Six Big Ten quarterbacks to watch in Week 3

Week 3 creeps closer to the heart of Big Ten play and the league's QBs have some significant opportunities. From a dark-horse Heisman candidate opening league play to a backup with a chance to stake his claim to the starting job, there are plenty of Big Ten QB stories to watch in Week 3. Here are the biggest ones.

Danny O'Neil, Wisconsin

O'Neil, who transferred in from San Diego State, will apparently start for the second time this year for Wisconsin, this time against Alabama. Planned starter Billy Edwards is not yet back from injury and O'Neil could make his claim to the starting job with an upset or even a solid game against Alabama. So far, O'Neil has thrown for 403 yards and four scores. He'll be a big underdog Saturday, but could etch his name in Badger lore with one big victory.

Jayden Maiava, USC

Maiava left UNLV after a promising 2023 season. He split time with Miller Moss last year, but is now firmly entrenched at USC. His numbers have been otherworldly so far-- 707 yards and six TDs with 16.8 yards per pass attempt. He should be in good shape against Purdue, but Barry Odom will try to make him a little less comfortable than Maiava has been so far this season.

Drake Lindsey, Minnesota

In a league with a couple of highly-regarded freshman starting QBs, Lindsey is the one who sometimes slips under the radar. He has thrown for 429 yards and three scores despite not having to play very much in a beatdown of FCS Northwestern State. The Gophers have a road challenge in Week 3 against Cal. If Minnesota's going to have a competitive season, this is an opportunity for Lindsey to shine.

Dante Moore, Oregon

Moore, like the Ducks, has started the season red-hot. Moore has thrown for 479 yards and six scores. The Ducks open Big Ten play against Northwestern. It's highly unlikely that the Wildcats can give Oregon much of a game, but Moore is riding under the radar as a potential Heisman pick. Seeing him in his first conference action is an interesting story line for Week 3.

Bryce Underwood, Michigan

The much-hyped UM freshman star suddenly looked like a freshman in Week 2, going 9 for 24 for 142 yards. Week 3 will be much easier, as he faces Central Michigan instead of SEC contender Oklahoma. But how will Underwood bounce back? He carries the weight of significant expectations and should use the easy week to improve on a 54.5% completion percentage so far.

Julian Sayin, Ohio State

No, the Buckeyes are not on upset alert against the Ohio Bobcats. Ohio State hasn't lost to an in-state foe since 1921, and Saturday probably isn't that day. But Sayin got to show off a little of his big-play ability against FCS Grambling (18 for 19 for 306 yards). The chance to see a few more quarters of his play ahead of conference matchups makes for a deeply watchable experience.