Sept. 1 update: This page has been updated to add Maryland's starting quarterback.
Maryland's players know who will start at quarterback for them on Saturday, the rest of us will find out when the Terps take their first snap against Florida Atlantic, somewhere in the 12:15 to 12:30 p.m. window Eastern time.
But time waits for no man, and our series studying how major college football programs find their starting quarterbacks rolls on. Today, we wrap up the Power 4.
No matter who takes the first snap against FAU, he'll be a new starter because the Terps' 2024 starter, Billy Edwards, Jr., is now at Wisconsin. In total, 11 of the 18 B1G QB1s will be new to the job. The median Big Ten quarterback has 13.5 starts.
Stepping away from College Park, the Big Ten actually outpaces the SEC with six 5-star signal callers to the SEC's four, by a technicality. Ohio State's Julian Sayin signed with Alabama out of high school, and UCLA's Nico Iamaleava was Tennessee's Nico Iamaleava until late spring shenanigans came to light. However, Big Ten schools are also unafraid to start their franchise players as true freshmen when they get them -- after Nebraska plugged in Dylan Raiola from day one, the No. 21 player in the 247Sports composite for the class of 2024, Michigan is now prepared to do the same with the No. 1 player in the class of 2025. Maryland is also widely expected to start Top 100 4-star true freshman Malik Washington. We'll find out for sure on Saturday.
The Big Ten also starts twice as many Class of 2024 products than the ACC, Big 12 and SEC combined.
All told, 5 of 17 named starters signed with their respective schools out of high school
10 of 18 schools will start first-time starters
11 of 17 named starters redshirted at some point in their careers
B1G QB1s by Signing Class:
2025: 2
2024: 4
2023: 4
2022: 3
2021: 4
2020: 1
B1G QB1s by Home State:
3: California, Michigan
2: Illinois
1: Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Mississippi, Ohio, Texas, Virginia
B1G QB1s by Recruiting Ranking:
5-star: 6
4-star, Top 100: 1
4-star, 101 or below: 5
3-star: 4
2-star: 1
Unrated: 1
Luke Altmyer, Illinois
fifth-year senior with 23 starts (13 at Illinois); signed with Ole Miss out of Starkville, Miss.; 4-star recruit in the class of 2021
Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
redshirt junior with 19 starts (none at IU); signed with Cal out of Miami; 2-star recruit in the class of 2022
Mark Gronowski, Iowa
sixth-year senior with 55 starts (none at Iowa); signed with South Dakota State out of Naperville, Ill.; unrated recruit in the class of 2020
Malik Washington, Maryland
true freshman; signed with Maryland out of Glen Burnie, Md.; Top 100 4-star recruit in the class of 2025
Bryce Underwood, Michigan
true freshman; signed with Michigan out of Belleville, Mich.; 5-star recruit in the class of 2025
Aidan Chiles, Michigan State
true junior with 12 starts; signed with Oregon State out of Long Beach, Calif.; 4-star recruit in the class of 2023
Drake Lindsey, Minnesota
redshirt freshman and a first-time starter; signed with Minnesota out of Fayetteville, Ark.; 3-star recruit in the class of 2024
Dylan Raiola, Nebraska
true sophomore with 13 starts; signed with Nebraska out of Buford, Ga; 5-star recruit in the class of 2024
Preston Stone, Northwestern
fifth-year senior with 18 starts (none at NU); signed with SMU out of Dallas; 4-star recruit in the class of 2021
Julian Sayin, Ohio State
true sophomore and a first-time starter; signed with Alabama out of Carlsbad, Calif.; 5-star recruit in the class of 2024
Dante Moore, Oregon
redshirt sophomore with five starts (none at Oregon); signed with UCLA out of Detroit; 5-star recruit in the class of 2023
Drew Allar, Penn State
true senior with 29 career starts; signed with Penn State out of Medina, Ohio; 5-star recruit in the class of 2022
Ryan Browne, Purdue
redshirt sophomore with two starts; signed with Purdue out of Clarkston, Mich.; 3-star recruit in the class of 2023
Athan Kaliakmanis, Rutgers
fifth-year senior with 30 starts (13 at Rutgers); signed with Minnesota out of Antioch, Ill.; 4-star recruit in the class of 2021
Nico Iamaleava, UCLA
redshirt sophomore with 14 career starts (none at UCLA); signed with Tennessee out of Long Beach, Calif; 5-star recruit in the class of 2023
Jayden Maiava, USC
redshirt junior with 18 starts (four at USC); signed with UNLV out of Palolo, Hawaii; 3-star recruit in the class of 2022
Demond Williams, Jr., Washington
true sophomore with two starts; signed with Arizona out of Chandler, Ariz.; 4-star recruit in the class of 2024
Billy Edwards, Jr., Wisconsin
fifth-year senior with 14 starts (none at Wisconsin); signed with Wake Forest out of Springfield, Va.; 3-star recruit in the class of 2021
CUMULATIVE DATA
25 of 68 anticipated starters signed with their current school out of high school
38 of 68 are first-time starters at their current school
51 of 68 redshirted at some point in their career
FBS QB1s by Signing Class
2025: 4
2024: 6
2023: 17
2022: 17
2021: 15
2020: 8
2019: 1
FBS QB1s by Recruiting Ranking
5-star: 12
4-star, Top 100: 5
4-star, 101 or below: 25
3-star: 21
2-star: 2
Unrated: 3
FBS QB1s by Home State
18: Texas
10: California
5: Florida, Georgia
4: Michigan
3: Arizona, Louisiana
2: Alabama, Hawaii, Illinois, Ohio, Tennessee
1: Arkansas, Kansas, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia