Big Ten passing yardage leaders after Week 1

The 2026 season could be a big one for Big Ten quarterbacks. With some potential Heisman Trophy candidates throwing passes around the Big Ten and impact newcomers to keep on your radar, the Big Ten showed why there is so much promise for a number of quarterbacks this season after Week 1. USC quarter

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The 2026 season could be a big one for Big Ten quarterbacks. With some potential Heisman Trophy candidates throwing passes around the Big Ten and impact newcomers to keep on your radar, the Big Ten showed why there is so much promise for a number of quarterbacks this season after Week 1.

USC quarterback Jayden Maiava holds the top spot in the passing yardage leaderboard early on in the Big Ten, but it is worth noting that he has the benefit of USC being the only Big Ten team to have played two games already. USC played in Week 0, allowing Maiava to get a jump on the passing stats. That should help him stay on top of the Big Ten leaderboard for a little bit.

Oregon's Dante Moore had a big day with his passing production in a win at home against

Boise State, and the Ducks needed every bit of it in a close contest with the upset-minded Broncos. Ohio State's Julian Sayin and Purdue's Ryan Browne also passed for over 300 yards in their season debut.

Other quarterbacks with solid debuts with their new teams included Penn State's Rocco Becht and Indiana's Josh Hoover. Both transfer additions passed for four touchdowns in their first games with their respective new programs.

Here are the Big Ten's top 10 passing yardage leaders after Week 1.

1. Jayden Maiava, USC

Sep 4, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) throws the ball before the game against the Fresno State Bulldogs at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Passing yards: 635
Passing TDs: 5
Interceptions: 0

2. Dante Moore, Oregon

Passing yards: 378
Passing TDs: 3
Interceptions: 0

3. Julian Sayin, Ohio State

Passing yards: 320
Passing TDs: 3
Interceptions: 0

4. Ryan Browne, Purdue

Passing yards: 317
Passing TDs: 3
Interceptions: 0

5. Anthony Colandrea, Nebraska

Passing yards: 275
Passing TDs: 3
Interceptions: 0

6. Aidan Chiles, Northwestern

Passing yards: 273
Passing TDs: 1
Interceptions: 0

7. Rocco Becht, Penn State

Sep 5, 2026; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Rocco Becht (3) throws a pass during the first quarter against the Marshall Thundering Herd at West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Passing yards: 271
Passing TDs: 4
Interceptions: 0

8. Demond Williams Jr., Washington

Passing yards: 268
Passing TDs: 1
Interceptions: 0

9. Drake Lindsey, Minnesota

Passing yards: 264
Passing TDs: 1
Interceptions: 0

10. Alessio Milojevic, Michigan State

Passing yards: 247
Passing TDs: 1
Interceptions: 0

Kevin McGuire is the lead writer for Nittany Lions Wire, part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow him on BlueSky, Threads or any of these other platforms.

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This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Big Ten passing yardage leaders after Week 1