Ben Bryant

Northwestern quarterback Ben Bryant drops back to pass against Minnesota on Sept. 23, 2023.

Photo by: GRIFFIN QUINN/Northwestern Athletics

Northwestern quarterback Ben Bryant leaps over a Rutgers defender.

Photo by: GRIFFIN QUINN/Northwestern Athletics

July 25, 2023, Evanston, IL: Northwestern Football internal media day at Walter Athletics Center in Evanston, IL on Tuesday, July 25, 2023. (Photo by Stephen Carrera/Northwestern Athletics)

Height:
6-3
Weight:
220
Position:
QB
Class:
Sixth Year
Hometown:
La Grange, Ill.
High School:
Lyons Township
Prev School:
Cincinnati

2023 Graduate Student:

Played and started in nine games and completed 173-of-277 passes (62.5%) for 1,807 yards and 13 touchdowns with six interceptions, while also rushing for four touchdowns
Despite missing four games due to injury, finished eighth in the Big Ten Conference in passing touchdowns and ninth in passing yards
His 62.5% completion percentage ranks eighth in a single-season in school history, and was the best mark by a Northwestern quarterback since Dan Persa in 2011 (73.4%)
Posted a 128.4 passer efficiency rating, which ranks 10th in a single-season in school history, and is the best mark by a Wildcat quarterback since Dan Persa in 2011 (154.78)
Recorded a 2.17 touchdown-to-interception ratio, which ranks sixth in a single-season in school history … Best mark by a Northwestern quarterback since Clayton Thorson in 2016 (2.44)
In his first start at home, completed 11-of-17 passes for 116 yards with one passing and one rushing touchdown against UTEP (9/9) … Along with Jack Lausch, became the first tandem of Northwestern quarterbacks to both record a rushing touchdown in a game since Trevor Siemian and Matt Alviti against Notre Dame in 2014
Set career-highs of 396 passing yards and four passing touchdowns in an overtime win over Minnesota (9/23), while posting season-highs of 33 completions on 49 attempts … His four touchdown passes are tied for third-most in a game in program history and the most since Trevor Siemian recorded four in 2013 against Illinois … Threw a career-long 80-yard touchdown pass to Bryce Kirtz and tied for the sixth-longest passing play in program history
Named the Manning Award Quarterback of the Week following the win over Minnesota
Recorded his second rushing touchdown of the season against Penn State (9/30) before leaving the game in the second half with a shoulder injury
Missed all of October due to injury
Led Northwestern to a 4-0 record in the season’s final four games returning from injury
In his return, threw for 195 yards and two touchdowns and ran for one touchdown in Northwestern’s first road win at Wisconsin since 2015 (11/11) … Became the first Northwestern quarterback to throw for two touchdowns and rush for a score in a conference game since Clayton Thorson in 2018 against Illinois … Completed 18-of-26 passes, including eight straight in the first half
Threw for 230 yards and one touchdown in win against Purdue (11/18) in the final game at Ryan Field
Completed a season-high 75% of his passes (24-for-32) for 234 yards and two touchdowns alongside one rushing touchdown at Illinois (11/25) … His 15 rushing yards were his season-high
Led Northwestern to a Las Vegas Bowl victory and was named the game’s offensive MVP by throwing for 222 yards on 23-of-34 passing and throwing and rushing for a touchdown (12/23)

2022 (Cincinnati)

Started first 11 games before season-ending injury and completed 213-of-348 passes (61.2%) for 2,732 yards and 21 touchdowns against just seven interceptions
His 61.2 completion percentage ranked as the 10th-best in a single-season in Cincinnati history
Cincinnati went 9-2 in games he started
Finished sixth in American Athletic Conference averaging 248.4 passing yards per game
Logged three 300+ passing yard performances and eight multi-passing touchdown games
Opened the season by tossing for 325 yards and two scores at No. 19 Arkansas (9/3)
Completed a season-high 84.2 percent of his passes (16-of-19 passing) for 201 yards and three TDs against Kennesaw State (9/10)
Registered 337 passing yards, his second-highest of the season, with two touchdowns on 26-of-35 passing against Miami (OH) (9/17)
Tossed a season-high and tied his career-high with 354 yards and a career-high four touchdown passes versus Indiana (9/24)
Logged two passing touchdowns in back-to-back weeks against Tulsa (10/1) and USF (10/8)
Threw for exactly 298 yards in back-to-back weeks against UCF (10/29) and Navy (11/5)
Threw a season-long 76-yard touchdown pass against East Carolina (11/11)
Injured his foot at Temple (11/19) and missed the remainder of the season

2021 (Eastern Michigan)

Played in all 13 games and made 11 starts, completing 279-of-408 (68.4%) passes for 3,121 yards and 14 touchdowns with seven interceptions, while also rushing for two touchdowns
Ranked 11th nationally and led the Mid-American Conference completing 68.4% of his passes
Set the Eastern Michigan single-season record completing 279 passes
Registered 3,078 yards of total offense, the fifth-most in a single-season in school history
Average of 240.1 passing yards per game ranks eighth in a season in school history
Accounted for 495 total plays, the fourth-most in a season at Eastern Michigan
Named James M. “Bingo” Brown award recipient, given to EMU’s most outstanding offensive player
Named Academic All-MAC
In Eastern Michigan debut registered 126 passing yards on 8-of-10 passing against St. Francis (PA) (9/3)
Named MAC West Co-Offensive Player of the Week and MAC Scholar-Athlete of the Week after completing 20-of-33 passes for 228 yards and a season-high three touchdown passes and rushed for a season-high 52 yards and a touchdown against Texas State (9/25)
Threw for 338 yards on 27-of-40 passing with two touchdowns and an interception at Northern Illinois (10/2)
Set his career-high passing for 354 yards and tied a season-high with three touchdowns against Toledo (11/2)
Set a career-high completing 41 passes (41-of-57), the third-most completion in a game in school history, and tied career-high totaling 354 passing yards against Ohio (11/9)
Completed 23-of-36 passes for 200 yards against Liberty in the LendingTree Bowl (12/18)

2020 (Cincinnati)

Appeared in eight games and completed 11-of-14 passes for 90 yards and a touchdown
Posted a season-highs of 53 passing yards (4-of-7) and a touchdown and a career-high 55 rushing yards with a touchdown against Austin Peay (9/19)

2019 (Cincinnati)

Appeared in seven games and completed 29-of-51 passes (56.9%) for 388 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions
AAC All-Academic Team
Made first career start and completed 20-of-32 passes for 229 yards with his first career touchdown pass and two interceptions while also rushing for his first career score at Memphis (11/29)

2018 (Cincinnati)

Redshirted, but saw first career action completing 6-of-8 passes for 75 yards with an interception against Alabama A&M (9/15)

High School

Prepped for Coach Kurt Weinberg at Lyons Township HS outside of Chicago
Four-star prospect according to ESPN and the No. 6 player in Illinois
247Sports and Rivals list him as a three-star prospect and Rivals ranks him No. 26 QB in the 2018 class
Three-year varsity starter who threw for over 5,000 yards and accounted for 59 touchdowns as a prep
Set passing records in every category at Lyons Township
Was a two-time West Suburban Silver Conference Offensive MVP and all-league selection and earned Suburban Life All-Area Team honors three times
Earned Illinois High School Football Coaches Association (IHSFCA) Class 8A accolades as a senior, along with WSS All-Conference honors and a spot on the Suburban Life All-Area team
Threw for 1,685 yards in 2017 with 18 touchdowns to just two interceptions
In a 31-14 win over Oak Park, Bryant had 227 yards passing with a pair of rushing and passing touchdowns
Completed 59 percent of throws for 1,847 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2016