College Football 2026 Quarterback Rankings: Every Power 4 Starter From 68 to 1

The start of the 2026 college football season is just four weeks away, and though talking season is in full swing at various conference media days, it’s time to think more about what the play on the field will look like this fall.

And there’s no better place than to start at the quarterback position.

Sixty-eight players will start Week 1 under center in the Power 4 and while there’s plenty of continuity at national championship contenders, there are also a number of fresh faces in new places—from high-priced transfers to highly touted freshmen. So to refresh you on each starter, Sports Illustrated decided to rank all 68 power-conference quarterbacks ahead of the new season.

The goal was to combine what each quarterback has accomplished thus far and what SI experts predict they can accomplish in their respective situations in 2026. And while some competitions have yet to be officially decided, projections for all 68 programs have been made.

Without further ado, here are the rankings.

Arch Manning, Julian Sayin, Dante Moore, LaNorris Sellers — Clockwise from bottom left: Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated (Manning, Sayin); Kevin D. Liles/Sports Illustrated; Troy Taormina/Imagn Images

68. Davis Warren, Stanford

2025 Stats (Michigan): N/A (Medical Redshirt)

There’s little evidence we’ll see Warren, a sixth-year, start the majority of games for the Cardinal, seeing as he hasn’t played since 2024 after tearing his ACL in Michigan’s bowl game at the end of that season. What we did witness wasn’t compelling. Warren threw more interceptions (nine) than touchdowns (seven) and did so while averaging just 8.9 yards per completion, the lowest mark in FBS in 2024 and lowest among Big Ten quarterbacks with more than 100 attempts in a season since ’19. New head coach Tavita Pritchard may be looking for a bridge as he implements his system, but might be able to extract more from the less-experienced UCF transfer Dylan Rizk.

67. Jeremy Hecklinski/Hank Brown, Iowa

2025 Stats (combined): 13 for 23, 115 yards, one touchdown, one interception

Quarterback play under Kirk Ferentz has become a slog in recent years, and even highly touted South Dakota State transfer Mark Gronowski couldn’t throw for more than 1,741 yards, making it seven straight years without a Hawkeye reaching the 2,000-yard mark—the only Big Ten program to do so in that span. He did rush for 16 touchdowns, leading the conference, but what Hecklinski or Brown can provide in that realm remains mostly unknown. Either quarterback will have the benefit of having leading rusher Kamari Moulton back, so expect more three yards and a cloud of dust (long live the Big Ten West) in Iowa City.

66. Ryan Browne, Purdue

2025 Stats: 58.9% completion rate, 2,153 yards, nine touchdowns, 10 interceptions, 115.3 efficiency rating

Browne’s first season as the starter in West Lafayette left a whole lot to be desired and it’s worth wondering if Barry Odom should have looked elsewhere for his second season at the helm. The redshirt junior will be one of just two returning quarterbacks in the Power 4 who threw more interceptions (10) than touchdowns (nine) against FBS competition last season. And it’s not just turnovers—Browne was 56th out of 60 eligible Power 4 QBs in completion percentage last season. Purdue’s offense was at its best in 2025 when Browne was able to use his legs, so that’s sure to remain the focus for the Boilermakers.

65. Dylan Lonergan, Rutgers

2025 Stats (Boston College): 66.9% completion rate, 2,025 yards, 12 touchdowns, five interceptions, 137.2 efficiency rating

This may be one of the closest and most difficult competitions to project in the Power 4 this season between Lonergan and AJ Surace, but that doesn’t mean the outcome will drastically change the outlook for Rutgers behind center this season. Lonergan has some juice, showing off real upside in games against Michigan State, Stanford and Georgia Tech last season. The issue was everything else: In his six other games against FBS opponents, Lonergan was benched twice, left one game with an injury and completed 61.1% of his passes with just one passing touchdown and six turnovers.

64. Mason McKenzie, Boston College

2025 Stats (Saginaw Valley State): 59.8% completion rate, 2,086 yards, 17 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, 129.3 efficiency rating

Bill O’Brien is taking a swing and hoping Boston College can land its own Trinidad Chambliss by plucking McKenzie from Division II Saginaw Valley State. And there’s a lot to like from the redshirt junior, particularly his ability to escape the pocket and run. McKenzie rushed for 942 yards last season, which would have ranked sixth among non–service academy QBs in FBS and he averaged more yards per carry (5.92) than all except one (Colton Joseph) of those players. The issue he may run into at the higher level is ball security. McKenzie had 15 giveaways (11 interceptions, four fumbles lost) and put the ball on the ground frequently, which he’ll get away with less of in the ACC.

63. Cole Ballard/Isaiah Marshall, Kansas

2025 Stats (combined): 13 for 25, 136 yards, one touchdown, one interception

For the first time since he arrived in Lawrence in 2021, Lance Leipold will have to grapple with life without Jalon Daniels at quarterback. Both Ballard and Marshall seem like a less explosive version of the dual-threat Daniels, but frankly the sample size is just too small to tell. The optimistic view for Kansas comes from having Andy Kotelnicki back as the play-caller after his two-year foray at Penn State. The Jayhawks ranked 21st and 17th in scoring among FBS programs under his stewardship in 2022 and ’23, before falling to 52nd and 63rd in ’24 and ’25 without him.

62. Alessio Milivojevic, Michigan State

2025 Stats: 64.2% completion rate, 1,267 yards, 10 touchdowns, three interceptions, 141.3 rating

Milivojevic was given the reins down the stretch as Jonathan Smith tried to salvage his tenure at Michigan State and kept the Spartans in a number of closer games. He also struggled under constant pressure in the pocket, taking 14 sacks in four starts, though he shouldn’t take all the blame for that. Both he and Aidan Chiles were running for their lives all season long as the Spartans had one of the worst offensive lines in the Power 4—an obvious area for improvement for new head coach Pat Fitzgerald.

61. Billy Edwards Jr., North Carolina

2025 Stats (Wisconsin): 7 for 16, 113 yards

Bill Belichick had a number of problems in his first year in Chapel Hill and quarterback was far from the biggest one. But the move to get a sixth-year guy in Edwards and pair him with a young roster and new OC Bobby Petrino seems to be, at the very least, a change in approach. Edwards, who will be at his fourth school in six years, threw just 16 passes before injuring his knee in Wisconsin’s second game of 2025. His sole year as a starter at Maryland was a mixed bag for a subpar Terrapins team where he threw more than 38 passes per game but ranked ninth among eligible Big Ten QBs in efficiency (130.1).

60. Ashton Daniels, Florida State

2025 Stats (Auburn): 57.1% completion rate, 797 yards, three touchdowns, two interceptions, 118.4 efficiency rating

Daniels will get one last chance to turn his run-first skill set into wins as Mike Norvell coaches for his job in Tallahassee—and the track record doesn’t suggest that will be the case. The fifth-year quarterback is 5–18 as a starter, with just three of those wins coming against Power 4 programs. Daniels has never delivered as a passer, throwing as many interceptions (18) as touchdowns in those 19 power-conference starts, while throwing for a measly 6.6 yards per attempt across his career, a number that would have tied for 99th among eligible FBS quarterbacks last season. But his running ability remains a real asset (1,397 career yards even with having taken 59 sacks) and Norvell showed an ability to emphasize that in 2025 with Tommy Castellanos.

59. Walker Eget, Duke

2025 Stats (San Jose State): 59.0% completion rate, 3,051 yards, 17 touchdowns, nine interceptions, 133 efficiency rating

Seeing as the Blue Devils could have had a player in the top five of this list, it has to be discouraging to see Eget land this far down. And that’s not to say that there aren’t elements to like about his game. Eget doesn’t take sacks (tied for the fewest among QBs with more than 150 pass attempts last season) and had a six-game stretch where he threw 15 touchdowns without an interception. But he also went 1–5 in games where he attempted more than 40 passes and turned the ball over 11 times (after throwing 10 interceptions in seven starts in 2024).

58. Julian Lewis, Colorado

2025 Stats: 55.3% completion rate, 589 yards, four touchdowns, zero interceptions, 122.0 efficiency rating

Lewis reclassified to get a jump start on his collegiate career with Coach Prime and saw action in just four games last season for the Buffs, so there’s still a ways to grow for a player that will start his redshirt freshman year at 18 years old. And there’s certainly cause for optimism. Lewis didn’t turn the ball over in his two starts, but he did show some uncertainty when under duress. He took 11 sacks, including seven for a loss of 63 yards in a one-score loss to West Virginia. Some of that will fall on an offensive line trying to replace star left tackle Jordan Seaton this fall, but the rest will be on Lewis getting more comfortable in the pocket and avoiding getting so far behind the sticks.

57. Jaylen Raynor, Iowa State

2025 Stats (Arkansas State): 66.5% completion rate, 3,361 yards, 19 interceptions, 11 interceptions, 130.9 efficiency rating

New Iowa State coach Jimmy Rogers had to go portaling to bring in Raynor after Matt Campbell left for Penn State with three-year starter Rocco Becht. Raynor has gotten plenty of volume as the QB1 the past two-plus seasons at Arkansas State, leading the Sun Belt in attempts in both 2024 and ‘25. That said, he’s not one to push the ball down the field, averaging just 6.7 yards per attempt (96th in FBS in 2025) and 10.1 yards per completion (110th). He also took 60 sacks and threw double-digit interceptions in each of the past two seasons. And that’s all before coming up a level to the Big 12, where far more talented defenses await.

56. KJ Jackson, Arkansas

2025 Stats: 33 for 54, 441 yards, three touchdowns

Jackson would seem to have the edge in this battle after opting to stay with the Razorbacks after seeing some action in the team’s final two games of 2025. But Ryan Silverfield arrives from Memphis with former four-star recruit and now redshirt freshman AJ Hill joining him. Silverfield’s offenses have been some of the best in the nation the past three seasons, but dipped slightly into 25th in scoring and 35th in yards per game in 2025. The Tigers also never relied too heavily on quarterback play, which may be beneficial if neither Jackson nor Hill differentiate themselves in camp.

55. Gio Lopez, Wake Forest

2025 Stats (North Carolina): 65.1% completion rate, 1,747 yards, 10 touchdowns, five interceptions, 130.2 efficiency rating

Sometimes, a union between quarterback and head coach doesn’t work out and that seemed to be the case for Lopez and Bill Belichick last season. Lopez spoke openly this offseason about his difficult experience in Chapel Hill and how much he seemed to be looking forward to a return to his old South Alabama OC Rob Ezell at Wake Forest. He showed flashes of his former improvisational self toward the end of his Tar Heels tenure, completing 70% of his passes for six touchdowns with zero interceptions and an average efficiency of 157.16 across his final five games. Should he be able to ride that momentum alongside the OC who helped position him for the jump to the Power 4, the Demon Deacons could be well positioned for Year 2 under Jake Dickert.

54. Kamario Taylor, Mississippi State

2025 Stats: 55.8% completion rate, 629 yards, five touchdowns, one interception, 143.3 efficiency rating

Taylor is another young intriguing prospect who earned the bulk of his run as a freshman at the end of a poor season. And the athleticism was on full display on more than one occasion. Taylor rushed for more than 50 yards and a touchdown in four games (and just two starts) last season, including a shocking 173-yard, two-touchdown performance in an Egg Bowl loss to Ole Miss. Whether or not he can deliver a throw when it matters is the next step.

53. JC French IV, Cincinnati

2025 Stats (Georgia Southern): 63.8% completion rate, 2,929 yards, 20 touchdowns, eight interceptions, 139.9 efficiency rate

Replacing Brendan Sorsby was always going to be a difficult task for Scott Satterfield, but he did well to pluck one of the more under-the-radar Group of 6 talents in French. The redshirt senior has started every game for Georgia Southern the past two seasons, and combined for 45 touchdowns compared to 24 turnovers during that span. But the level of difficulty ratchets up this season with difficult QB duels awaiting on the road at Arizona, Houston and BYU and a deeply personal game for the fan base (and less so for French) against Texas Tech on Oct. 24.

52. Faizon Brandon/George MacIntyre, Tennessee

2025 Stats (combined): 7 for 9, 69 yards

Josh Heupel is no stranger to handing the keys to an unproven, yet highly touted prospect (see: Nico Iamaleava in 2024) and that may be the case again. Brandon, a five-star recruit and the No. 2 overall player in the class of 2026, according to 247Sports, has reportedly impressed throughout the offseason and may be in position to overtake MacIntyre, last year’s backup. Without much to go on, it’s difficult to elevate either one of these players up the list, but Heupel has extracted more than enough from his QBs over the past five years. It’s reasonable to think he’ll do the same, regardless of who starts.

