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Predicting the Winners of College Football’s QB Competitions

By Nicholas Ian Allen

Jan 3, 2014; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Braxton Miller (5) runs past Clemson Tigers safety Robert Smith (27) for a touchdown in the first half during the 2014 Orange Bowl college football game at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 3, 2014; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Braxton Miller (5) runs past Clemson Tigers safety Robert Smith (27) for a touchdown in the first half during the 2014 Orange Bowl college football game at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 3, 2014; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Braxton Miller (5) runs past Clemson Tigers safety Robert Smith (27) for a touchdown in the first half during the 2014 Orange Bowl college football game at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 3, 2014; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Braxton Miller (5) runs past Clemson Tigers safety Robert Smith (27) for a touchdown in the first half during the 2014 Orange Bowl college football game at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /

The most unique quarterback competition in recent memory is far from over in Columbus, Ohio as the defending national champions have three of the most talented signal callers in the nation to choose from.

Braxton Miller was the Big Ten’s Offensive Player of the Year in both 2012 (when he also finished in the top five of the voting for the Heisman Trophy) and 2013. Unfortunately, he suffered a torn labrum last summer and missed the entire 2014 season.

Losing a Heisman contending quarterback would be devastating for most coaches, but Urban Meyer had redshirt freshman J.T. Barrett to turn to.

Barrett was spectacular in his first career start against Navy in Week 1, but was dreadful (9-for-29, 219 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT) against Virginia Tech in a 35-21 loss in Week 2. At that point, most college football fans wrote off Barrett and the Buckeyes. Of course, the 6-foot-1, 225-pound Texan responded with a school record 3,772 total yards (2,834 passing, 938 rushing) and set a Big Ten record with 45 total touchdowns (34 passing, 11 rushing).

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Then Barrett fractured his ankle in the regular-season finale against Michigan, which surely doomed Ohio State in their quest to overcome the early season upset and make it to the College Football Playoff.

Instead, Meyer called on third-year sophomore Cardale Jones, who was a combined 46-for-75 passing (61.3%) for 742 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions in victories over Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game, Alabama in the Sugar Bowl national semifinal and Oregon in the CFP National Championship Game. An NFL prototype at 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds, Jones can also run and added 89 rushing yards and a touchdown in the three games, giving him nearly 300 yards on the ground for the season.

Following the whirlwind end to the season, Jones went from third-string QB to holding a press conference to announce he wouldn’t be leaving Ohio State for the NFL Draft (where he was considered a possible first round pick).

With Barrett and Miller not yet 100%, Jones led the Buckeye the majority of the spring. However, it’s difficult to see him winning the job come fall.

A dynamic playmaker with three year’s of experience under his belt, Miller is a perfect fit in Meyer’s spread option offense. So as long as he fully recovers, the 6-foot-2, 215-pound veteran is likely to be the starter as a senior in 2015.

But should something happen to Miller (or Barrett or Jones), the Buckeyes are in good hands.

Projected Starter: Braxton Miller

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