Top quarterback battles to watch ahead of 2025

With all eyes now turned to the 2025 college football season, there’s no shortage of position battles to watch as we move through spring ball and into fall camp. And of course, no position battle is watched more closely than that of the quarterbacks. Interestingly enough, some of the top teams in the Big Ten conference will feature a legitimate battle for the QB1 spot, replacing the previous starter from the 2024 season.

Here are the three biggest Big Ten quarterback battles to keep your eye on during the off-season:

1. Michigan: Bryce Underwood vs. Mikey Keene

This will unquestionably be the closest watched quarterback battle of the off-season. Following a 2024 campaign where the Wolverines struggled mightily at the position, head coach Sherrone Moore made sure that Michigan wouldn’t have that same issue in 2025. Not only was he able to land veteran transfer QB Mikey Keene out of Fresno State, but Moore also spearheaded the effort to flip five-star Bryce Underwood from LSU. Underwood, the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2025 class, is widely viewed as a “franchise QB” and future first-round pick.

With Keene and Underwood in the mix, there’s strong belief that Michigan’s passing attack will improve significantly in 2025. Add in the fact that Moore brought in veteran offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey from North Carolina, and it sure seems like the Wolverines are poised for a major upgrade through the air.

2. Oregon: Dante Moore vs. Austin Novosad

Entering 2025, the widespread belief is that junior QB Dante Moore will be the starter for the Ducks this fall. But head coach Dan Lanning is certainly going to promote competition for that QB1 spot, and Moore’s primary competition appears to be redshirt sophomore Austin Novosad.

As a freshman at UCLA, Moore appeared in nine games and made five starts. He finished his freshman campaign completing 114-of-213 attempts for 1,610 yards, 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Following his freshman season at UCLA, Moore transferred to Oregon where he played behind veteran Dillon Gabriel in 2024.

Austin Novosad is a former four-star prospect in the 2023 class and has been with the Ducks for the last two seasons. He’s appeared in six games and has career numbers of 11-13 attempts for 59 yards. Moore certainly has the edge when it comes to experience, but Novosad is expected to put up a fight in fall camp.

3. Ohio State: Julian Sayin vs. Lincoln Kienholz

It seems to be business as usual for Ohio State in 2025, as the Buckeyes have no shortage of great options to sort through at quarterback. And while incoming five-star freshman Tavien St. Clair could certainly make some noise during camp, the primary battle for the QB1 spot at this point appears to be between Julian Sayin and Lincoln Kienholz.

Head coach Ryan Day recently made it clear that the QB position is wide open heading into 2025, and that he expects a fierce battle.

“It’ll be a very fierce competition. Lincoln and Julian and then Tavien. We’re excited to see those guys compete. We’ll chart everything and everything will be a competition.” 

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