Penn State football is nearly back for 2026. The Nittany Lions' season and home opener vs. Marshall is slated for Saturday, Sept. 5.
We won't see Big Ten action for a few weeks as they take on their non-conference schedule to start the season, but that doesn't mean we can't preview the talent they'll face at quarterback once conference play starts. It'll be interesting to see how some of these projected starters pan out during the season, especially considering Penn State has a pretty light Big Ten slate.
Here's a preseason ranking and grouping of the projected Big Ten quarterbacks the Nittany Lions have on their schedule.
Wild Cards
Some teams still have uncertainties under center, whether it's because they still don't know who their starter actually is yet or because they're taking a gamble in hopes their starter sorts out inconsistencies. By the time they face the Nittany Lions, these quarterbacks might not even be on the field or they might be at a low point of their performance rollercoaster.
Scheduled: Week 12 at Penn State
Surace is a little difficult to judge considering he only played in three contests his sophomore year. He was four-of-nine for 58 passing yards and two touchdowns, which was good for a 44.4 completion percentage.
He also might not even be the starter long-term. By the time the Scarlet Knights visit Happy Valley, Penn State might face former Boston College quarterback Dylan Lonergan. If we Lonergan was the projected starter, Rutgers would probably bump up a spot. The ongoing quarterback competition, though, is shaky to judge when other squads have their starters set.
Scheduled: Week 9 at Penn State
The only reason Browne isn't ninth on this list is because the starting job at Rutgers is truly up in the air and Surace has only played in three games over his college career so far.
Browne was 199-of-338 in 2025 for 2,153 yards and nine touchdowns across 12 games. He finished his sophomore season with a 58.9 completion percentage and a 115.3 passing efficiency rating. He also threw 10 interceptions. There was some success on the ground with 206 rushing yards and four scores, but his Big Ten stats is where he truly falters. Browne averaged 5.6 passing yards per attempt, and he had the second-to-last quarterback rating at 55.5. The only quarterback rating lower than his was former Northwestern Wildcat Preston Stone.
Scheduled: Week 5 at Northwestern
Chiles spent the last two seasons at Michigan State, and despite the Nittany Lions having faced the Spartans in 2025, it wasn't Chiles who they went up against. Though the former Michigan State quarterback sustained a foot injury, Chiles had already lost the starting job in East Lansing by the time Penn State came to visit. Alessio Milivojevic, who was a redshirt freshman last season, beat Chiles out for the role.
Over nine games in 2025, Chiles was 128-of-203 for 1,392 yards and 10 touchdowns. He threw three interceptions, and finished with a 63.1 completion percentage and a passing efficiency rating of 134.0. Chiles finished ninth in the Big Ten in quarterback rating (68.3).
Positive Trajectory
This trio has a ton of potential for the 2026 season, and when Penn State has these teams on the schedule matters. Head coach Matt Campbell could get the best of two of these quarterbacks this season, and one will be a test for everyone on the field to see how both the Nittany Lions and their opponent adjust to the Big Ten.
Scheduled: Week 4 at Penn State
Joseph transferred to Wisconsin after spending two seasons at Old Dominion in the Sun Belt Conference. He finished third in the conference in quarterback rating (69.3).
Over 12 games, Joseph was 173-of-290 for 2,624 yards and 21 touchdowns. He threw 10 picks and finished with a 59.7 completion percentage and 152.7 passing efficiency rating. He's a more dynamic quarterback for the Badgers as he tacked on an additional 1,007 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground as a junior.
The only reason he isn't ranked higher is because of the conference jump, but he's still a new Wisconsin weapon with a lot of potential entering his senior season. If Penn State faced the Badgers later in the season, there's room to argue that Joseph could be placed a little higher on this list, but the Nittany Lions are his first Big Ten test.
Scheduled: Week 11 at Penn State
Lindsey definitely didn't rise to the top of the conference with a 62.3 quarterback rating (good for 11th in the Big Ten), but he found some stability during his first season as a starter.
The Golden Gopher was 246-of-389 for 2,382 yards and 18 touchdowns as a redshirt freshman over 13 games. He had a 63.2 completion percentage and 126.9 passing efficiency rating.
Lindsey's moving in the right direction. He set a program record by a freshman quarterback with eight wins and set single-season records as well. He's a young talent with a lot of potential. Considering how late in the season Penn State faces Minnesota, Lindsey could certainly have found his footing after playing Washington, Michigan, Iowa, and Indiana before the Nittany Lions.
Scheduled: Week 13 at Maryland
Washington finished 14th in the Big Ten in quarterback rating (58.3), but he offers a lot of potential entering his sophomore season.
He was 273-of-473 for 2,963 yards and 17 touchdowns over 12 games. He threw nine interceptions and had a 118.2 passing efficiency rating, but he's not afraid to take chances. Washington led the conference with 473 passing attempts. He also was Top 5 in the Big Ten in completions and passing yards per game while breaking a program record at Maryland for total passing yards by a freshman.
Washington and Lindsey could be swapped, but the Terrapins and Nittany Lions are each others' final opponent of the season.
The Big Three
The Nittany Lions' toughest opponents on the schedule also have the best three quarterbacks they face in 2026. These are the Big Ten tests for defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn just how these games are the biggest ones for Campbell in general this season.
Scheduled: Week 7 at Michigan
Underwood was seventh in quarterback rating (73.0) in 2025 after throwing 202-of-335 for 2,428 yards, 11 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He had a 60.3 completion percentage and 126.6 passing efficiency rating.
Michigan might be considered the toughest opponent on Penn State's schedule, but Underwood's growing pains in year one put him at the tail end of this tier. When he meets the Nittany Lions, he'll have games against Oklahoma and Iowa under his belt as well as Minnesota.
Scheduled: Week 10 at Washington
Williams ranked above Underwood at No. 6 in 2025 quarterback ratings (75.3). He was 246-of-354 for 3,065 yards and 25 touchdowns. He threw eight interceptions. Williams finished with a 69.5 completion percentage, which was good for fourth in the Big Ten, and a 161.0 passing efficiency rating.
His performance against ranked opponents wasn't anything to rave about last season, so it'll be interesting to see how he competes against a schedule that features USC, Iowa, Indiana, and Oregon alongside Penn State. That battle vs. the Trojans will be critical for the Nittany Lions as those two teams meet in Week 5 before the blue and white face either of them.
Scheduled: Week 6 at Penn State
Maiava led the Big Ten in quarterback rating (91.2) in 2025 by a 1.6 margin ahead of Ohio State's Julian Sayin. He completed 265-of-403 passes for 3,711 yards and 24 touchdowns. The rising senior had the most passing yards, yards per completion (14.0), and yards per game (285.5) in the conference last year. He also threw 10 interceptions. Maiava finished with a 65.8 completion rate and 157.8 passing efficiency rating.
Maiava's got a couple battles before Penn State in Oregon and Washington, so the increased competition compared to who the Nittany Lions play before Week 6 will test Lynn's defense when the Trojans come to town.
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