big Ten - the quarterback landscape is constantly shifting from season to season. Whether through the transfer portal, in-house development, or the arrival of game-ready recruits, the Big Ten is once again expected to reload with formidable starters after capturing the past three national championship titles.

Dec 20, 2025; Eugene, OR, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) looks on before the game against the James Madison Dukes at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

So, let's rank the potential starting quarterbacks Oregon will face in their 2026-2027 Big Ten schedule.

Dec 31, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback TJ Lateef (14) throws the ball in the second half against the Utah Utes during the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

No. 9 Nebraska Cornhuskers: TJ Lateef

Scheduled game against the Oregon Ducks: Oct. 17 at Autzen Stadium

With former Cornhusker starter Dylan Raiola signing with the Ducks, Nebraska now leans on second-up quarterback TJ Lateef. Entering his second year with Nebraska, Lateef played in seven games in the 2025-2026 season with limited playing time, putting up 904 yards and a 60.2 completion percentage. Frankly, Lateef is at the bottom due to a lack of on-field time.

Nebraska facing Ohio State, Oregon, Washington, Indiana, and Iowa this upcoming season is certainly a challenging way to see what Lateef is made of.

Nov 22, 2025; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Michigan State Spartans quarterback Alessio Milivojevic (11) throws a pass against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the first quarter at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

No. 8 Michigan State Spartans: Alessio Milivojevic

Scheduled game against the Oregon Ducks: Nov. 21 at Spartan Stadium

Due to experience and strength of teams played in the past, Milivojevic beats out Lateef. Milivojevic saw action in nine games last season for the Spartans, putting up 1,267 yards and 10 touchdowns with just three interceptions. Those are good looking numbers for a back up, but his inexperience overall and lack of success in the run in the later half of last season (-53 rushing yards off 13 attempts against Minnesota) need to be disproven on the field before a late Nov. game against the Ducks.

Oct 16, 2025; Greenville, North Carolina, USA; East Carolina Pirates quarterback Katin Houser (4) throws the ball against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane during the second half at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images | James Guillory-Imagn Images

No. 7 Illinois Fighting Illini: Katin Houser

Scheduled game against the Oregon Ducks: Oct. 24 at Gies Memorial Stadium

The likely starter due to being selected from the transfer portal in early January, the former Eastern Carolina University starter has one final year of eligibility to burn with the Fighting Illini. In his last two seasons with the Pirates, Houser put up 5,306 yards, 37 touchdowns and 17 interceptions with a 17-9 overall record. He's also a former Big Ten quarterback, starting his career out at Michigan State.

Michigan State's quarterback Aiden Chiles leaves the field after the Spartans loss to UCLA on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

No. 6 Northwestern Wildcats: Aiden Chiles

Scheduled game against the Oregon Ducks: Oct. 31 at Autzen Stadium

On the long road of transferring, Aiden Chiles found a home at Northwestern after stints with the Michigan State Spartans and the Oregon State Beavers. Now a junior, Chiles will match-up with new Northwestern offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, who helped the Ohio State Buckeyes win a National Championship title in 2024.

Chiles showed progressive improvement in accuracy during his two years with the Spartans, and a new coordinator in the mix makes this new Wildcat interesting.

Dec 31, 2025; Orlando, FL, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood (19) throws the ball against the Texas Longhorns during the second half at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

No. 5 Michigan Wolverines: Bryce Underwood

Scheduled game against the Oregon Ducks: Nov. 14 at Autzen Stadium

The entry of coach Kyle Whittingham from Utah makes the quarterback situation at Michigan interesting, especially since Bryce Underwood has yet to perform to the expectations doled out by his NIL earnings. Underwood shows promise in his mobility from his true freshman year, amassing 392 yards off 88 carries. With a 60 percent completion rating in passing, Underwood clocked in 2,428 total passing yards last season, and left a bit to be desired in terms of execution in the red zone.

Nov 22, 2025; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) sets to pass the ball during the first half against the Washington Huskies at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

No. 4 UCLA Bruins: Nico Iamaleava

Scheduled game against the Oregon Ducks: Oct. 10 at Autzen Stadium

Though Iamaleava has a transfer portal history for the ages, it seems he's found a home with the Bruins. Though UCLA is turning over their staff, incoming head coach Bob Chesney comes from James Madison, a school in which he coached a very mobile quarterback like Iamaleava, who put up 505 yards off 112 carries in the 2025-2026 season.

Though his total passing yards are lower than other quarterbacks in the conference at 1,928 passing yards last season, the incoming fourth year quarterback put up impressive numbers against Penn State and USC.

Dec 13, 2025; Inglewood, CA, USA; Washington Huskies quarterback Demond Williams Jr. (2) is forced out of bounds by Boise State Broncos defensive back Jeremiah Earby (6) after a catching a pass in the second half of the LA Bowl at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

No. 3 Washington Huskies: Demond Williams

Scheduled game against the Oregon Ducks: Nov. 28 at Autzen Stadium

Transfer portal drama aside, Demond Williams returns to the Huskies with experience and talent. In his second year with the Ducks, Williams put up 3,065 passing yards with 25 passing touchdowns. His strength lies in his rushing yards, with 611 total yards last season off 143 carries and six touchdowns.

Against the Ducks last season at Husky Stadium, Williams had his worst passing percentage of the season at 50 percent with two interceptions. If Williams can recontrol the leadership dynamic in the locker room and cement his rushing abilities, he'll be tricky to handle.

Dec 30, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) throws the ball against the TCU Horned Frogs in the first half during the Alamo Bowl at Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

No. 2 USC Trojans: Jayden Maiava

Scheduled game against the Oregon Ducks: Sept. 26 at LA Memorial Coliseum

One of the more experienced quarterbacks the Ducks will face this season, Maiava returns for his senior season after two years with the Trojans. Last year, Maiava not only hit a college career high of 3,711 yards in the passing game, but he somewhat returned to using his legs like in his freshman year at UNLV with 157 yards off 54 carries for six touchdowns.

In the passing game is where Maiava is at his strongest with 9.2 average yards per passing attempt despite getting sacked 14 times last season. Agaisnt the Ducks at Autzen Stadium last year, Maiava got four quarterback hurries and two interceptions, something Oregon's mostly returning defensive line can recreate.

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Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin (10) motions during the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas for the College Football Playoff quarterfinal game against the Miami Hurricanes on Dec. 31, 2025. Ohio State lost 24-14. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes: Julian Sayin

Scheduled game against the Oregon Ducks: Nov. 7 at Ohio Stadium

One of the finalist for the 2025 Heisman Trophy Award, Ohio State's Julian Sayin is the toughest quarterback the Ducks will face, and arguably the best returning quarterback in the conference.

Entering his third year with the Buckeyes (second as a starter), Sayin put up 3,610 passing yards and 32 passing touchdowns with a 77 percent passing accuracy rating in the 2025-2026 season.

Oregon has yet to face Sayin on the field as a starter, but one thing to look for in his previous season is clocking in -44 yards in rushing. Sayin also has to face a season opener against Texas, then Indiana and USC before welcoming Oregon to Buckeye country. So there's a chance the junior may be dinged up by the time the Ducks visit.