51. Aidan Chiles, Northwestern

2025 Stats (Michigan State): 63.1% completion rate, 1,392 yards, 10 touchdowns, three interceptions, 134.0 efficiency rating

There may be no quarterback on this list that stands to gain the most from his new offensive coordinator, as Chiles looks to highlight the best parts of his game in Chip Kelly’s system. Northwestern’s offense for the past decade has been the butt of a bad joke, but the Wildcats also haven’t quite had a player like Chiles—high reward and even higher risk. He has a big arm and is plenty mobile. He also took 51 sacks in two years at Michigan State and turned the ball over 21 times. For the first time in a long time, fans in Evanston will at least get to say this: the offense is worth watching.

50. Christopher Vizzina, Clemson

2025 Stats: 63.4% completion rate (71 total attempts), 406 yards, four touchdowns, one interception, 127.2 efficiency rating

Clemson is moving past the never-fully-realized Cade Klubnik era by turning to the guy that backed him up for the past two years. It would seem to be a very typical move by Dabo Swinney to favor continuity and familiarity rather than dip into the portal, but it could also be a testament that Vizzina is the best option for the Tigers. In his sole start against SMU, Vizzina was far from the issue, throwing for 317 yards and three touchdowns in a 35–24 loss. If he’s capable of producing performances like that more regularly, Clemson may be able to right the ship after a few down years.

49. Colton Joseph, Wisconsin

2025 Stats (Old Dominion): 59.7% completion rate, 2,624 yards, 21 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, 152.7 efficiency rating

The Badgers’ offense has labored for three years under Luke Fickell, plummeting to 133rd out of 134 FBS teams in points per game last season (12.8), ahead of only 0–12 UMass. To land a dual threat like Joseph is a huge win, if not an indication that Fickell is down to his last strike in Madison. The production is difficult to argue with: Joseph was eighth last season in total yards per game (302.6) and second in yards per completion (15.2), complimenting an efficient throwing year with 1,007 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground. But he was also bolstered by a strong defense, which allowed for more freedom in the Sun Belt—wiggle room that he may not have when playing in the Big Ten.

48. Jared Curtis, Vanderbilt

2025 Stats: N/A

What Clark Lea has accomplished in Nashville the past two seasons should be regarded as one of the most impressive turnarounds in college football history and he did so, at least in part, by having Diego Pavia blossom into a star. He’ll now try to do the same with the highest-ranked recruit in Vanderbilt history after Curtis flipped his commitment to the Commodores from Georgia. It’s the type of move that can change a program, even if it might take time in Year 1. There’s still at least a chance that Pavia’s backup, Blaze Berlowitz, starts games early in 2026, but this team will be Curtis’s for the foreseeable future.

47. Michael Hawkins Jr., West Virginia

2025 Stats (Oklahoma): 15 of 27, 167 yards, three touchdowns, zero interceptions

Hawkins may have fancied himself the next guy up at Oklahoma when Jackson Arnold struggled his way through the start of the 2024 season. But the pieces never quite clicked as a passer and after John Mateer usurped him last year, Hawkins made way for West Virginia. Like many at this stage on the list, he’s beaten up on lesser competition: 503 total yards, six touchdowns and one turnover in two starts against the Group of 5 (Navy and Kent State). When going up against the SEC however: 408 total yards, one touchdown (rushing) and four turnovers.

46. DJ Lagway, Baylor

2025 Stats: 63.2% completion rate, 2,264 yards, 16 touchdowns, 14 interceptions, 127.0 efficiency rating

Talent-wise, Lagway should be higher up this list. But the catastrophe that was Florida’s 2025 campaign lies heavily with his penchant for turnovers—15 total across 12 games. His 14 interceptions were the most among Power 5 quarterbacks, and yet his upside still made it worthwhile for the Bears to take a swing in the portal. There’s a lot to like about Lagway in the system engineered by Baylor OC Jake Spavital, one that saw Sawyer Robertson lead the Big 12 in completions, attempts, passing yards and touchdowns in 2025. But unless Lagway cleans up the mistakes, he may never realize his full potential.

45. Malik Washington, Maryland

2025 Stats: 57.7% completion rate, 2,963 yards, 17 touchdowns, nine interceptions, 118.4 efficiency rating

Few freshman quarterbacks are given the keys quite like Washington was in his first collegiate season. And unsurprisingly, it was a mixed bag. After a 4–0 start against FAU, Northern Illinois, Towson and Wisconsin, Maryland didn’t win again and Washington looked like a teenager—which he was! He completed less than 57% of his passes and threw eight interceptions in eight games and the Terps looked lost. There were still enough moments of brilliance, like 459 yards and three touchdowns against Michigan State, 164 rushing yards against Rutgers and taking just eight sacks all year long. Now it’s time for Mike Locksley to give his young quarterback some help.

44. Jaden Craig, TCU

2025 Stats: 61.5%, 2,869 yards, 25 touchdowns, seven interceptions, 153.1 efficiency rating

Of all the swings down to the lower levels, why shouldn’t the one dip into the Ivy League pay off for Sonny Dykes and Co.? Craig has great size that should translate to the Big 12 and a résumé that’s hard to argue with. In his last 21 starts for Harvard, the Crimson scored 30 points or more 15 times with Craig throwing a whopping 48 touchdowns compared to 10 interceptions. Obviously the jump up in opposition will be substantial for a player from the Ivy League, but Dykes’s history with the likes of Max Duggan and Josh Hoover show he’s one of the best at setting his quarterbacks up for success.

43. Cutter Boley, Arizona State

2025 Stats: 65.8% completion rate, 2,160 yards, 15 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, 134.5 efficiency rating

Even though Sam Leavitt had one foot out the door rather early in the offseason, Kenny Dillingham still was left a bit flat footed and ended up with Boley, a rising redshirt sophomore who started the bulk of Kentucky’s games last season. He struggled under pressure, taking 25 sacks and throwing 12 interceptions in Power 5 games, but also threw five touchdowns vs. Tennessee and demolished Florida. It’s worth pointing out that Leavitt had thrown just 23 passes when he linked up with Dillingham and he made the CFP the very next year, so Boley is already further ahead from an experience standpoint and could take a leap with the right fine tuning. Former UCF, Fresno State and Michigan quarterback Mikey Keene is also on the roster but would seem more of a “break glass in case of emergency” option.

42. Alberto Mendoza, Georgia Tech

2025 Stats:18 for 24, 286 yards, five touchdowns, one interception

The younger brother of the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL draft earned the starting job for Brent Key down in Atlanta and will get the chance to make his mark as a redshirt sophomore. And there’s a lot to like about his setup at Georgia Tech. Alberto is just a few inches shorter than Fernando, but is also more mobile, at least in the small sample size we’ve seen from him thus far. Given that Key is adjusting to life after Haynes King, Alberto Mendoza seems like a successor that makes tons of sense.

41. Lincoln Kienholz, Louisville

2025 Stats (Ohio State): 11 for 14, 139 yards, one touchdown

Much like Minchey, Kienholz is an unknown commodity at the college level, having toiled behind Kyle McCord, Will Howard and Julian Sayin the past three seasons in Columbus. But the fact that Jeff Brohm, who’s worked with his fair share of NFL-caliber quarterbacks in his career, wanted to bring a redshirt junior with 36 career passes to Louisville is an endorsement. One intriguing aspect: Kienholz brings far more as a runner than the likes of David Blough, Aidan O’Connell and Tyler Shough. Those three represent the archetype that Brohm has had success with, meaning he’ll have to adjust to develop more of a dual threat.

40. Kenny Minchey, Kentucky

2025 Stats (Notre Dame): 20 for 26, 196 yards

There’s a handful of quarterbacks in this region of the list that have been waiting their turn at top-notch programs before finally opting for a change of scenery in 2026. Minchey is a prime example of one of those guys, having finally gotten his chance to compete for the top job at Notre Dame before losing out to a younger CJ Carr. By all accounts, that competition was fairly close, which could be the reason why Minchey was so sought after in the portal. Pairing him with new Wildcats coach and former Oregon QB whisperer Will Stein will be fascinating as Kentucky seeks its best play behind center since the Will Levis era.

39. Drake Lindsey, Minnesota

2025 Stats: 63.2% completion rate, 2,382 yards, 18 touchdowns, six interceptions, 126.9 efficiency rating

Lindsey went 7–5 as a starter as a redshirt freshman, and put up a season stat line that looks impressive on paper with 22 total touchdowns compared to just six turnovers. Still, he’s a major work in progress. He threw for more than 200 yards in just five of those games, with Minnesota seeming determined to not overuse him. He also threw for 94 yards against Ohio State, 109 yards and three interceptions against Iowa and 138 yards against Oregon, showing there’s still a ton of growth to be done to compete against the league’s top defenses.

38. Austin Simmons, Missouri

2025 Stats (Ole Miss): 45 for 75, 744 yards, four touchdowns, five interceptions, 147.6 efficiency rating

It’s pretty rare to have not done much wrong and lose your starting job, but that’s what happened to Simmons after two games at Ole Miss last year. Granted, he took some unnecessary risks and threw four interceptions in those two starts against Georgia State and Kentucky (both wins). He’s still raw, so those turnovers were mostly the result of taking unnecessary risks and pushing the ball down the field with a hefty 9.9 yards per attempt. If he can slightly reel in the risk-taking, he has the talent to be special.

37. Katin Houser, Illinois

2025 Stats (East Carolina): 65.9% completion rate, 3,300 yards, 19 touchdowns, six interceptions, 146.3 efficiency rating

Houser is back in the Big Ten and has grown plenty since he started the bulk of Michigan State’s games in the latter half of the 2023 season. His tenure at East Carolina got off to a shaky beginning as he didn’t start in Week 1 and when he did finally get the call he threw 11 interceptions in eight games. But he cut down on the picks in 2025 (six in 12 starts) and was a more effective scrambler (193 rushing yards and nine touchdowns). Bret Bielema rode the growth of Luke Altmyer the past three seasons; in 2026 he’ll bank on Houser already being the full version of himself.

36. Will Hammond, Texas Tech

2025 Stats: 63.3% completion rate, 680 yards, seven touchdowns, three interceptions, 131.4 efficiency rating

So … did anything notable happen in Lubbock this offseason? If you weren’t following the Brendan Sorsby saga closely, you might have missed that Hammond, who started two games in place of an injured Behren Morton in 2025, stayed on for the Red Raiders and now finds himself as the QB1. The sample size is small, but he already delivered in a major way at Utah last September (13-for-16, 169 yards, two touchdowns and 61 rushing yards), so he’s no stranger to big games. He also started Tech’s only regular-season loss at Arizona State, where he completed 22 passes for just 167 yards. Quarterback play kept the Red Raiders from making a deeper playoff run last and though he may not be their first option, Hammond has at least shown the possibility of bringing more to the table.

35. Steve Angeli, Syracuse

2025 Stats: 62.8% completion rate, 1,317 yards, 10 touchdowns, two interceptions

Angeli got robbed of being the latest Orange quarterback to put up gaudy numbers due to an Achilles tear in the middle of his fourth game last season. What he did accomplish was fairly impressive. So impressive that, despite making it just 3 and 1/2 games, he threw for more yards (1,317) and touchdowns (10) than the other three Cuse quarterbacks who finished out the other 8+ games (1,290 yards, seven touchdowns, 13 interceptions). That probably explains why Fran Brown went from 10–3 in his first year as a coach to 3–9, a feat that shouldn’t happen again if Angeli is healthy.

34. Aaron Philo, Florida

2025 Stats (Georgia Tech): 21 for 28, 373 yards, one touchdown, one interception

As the prime test case for a small sample size, Philo’s singular 2025 performance against Gardner Webb can’t be regarded as a reason that Florida will finally get back on the right track behind center. He boasts a very similar build to Haynes King, whom he backed up at Georgia Tech and also represents a clear continuation of the Jake Retzlaff–type quarterback that Jon Sumrall found success with last season at Tulane. And he’s sticking with his offensive coordinator from Georgia Tech, Buster Faulkner. Philo’s running ability should open things up for lead back Jadan Baugh, but we’ll have to wait and see if his explosiveness can translate to the SEC.

