Is Colton Joseph the Big Ten's Best Incoming Group of Six Quarterback Transfer?

The national conversation around Wisconsin quarterback Colton Joseph has been interesting and quite divided this offseason.

One one hand, Joseph has been praised by national outlets who believe he's got the juice to jump-start Wisconsin's stagnant offense.

On the other, he's also caught all kinds of strays from certain national media that either isn't familiar with his game or doesn't think it's going to work in Madison.

Either way, Joseph was recently ranked as the No. 8 returning quarterback in the Big Ten according to Pro Football Focus' grades, behind fellow Group of Six transfers Anthony Colandrea and Katin Houser.

That got me thinking — who's really the Big Ten's best incoming quarterback transfer from the G6 level?

Of the 18 programs in the Big Ten, three are projected to start Group of Six transfer quarterbacks: Wisconsin, Illinois and Nebraska. Badgers On SI takes a look at all three before deciding which school will deploy the best G6 transfer.

Colton Joseph

What sets Joseph apart from the other two gunslingers here is his mobility. Sure, Colandrea's legs are certainly dangerous as well, but Joseph nearly had more rushing yards than Colandrea has in his entire career last season alone. In terms of speed, escapability and pure dual-threat ability, Joseph has the clear leg up.

Where he isn't quite as strong as the other two is through the air. While both Houser and Colandrea both threw for at least 3,300 yards last season, Joseph didn't sniff that, tossing for just 2,624. He wasn't as efficient as the other two either, as his completion percentage just a hair under 60 falls behind Houser and Colandrea who both notched exactly 65.9 percent completion last fall.

Katin Houser (Illinois)

East Carolina Pirates quarterback Katin Houser. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Houser looks firmly like the best passer out of this group. He piloted the No. 19 passing offense in the country in yards per game last fall, and he's a big, tall pocket passer who can absolutely sling it downfield.

The former Michigan State Spartan and East Carolina Pirate also notched nine rushing touchdowns in 2025, but also only 193 yards and 2.3 yards per carry. Houser is a physical runner down near the goal line, but he's not breaking big runs or orchestrating improbable escapes from a crumbling pocket — don't mistake him for a dual threat.

Anthony Colandrea (Nebraska)

UNLV quarterback Anthony Colandrea. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Colandrea, like Houser, already got a shot at the Power Four level with Virginia, and it didn't go all that well. However, the slight (generously listed 6-foot tall) quarterback was extremely entertaining last fall in Las Vegas, racking up over 4,000 total yards and 33 touchdowns.

Colandrea was also the product of a top-20 UNLV offense that stuffed the stat sheet the entire season. And while the quarterback is certainly mobile, he never topped 100 yards rushing and his best total on the ground (93 yards) came in Week 1 against FCS Idaho State. Unlike Joseph, Colandrea wasn't taking over any games with his legs.

The verdict

It's not easy to directly compare all three gunslingers because each one is very different. Houser looks like the best passer of the three, while Joseph is pretty clearly the best dual-threat. Otherwise, they're not easy to rank and differentiate.

Ultimately, Joseph pretty clearly has the most upside with his combination of mobility and arm talent, especially because he hasn't player in the Power Four yet. Again, both Houser and Colandrea began their careers at the Power Four level and were forced to transfer down to the G6.

Houser probably has the highest floor given his proven ability as a pocket passer. But again, the highest ceiling — and highest upside — belongs to Joseph. And if you're bringing in a G6 quarterback transfer, that's exactly what you're looking for.

What all of that being said, here's how I'd rank the Big Ten's three incoming G6 transfer quarterbacks: 1) Joseph, 2) Houser and 3) Colandrea.

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