33. Mason Heintschel, Pittsburgh

2025 Stats: 63.6% completion rate, 2,354 yards, 16 touchdowns, eight interceptions, 137.8 efficiency rate

Pat Narduzzi abruptly flipped a switch in early October, handing the keys to a true freshman after a few turnover-heavy games from veteran starter Eli Holstein. And the move started out inspired. Heintschel won his first five starts and Pitt averaged more than 40 points per game. Down a difficult stretch, which included matchups against Notre Dame and Miami, Pitt went 1–3 and scored more than 17 points just once. Heintschel did have a tendency to get sloppy in the red zone, throwing three interceptions in just 47 attempts (a 6.4% interception rate). He also took 34 sacks in nine starts. Whether those blemishes were just normal growing pains for a freshman, or a sign of what’s to come, will determine the path forward for the Panthers.

32. Ethan Grunkemeyer, Virginia Tech

2025 Stats (Penn State): 69.1% completion rate, 1,339 yards, eight touchdowns, four interceptions, 142.6 efficiency rating

Grunkemeyer was dealt somewhat of a rough hand by being thrust into action against Iowa, Ohio State and Indiana in place of an injured Drew Allar and right after the dismissal of James Franklin. And though he kept Penn State in games against the Hawkeyes and the Hoosiers, it was his close to the year that gave cause for optimism. Grunkemeyer’s first three starts: one touchdown, four interceptions, 101.97 average efficiency rating. His next four: six touchdowns, zero interceptions, 192.98 average efficiency rating. If Franklin can harness the latter in Blacksburg, and Grunkemeyer doesn’t have to bear too heavy of a burden, the future is bright.

31. Beau Pribula, Virginia

2025 Stats (Missouri): 67.4% completion rate, 1,941 yards, 11 touchdowns, nine interceptions, 134.6 efficiency rate

Few quarterbacks provided as much athleticism and dynamism as Pribula did in his 10 games for Missouri last season. But against tough defenses and opponents (Alabama, Vanderbilt, Oklahoma), he struggled. His interception rate (3.3%) ranks fourth-worst among returning Power 4 quarterbacks and that’s in addition to the five fumbles (two of which he lost) he had. Still, Missouri was decidedly worse without him on the field after a late-season ankle injury knocked him off track. Virginia announced him as the Week 1 starter over ex-Pitt gunslinger Eli Holstein, which is at least an endorsement that he’s healthy enough to jump right in for Tony Elliott, who accomplished quite a bit with Chandler Morris last year.

30. Keelon Russell, Alabama

2025 Stats: 11 for 15, 143 yards, two touchdowns

For all of Kalen DeBoer’s detractors of late, his track record with bringing along talent at quarterback is indisputable. Jake Haener blossomed into a fourth-round pick at Fresno State. Michael Penix Jr. became a Heisman runner-up at Washington. Ty Simpson emerged from virtual obscurity to second-team All-SEC and the No. 13 pick in the NFL draft. So it’s safe to assume he’ll get the maximum out of Russell, a former five-star recruit who’s generated a ton of buzz since his high school days. Russell still needs to officially beat out veteran Austin Mack for the job, but it seems a matter of time before DeBoer uncorks the 19-year-old’s talent.

29. Alonza Barnett III, UCF

2025 Stats (James Madison): 58.4% completion rate, 2,806 yards, 23 touchdowns, eight interceptions, 138.3 efficiency rating

It’s hard not to be intrigued by Barnett’s move to the Power 4 after becoming one of the breakouts of the 2025 season at James Madison. He led the Dukes to the CFP and won Sun Belt Player of the Year, doing so while having a system completely built around him. In fact, no player in FBS has accounted for more touchdowns (71) than Barnett over the past two seasons. Now, it’ll be about how he steps up to the next level of competition. The Knights haven’t figured it out at quarterback since making the move to the Big 12, but Barnett is their best hope yet.

28. Avery Johnson, Kansas State

2025 Stats: 59.8% completion rate, 2,385 yards, 18 touchdowns, six interceptions, 132.5 efficiency rating

Johnson found himself in somewhat of an uncomfortable position to start last season: being asked to throw the ball more but winning less. Kansas State seemingly went away from using its quarterback's best asset—his running ability—and paid the price with a 1–3 start. It was significantly better down the stretch, as he averaged 4.94 yards per carry across his final eight games (after that number landing at 2.48 yards per carry through his first four starts). Now with former Wildcats great Collin Klein in as head coach after unlocking Marcel Reed at Texas A&M, Johnson has perhaps his last chance to put everything together.

27. Anthony Colandrea, Nebraska

2025 Stats (UNLV): 65.9% completion rate, 3,469 yards, 23 touchdowns, nine interceptions, 149.5 efficiency rating

We’ve seen this movie plenty before: ex–Power 4 quarterback drops down to Group of 6 standout, balls out and then gets another opportunity. And we haven’t forgotten Colandrea’s rollercoaster two years at Virginia, which is why he doesn’t land closer to Brown or Mestemaker as guys who are making the P4 leap. But what he accomplished last season deserves recognition. He looked explosive, cut down on the mistakes and risk-taking from his final year with the Hoos and, most importantly, he won. In the only regular-season games UNLV lost, the offense scored 31 and 35 points. The last time a Nebraska quarterback won nine games in a single season? Tommy Armstrong in 2014.

26. Nico Iamaleava, UCLA

2025 Stats: 64.4% completion rate, 1,928 yards, 13 touchdowns, seven interceptions, 123.5 efficiency rating

It’s not surprising that Iamaleava’s counting stats dipped significantly at UCLA given the talent around him and general turmoil within the program. And for the third straight season, the former five-star recruit will be working with a new head coach and playcaller. Bob Chesney would be wise to lean into Iamaleava’s rushing ability, seeing as he ran for 505 yards on 4.5 yards per carry in 2025, and Chesney is fresh off of maximizing a mobile quarterback in Alonza Barnett III. The sort of performance that Iamaleava had in the Penn State upset last season (70.8% completions on 24 attempts for 166 yards and two touchdowns; 16 carries for 128 yards) is the goal to replicate.

25. Rocco Becht, Penn State

2025 Stats (Iowa State): 60.5% completion rate, 2,584 yards, 16 touchdowns, nine interceptions, 134.8 efficiency rating

Becht is the epitome of consistency at the collegiate level and enters the 2026 season, boasting the second-most career passing yards among active players behind only Josh Hoover. That’s basically to say, the fifth-year man is what he is at this point. He has 26 career wins, the most among active FBS quarterbacks, and has done so by managing games well, not taking too many risks (27 interceptions, but never more than nine in a season) and using his legs when necessary (19 career rushing touchdowns). Becht will ride out his career in Happy Valley with Matt Campbell—a winning combination thus far.

24. Conner Weigman, Houston

2025 Stats: 65.2% completion rate, 2,705 yards, 25 touchdowns, nine interceptions, 147.1 efficiency rating

Last season was a tremendous breakout year for Weigman, who never quite reached his full potential due to injuries at in-state rival Texas A&M. He was responsible for 36 touchdowns in 2025 and could comfortably rely on his arm if he wasn’t finding as much success running. Still, he found plenty of success on the ground (700 yards, 4.1 yards per carry, 11 touchdowns) all year long. No. 1 overall recruit Keisean Henderson is now on campus, which at least applies some pressure on the fifth-year Weigman, who still seems to have a comfortable grasp on the starting role.

23. Bryce Underwood, Michigan

2025 Stats: 60.3% completion rate, 2,428 yards, 11 touchdowns, nine interceptions, 126.6 efficiency rating

Few players will benefit from an in-house regime change as Underwood, who wasn’t given a chance to spread his wings in his freshman season. Michigan continued to emphasize the run-first methodology that Jim Harbaugh rode to a national championship, as the true freshman threw more than 30 passes just three times in 13 games. He was also dreadful as a passer against top competition, completing just 50.9% of his passes for four touchdowns and four interceptions against Oklahoma, USC, Ohio State and Texas. Underwood could certainly be more accurate on open throws, though it stands to reason that he may lean even further into his athleticism and ability to run under new OC Jason Beck.

22. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina

2025 Stats: 60.8% completion rate, 2,437 yards, 13 touchdowns, eight interceptions, 139.8 efficiency rating

The apparent regression for Sellers in Year 2 as a starter is cause for concern, though it’s important to note that he got very little help. South Carolina allowed its starting quarterback to get sacked 42 times, the most per game of any team in the Power 4. Sellers isn’t blameless in that effort, but he also didn’t have a run game he could lean on to take some of the pressure off. At 6’ 3”, 240 pounds, Sellers remains remarkably quick for his size and capable of shedding would-be tacklers with ease. He just has to get rid of the ball better in his third season if he wants to get top-end draft notice—and for the Gamecocks to win.

21. John Mateer, Oklahoma

2025 Stats: 62.2% completion rate, 2,885 yards, 14 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, 129.4 efficiency rating

The jump to the SEC was something of a wake-up call for the ex-Washington State quarterback, especially after he injured his throwing hand against Auburn in late September. Mateer noticeably played worse down following the injury, but he did manage to beat Tennessee, Alabama and Missouri in three straight games to kick off November. The blueprint for that was relying more heavily on Mateer’s running (14.67 carries to 27.3 passes per game during that stretch as opposed 11.67 carries to 35 passes per game in his other nine starts). That sort of game script favors leaning on the Sooners’ stout defense.

20. Kevin Jennings, SMU

2025 Stats: 66.1% completion rate, 3,641 yards, 26 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, 146.6 efficiency rate

Two seasons ago, Jennings was the quarterback for a Mustangs team that impressed by making the CFP before bombing out in the first round against Penn State due largely to the three first-half interceptions from Jennings. That habit for turnovers didn’t slow down in 2025, as he threw a career-high 13 picks, leading the ACC. He also proved far less effective from a runner, dropping from 3.5 yards per carry to 0.8 yards per carry last season. That may sound like a whole helping of gloom and doom, but Jennings is electric on a night-by-night basis. He’s the quintessential high ceiling, low floor guy on this list.

19. Bear Bachmeier, BYU

2025 Stats: 64.9% completion rate, 3,033 yards, 15 touchdowns, seven interceptions, 139.9 efficiency rating

Considering Bachmeier was thrust into the starting job in late August, Kalani Sitake and the Cougars have to be thrilled at what they got from their true freshman quarterback. He scored 26 total touchdowns, relying heavily (perhaps too much so at times) on his legs. That habit for taking off and running made beating a lethal defensive front at Texas Tech impossible: BYU scored 14 total points and Bachmeier threw three interceptions in two games against the Red Raiders. He’s still so young and, if he continues to come along as a passer, he’s positioned to become one of the more versatile quarterbacks in the sport.

18. CJ Bailey, NC State

2025 Stats: 68.8% completion rate, 3,105 yards, 25 touchdowns, nine interceptions, 150.7 efficiency rating

Bailey is one of the least heralded quarterbacks in college football despite starting since he was a true freshman and taking a tremendous leap in Year 2. His completion percentage went up nearly four full points even while throwing 95 more passes and not taking significantly less risks (8.0 yards per attempts in 2024 7.8 yards in ‘25). Most impressive? Bailey has 106 career touches (pass attempts or carries) in the red zone and has scored 35 touchdowns with zero turnovers. Last year’s games against top-tier defenses in Miami and Notre Dame were dreadful (14 points scored, five interceptions), so stepping up against better competition is a necessity.

17. Byrum Brown, Auburn

2025 Stats (South Florida): 66.3% completion rate, 3,158 yards, 28 touchdowns, seven interceptions, 167.1 efficiency rating

No quarterback returning in 2026 had more impact on his team’s scoring last season than Brown did for the Bulls. He was responsible for 42 touchdowns, more than any player other than Fernando Mendoza in FBS, and South Florida rumbled its way to a 9–3 record. Now he’s on The Plains with ex-USF coach Alex Golesh to try and break Auburn out of years of mediocrity. He’s efficient, he’s athletic and he's capable of huge plays on the run. The question will be if facing SEC defenses brings him back down to Earth.

16. Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, Cal

2025 Stats: 64.2% completion rate, 3,454 yards, 18 touchdowns, nine interceptions, 131.6 efficiency rating

The Golden Bears may have asked for Sagapolutele to take on a lot for any quarterback, much less a freshman, and what he put on tape shows that the sky might not be the limit. He threw 492 passes, sixth-most in FBS, but showed tons of poise, throwing just nine interceptions and beating ranked Louisville and SMU teams in close games. He took a few too many sacks behind a poor Cal offensive line with the worst rushing attack in the ACC, and when he wasn’t his sharpest, the team lost. A fresh approach under Tosh Lupoi could lead to some serious improvement for a player that should be one of the game’s brightest young stars.

15. Gunner Stockton, Georgia

2025 Stats: 69.7% completion rate, 2,894 yards, 24 touchdowns, five interceptions, 150.6 efficiency rating

There are few players that fit so comfortably in the system they’re in than Stockton, who thrives on getting the ball to his best skill players and letting them cook. Though he racked up 3,356 total yards of offense and 34 touchdowns, he did so while averaging just 7.5 yards per attempt (57th in FBS) and 10.8 yards per completion (97th). That means he gets the ball out rapidly, oftentimes behind the line of scrimmage and banks on Georgia muscling its way up the field. But he’s not afraid to put his body on the line and take contact as a runner either, which makes him tough to defend. He may have two SEC championships to his name, but is 0–2 in the CFP. Neither loss should really fall on him, but that’s the next hurdle for him to overcome.

14. Noah Fifita, Arizona

2025 Stats: 64.3% completion rate, 3,228 yards, 29 touchdowns, six interceptions, 147.2 efficiency rating

Fifita has had something of a Jekyll-and-Hyde career, bouncing back from a poor 2024 after his breakout season in ‘23 to post career highs in passing yards and passing touchdowns. He also showed off significantly more mobility, rushing for 216 yards and three scores even while taking the most sacks (29) of his career. He’s the most experienced quarterback in the Big 12, and though he’s undersized, he plays tough. So long as he doesn’t regress back into his mistake-heavy 2024 campaign, when he turned the ball over 14 times and scored just 19 total touchdowns, the Wildcats should be frisky again.

13. Devon Dampier, Utah

2025 Stats: 63.5% completion rate, 2,490 yards, 24 touchdowns, five interceptions, 146.8 efficiency rate

Dampier made the move from New Mexico to Utah last season in tandem with OC and quarterbacks coach Jason Beck and managed to turn five wins into 10 while doubling his passing touchdowns from 12 to 24. And that all happened while playing against tougher defenses in the Big 12—even if he did face just three teams that finished better than 7–6. Dampier was the only returning quarterback other than Gunner Stockton to tally more than 3,300 total yards, 34 total touchdowns and five or less interceptions in 2025. Now, he did all of that alongside Beck, who joined Kyle Whittingham in Ann Arbor. Time will tell if ex–Utah State OC Kevin McGiven can replicate that success.

12. Marcel Reed, Texas A&M

2025 Stats: 62.1% completion rate, 3,169 yards, 25 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, 148.2 efficiency rating

If this list was just based on a highlight reel, Reed would rank in the top five. He’s lightning quick and hard to bring down, having averaged 4.7 yards per carry in addition to taking a step forward as a thrower. He also just took too many risks, far too often. That’s not to say he doesn’t throw a good deep ball or contribute countless big plays; his mistakes just built on one another late in 2025. He’s turned the ball over 22 times in 21 starts, including ten times in the Aggies’ final six games last season. Four of those came in trainwrecks against Texas and Miami at the end of the year, games in which an A&M team that averaged 38.1 points per game up until that point scored 17 and three points, respectively.

11. Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State

2025 Stats (North Texas): 68.9% completion rate, 4,379 yards, 34 touchdowns, nine interceptions, 168.7 efficiency rating

Mestemaker is taking the biggest jump among the players this high on the list, sticking with head coach Eric Morris on the journey from North Texas to Stillwater, Okla. And that duo was the best in the country sans Mendoza and Cignetti last season, full stop. Mestemaker threw for 404 more yards than any other player in the country, led FBS in yards per attempt (9.5), tied for second in passing touchdowns (34) and still completed 68.9% of his attempts. He did all of that while North Texas running back Caleb Hawkins scored the most rushing touchdowns (25) in FBS. The Mean Green scored more points per game and averaged more yards per game than any team in the country last year and have that core back together, with Mestemaker at the helm, taking over a full-rebuild situation at Oklahoma State. This should, at the very least, be wildly entertaining.

10. Josh Hoover, Indiana

2025 Stats (TCU): 65.9% completion rate, 3,472 yards, 29 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, 153.4 efficiency rating

The heir to Francisco Mendoza also arrives as a transfer, as Curt Cignetti tries to plug in the best guy for the job. And Hoover is capable of being that as a quarterback who’s started 31 games and is the active Power 4 leader in career passing yards. That said, it’s really difficult to overlook how careless he is with the football. He’s turned the ball over 42 times in three seasons and is one of just five QBs in the CFP era to have back-to-back years of 15-plus turnovers. Indiana was the best team in the country at protecting the football last season, so Hoover’s tendencies won’t fly with Cignetti in Bloomington. This is as much a bet, or maybe even more so, on Indiana’s coach unlocking the best version of this quarterback as it is on Hoover himself.

9. Sam Leavitt, LSU

2025 Stats (Arizona State): 60.7% completion rate, 1,628 yards, 10 touchdowns, three interceptions, 129.2 efficiency rating

Leavitt seems to have lost some of his standing among the nation’s most elite quarterbacks due to an injury-riddled 2025. Even still, he gritted his way to upsets of TCU and Texas Tech, the latter’s only loss of the regular season. In 2024, just seven Power 4 quarterbacks recorded more than 3,000 yards, 24 passing touchdowns and five rushing touchdowns, and Leavitt was one of them. He’s as tough as they come and the idea of pairing him with Lane Kiffin is tantalizing. There’s plenty of similarities between Leavitt and Chambliss, so if anyone is going to get the best out of Leavitt at this stage of his career, it’s Kiffin.

8. Jayden Maiava, USC

2025 Stats: 65.8% completion rate, 3,711 yards, 24 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, 157.8 efficiency rating

Maiava is electric and one of the most exciting players to watch in the country. He’s also damn good, ranking only behind Fernando Mendoza in QBR and throwing for the fifth-most yards in the country. That marked a major step up from preseason expectations as he cut down on the mistakes he made in his four starts in 2025. He also can’t exactly be blamed for his defense allowing 34 points or more in each of the Trojan’s regular-season losses. Maiava did benefit greatly from having two NFL wideouts (Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane) as his top targets, though Lincoln Riley’s teams never seem to be hurting for pass-catchers. The real question will be if Maiava can step up against the Big Ten’s best consistently and not just beat up on the bad teams.

7. Demond Williams Jr., Washington

2025 Stats: 69.5% completion rate, 3,065 yards, 25 touchdowns, eight interceptions, 161.0 efficiency rating

How Jedd Fisch is able to keep the locker room after Williams tried to escape his contract at Washington could determine if the third-year quarterback is actually capable of landing this high on the list. He’s a special dual-threat player, and his production rivaled that of Dante Moore, who outdueled him during rivalry week in 2025. Like many of the young quarterbacks in this range, there were some duds against top competition. Washington averaged just 9.3 points per game against Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin and Oregon (all losses) compared to a whopping 41.5 points against its other nine opponents. Williams took a few too many sacks (31) last season, so would be wise to cozy back up to his offensive linemen above all else before Week 1.

6. Arch Manning, Texas

2025 Stats: 61.4% completion rate, 3,163 yards, 26 touchdowns, seven interceptions, 144.9 efficiency rating

No player entered the 2025 season with as much hype as Manning—and we here at Sports Illustrated undoubtedly contributed to that. So it’s only natural that the first-year starter with the famous last name became a target for criticism early and often after a 2–3 start that saw him throw five interceptions, take nine sacks and look generally inaccurate. Then, he looked like the far better quarterback against a banged-up John Mateer in the Red River Rivalry and took off down the stretch. Across his final six starts, Manning scored 19 touchdowns and turned the ball over just twice as the Longhorns closed 6–1. He looked much more comfortable improvising, and not relying too heavily on his legs unless he saw an opening (see, the 155 yards and two rushing touchdowns against Michigan). Texas’s supporting cast is loaded in 2026 and if Manning plays like he did in the second half of ‘25, watch out.

5. Darian Mensah, Miami

2025 Stats (Duke): 66.8% completion rate, 3,973 yards, 34 touchdowns, six interceptions, 153.6 efficiency rating

The rise from Tulane to Miami might be one of the most impressive upward trajectories in the sport and a well deserved one for Mensah. Last season he was second in yards, tied for second in passing touchdowns and one of the most effective quarterbacks in the nation against the blitz. He delivered Duke an ACC title without the most talented group in the conference, even if it was the product of some shoddy, since-defunct tiebreakers. Now he’ll be surrounded by Malachi Toney and Mark Fletcher Jr., meaning the pieces are there for a truly special year. If there’s one knock: he fumbled eight times last season, most amongst returning quarterbacks. Miami won’t need him to play as much hero ball as Duke did last season, so as long as Mensah accepts that.

4. Dante Moore, Oregon

2025 Stats: 71.8% completion percentage, 3,565 yards, 30 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, 163.7 efficiency rating

Moore could have left for the NFL and been a first-round pick, but may have felt that there were some goals still on the table in Eugene. And few endings could have been as sour as the 56–22 rout at the hands of Indiana, a game in which Moore turned the ball over three times in the first half. He also put together a poor outing against Indiana the first go-around and struggled mightily on a rainy night in Iowa City (though he delivered when it mattered most in the fourth quarter). And though he similarly beat up on bad opponents, Moore torched Penn State on the road and carved up USC in a consequential late November game. Important to note: 2025 was his first true year as a starter. The arm ability is there, the decision-making should improve and a slightly better season against top defenses should make Moore and the Ducks national title contenders.

3. CJ Carr, Notre Dame

2025 Stats: 66.6% completion rate, 2,741 yards, 24 touchdowns, six interceptions, 168.1 efficiency rating

Given what will land on his plate without Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price this season, Carr has a real argument to be No. 1 on this list. He delivered on passes down the field consistently, averaging 9.4 yards per attempt (3rd in FBS) and 14.1 yards per completion (4th), but was asked to do far less than most of the country’s top quarterbacks—evidenced by the fact he attempted just 293 passes, ranking 85th in the country. Like Sayin, he also torched his subpar opponents. Against non-ranked FBS teams, he threw for 18 touchdowns and a single interception. Against the likes of Miami, Texas A&M, USC and Pitt, he threw six touchdowns and five interceptions—and Notre Dame went 2–2, playing itself out of the CFP in the first two weeks of the year. The Irish bolstered his receiving corps, which should help as Carr settles in for Year 2 as the starter.

2. Julian Sayin, Ohio State

2025 Stats: 77.0% completion rate, 3,610 yards, 32 touchdowns, eight interceptions, 177.5 efficiency rating

Statistically, Sayin leaps off the page for his efficiency. He led FBS in completion percentage by 4.6 percentage points, trailed only Fernando Mendoza in passer rating and did so while still averaging 9.2 yards per attempt (sixth nationally). Is that all just because he had Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate catching passes? That’s surely part of the equation but belittles Sayin’s legitimate ability to pick apart defenses and make the right throws. The next step up would be doing so against top-10 opponents. In the Buckeyes’ last two games against Indiana and Miami, Sayin took 10 sacks, threw three interceptions and couldn’t deliver when Ohio State needed him most. He might have gotten some grace in 2025 in his first year as a starter, but critics this season will be far less forgiving.

1. Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss

2025 Stats: 66.1% completion rate, 3,937 yards, 22 touchdowns, three interceptions, 155.3 efficiency rating

Thanks to a judge in Mississippi, Chambliss returns to Oxford for one last ride with Pete Golding—and comes back with a far different perception than the one he arrived with last season as an Austin Simmons backup from Ferris State. Chambliss grabbed the reins and never looked back, becoming just the second Power 4 quarterback in the CFP era to generate over 4,000 yards of offense, 30 total touchdowns and less than five turnovers in a season. He never had a truly bad game and what he did singlehandedly to carry Ole Miss to an upset over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl will be remembered for a long time. He no longer has Lane Kiffin calling the shots, but now knows what to expect at the SEC level, making him even more dangerous in 2026.

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