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Ranking Every Power 4 Quarterback at the Halfway Point of the 2026 College Football Season

While many of the sport’s best players have risen to the occasion, there’s a new No. 1, a huge drop for Arch Manning and four new entries in the top 10.
Zach Koons|
Miami quarterback Darian Mensah anks first in completion percentage, second in yards per attempt and first in QBR.
Miami quarterback Darian Mensah anks first in completion percentage, second in yards per attempt and first in QBR. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

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Miami (FL) HurricanesOhio State BuckeyesNotre Dame Fighting IrishGeorgia BulldogsOle Miss RebelsIndiana HoosiersUSC TrojansAlabama Crimson TideLouisville CardinalsMississippi State Bulldogs

Fall is in full swing and the 2026 college football season is racing toward November, rivalry week, bowl season and the College Football Playoff. Before we move forward, it’s important to look back at where we’ve been and what better way to do that than to reevaluate what we thought about this season’s quarterbacks before the first snap. Welcome back to Sports Illustrated’s Power 4 QB rankings.

Projection is an inexact science and SI’s rankings are the embodiment of that. Mississippi State’s Kamario Taylor, Wake Forest’s Gio Lopez and Northwestern’s Aidan Chiles all ranked outside of the top 50 in the preseason. All three are now in the top 20. Conversely, Marcel Reed and Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele were put in the top 16 and now have both fallen outside of the top 50. 

Still, any of these signal-callers can change their fortunes: We’re only at the midpoint of the season and the most consequential games are still to come. That said, based on each player’s body of work so far, here are the rankings, from No. 1 to No. 68:

1. Darian Mensah, Miami

Preseason rank: Fifth

Stats: 84.2% completion rate, 1,438 yards, 17 total touchdowns, zero interceptions, 212.2 efficiency rating

The Hurricanes QB may no longer have more touchdowns than incompletions, which was a reality until Miami’s trip to Clemson, but he still ranks first in completion percentage, second in yards per attempt and first in QBR (92.5). The Canes also have the best offense in the country under Mensah’s leadership, ranking first in points per game (49.6) and yards per play (8.2). The biggest tests still await for Miami, but Mensah is playing at a level that should inspire confidence in South Florida.

2. Julian Sayin, Ohio State

Preseason rank: Second

Stats: 71.2% completion rate, 1,772 yards, 19 total touchdowns, two interceptions, 194.8 efficiency rating

Ohio State has asked Sayin to do more in 2026 in his second year as a starter, and it’s certainly worked thus far, apart from the second half at Texas. Sure, he has a potential Heisman winner in receiver Jeremiah Smith, but to suggest that Smith is the only reason for his success would be a vast oversimplification. Sayin isn’t afraid to push the ball down the field, to Smith or anyone else, averaging 10.9 yards per attempt (first in FBS) and being one of the most efficient quarterbacks (9.79 yards per dropback, first in the Power 4) in the process. 

Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin
Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin is averaging 10.9 yards per passing attempt. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

3. CJ Carr, Notre Dame

Preseason rank: Third

Stats: 70.8% completion rate, 1,378 yards 19 total touchdowns, one interception, 186.7 efficiency rating

Much like Sayin, Carr has been tasked with a heavier workload in 2026 without as strong of a run game behind him, and yet he’s taken a leap in a number of statistical categories. His completion percentage is up more than four points, he’s only eight touchdowns shy of last year’s mark and he’s taken just two sacks. Tougher competition awaits, starting this weekend in Provo, Utah, but if he can even be in the ballpark of his first six starts this season, he should set Notre Dame up for a deep postseason run. 

4. Gunner Stockton, Georgia

Preseason rank: 15th

Stats: 76.6% completion rate, 1,298 yards, 15 total touchdowns, two interceptions, 198.6 efficiency rating

Stockton stuffed the stat sheet in a series of blowouts to start the season and it was difficult to tell just how far he’d progressed in his second full year as the starter in Athens, Ga. Confirmation of that growth came on Saturday on the road in Tuscaloosa, Ala., when he went 18 for 22 for 249 yards and two total touchdowns, outdueling a young phenom in Keelon Russell and playing confidently within Georgia’s system. His numbers may not be up to the level of the other elite QBs on this list, but the Dawgs’ offense is a juggernaut with him calling the shots.

5. Trinidad Chambliss, Mississippi

Preseason rank: First

Stats: 70.1% completion rate, 1,435 yards, 16 total touchdowns, four interceptions, 155.2 efficiency rating

Chambliss isn’t to blame for the college football world cooling on Ole Miss. In many ways, he’s still the dynamic dual-threat player the SEC met last season, scoring at least three touchdowns in four of the team’s five games. The issue has been the giveaways, which include more interceptions than all of 2025 (three) and two lost fumbles. That might just be the result of a very good player trying to do too much knowing to cover up for his defense (111th in scoring, 87th in yards per play allowed), but it could get the Rebels into even bigger trouble down the line.

6. Josh Hoover, Indiana

Preseason rank: 10th

Stats: 68.2% completion rate, 1,364 yards, 18 total touchdowns, zero interceptions, 200.7 efficiency rating

If there’s any player in the country who is packing the biggest punch with their play so far, it’s Hoover. He’s thrown a touchdown on 13.2% of his attempts, first in the FBS, and is second in the Power 4 in yards per completion (15.5), moving in lockstep with receivers Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh. There were times against his toughest competition, Northwestern and Nebraska, that he looked somewhat unsteady and inaccurate, but Curt Cignetti has helped him erase mistakes (zero turnovers after 15 in 2025) and deliver when the Hoosiers need him most.

7. Jayden Maiava, USC

Preseason rank: Eighth

Stats: 67.9% completion rate, 2,045 yards, 20 total touchdowns, three interceptions, 168.4 efficiency rating

The USC star has better counting stats than any player on this list with an extra game in his back pocket, and he’s had to will the Trojans to a trio of one-score wins because of the team’s continued defensive struggles. Maiava has done that by cutting down on mistakes after 10 interceptions last season and gritting out some games where not everything is going his way. His accuracy wavers against better competition (60.3% in four Big Ten games), but that’s to be expected when he’s averaging 33 dropbacks per game.

8. Keelon Russell, Alabama

Preseason rank: 30th

Stats: 67.9 completion rate, 1,599 yards, 16 total touchdowns, two interceptions, 173.1 efficiency rating

It sure looks like the Tide have found their next multiyear star in Russell, who may have ended up higher on this list had it not been for the loss to Georgia on Saturday. He looks comfortable pushing the ball downfield (14.5 yards per completion leads the SEC) and can also generate electricity with his legs, highlighted by a 57-yard touchdown scramble against Florida State. Like any young quarterback, he holds onto the ball too long a bit too often, hence the 15 sacks taken in six games, but that should get better with time.

Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell
Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell is leading the SEC at 14.5 yards per completion. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

9. Lincoln Kienholz, Louisville

Preseason rank: 41st

Stats: 69.5% completion rate, 1,534 yards, 17 total touchdowns, one interception, 171.6 efficiency rating

Kienholz has cooled down after a fiery start and has been at the helm as Louisville has fallen on the wrong side of some one-score games, but he remains dynamic, even as his passing numbers have plateaued. That’s mostly because of Jeff Brohm preferring his skill set as a runner and for good reason if it’s coming in the designed run game. Eight of his 17 total touchdowns have come on the ground, and it’s with his legs that he’s powered Louisville to 7.8 yards per play, tied for second in FBS with Georgia and Indiana. 

10. Kamario Taylor, Mississippi State

Preseason rank: 54th

Stats: 66.2% completion rate, 1,450 yards, 18 total touchdowns, four interceptions, 176.4 efficiency rating

Speaking of cooling down, the quarter-season MVP down in Starkville, Miss., has shown some growing pains in his last two starts, coughing up four turnovers and taking nine sacks against Missouri and Alabama. Mississippi State will take the good with the bad when it comes to Taylor though, seeing as he’s tied for third in FBS in passing touchdowns (17) and is a bona fide playmaker. He’s also reportedly dealing with a foot injury, which could limit some of his mobility and availability for the ahead-of-schedule Bulldogs down the stretch.

11. Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State

Preseason rank: 11th

Stats: 67.5% completion rate, 1,575 yards, 15 total touchdowns, five interceptions, 165.0 efficiency rate

The start of the new era in Stillwater, Okla., was bumpy, but has gotten brighter each and every week thanks to Mestemaker. He hasn’t posted a single-game QBR lower than 83.3 since the opening loss to Tulsa and has scored 14 touchdowns to three interceptions over that four-game stretch. Oklahoma State has also averaged over 40 points per game against their three P4 opponents, which bodes well for staying in the Big 12 hunt until the end of the regular season.

12. Conner Weigman, Houston

Preseason rank: 24th

Stats: 66.7% completion rate, 1,428 yards, 21 total touchdowns, one interception, 168.6 efficiency rating

Who is responsible for the most touchdowns among Power 4 quarterbacks so far this season? That would be Weigman, who seemingly shape-shifts each game to be whatever the Cougars need him to be on that day. The results haven’t always been consistent, like when Houston dug itself a three-score hole to UCF two weekends ago. But Weigman, with three second-half rushing touchdowns, willed the Cougars back by staying adaptable. Then he threw four touchdowns and carved up the Kansas State secondary the next week. 

13. Devon Dampier, Utah

Preseason rank: 13th

Stats: 71.8% completion rate, 1,134 yards, 15 total touchdowns, two interceptions, 172.1 efficiency rating

Utah’s use of the two quarterbacks, often pairing Byrd Ficklin on the field in some capacity to operate alongside Dampier, cuts into the latter’s counting stats. But it’s done wonders to better Dampier’s efficiency, headlined by an 8.3% climb in completion percentage in 2026. He can also still take over games when needed, like this past Saturday against Kansas, when he racked up 309 total yards and four touchdowns on 47 touches in Utah’s most complete offensive performance of the season.

14. Kevin Jennings, SMU

Preseason rank: 20th

Stats: 75.0% completion rate, 1,588 yards, 16 total touchdowns, five interceptions, 183.7 efficiency rating

Jennings is nothing if not consistent, meaning he’s going to put up huge numbers and also have some of the more head-scratching mistakes in all of college football. He already has two 400-yard games to go along with six turnovers in five games. And yet what’s stood out the most is an uptick in accuracy, even while taking more shots down the field. Jennings’s completion rate is up to 75% from 66.1% last season, while his yards per attempt is up to 10.2 from 8.0 in 2025. He’s on pace to throw far less, even though he’s still averaging 36.5 dropbacks per game against FBS competition. 

15. Noah Fifita, Arizona

Preseason rank: 14th

Stats: 73.3% completion rate, 1,756 yards, 19 total touchdowns, four interceptions, 174.0 efficiency rating

Fifita had somewhat quietly gone about his business until a monster game at West Virginia this past Saturday. He needed just 16 completions for a season-high 341 yards and a whopping 14.8 yards per attempt. And though Fifita hadn’t garnered much attention across Arizona’s first five games, he leads the Big 12 in completion percentage, yards and passing touchdowns. Some of the league’s toughest defenses await, but in his fifth and final year, Fifita appears to have reached his final form.

16. Michael Hawkins Jr., West Virginia

Preseason rank: 47th

Stats: 52.3% completion rate, 1,055 yards, 19 total touchdowns, one interception, 151.1 efficiency rating

Rich Rodriguez is getting the best version of Hawkins, who has the most rushing yards of any quarterback in the country and is tied with Florida running back Jadan Baugh for the most rushing touchdowns of any player in the FBS. It’s something of a service academy–style offense that is working really well. The issue remains delivering throws when it matters in close games or when West Virginia is trailing. In the Mountaineers’ last three games, Hawkins is 32 for 72 (43.8%) and WVU’s defense has gotten torched, resulting in three straight losses.

West Virginia quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr.
West Virginia quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. has the most rushing yards of any quarterback in the country. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

17. Gio Lopez, Wake Forest

Preseason rank: 55th

Stats: 67.4% completion rate, 1,680 yards, 19 total touchdowns, one interception, 166.2 efficiency rating

Lopez’s return to his old OC in Rob Ezell has been a revelation, and a major reason why the Demon Deacons are one of the most pleasant surprises this season. The North Carolina transfer seems to have completely gotten his mojo back and is fifth in FBS in EPA per dropback, just behind top QBs like Mensah, Hoover, Maiava and Carr. He’s also seventh in the country in yards, already just 67 yards shy of matching his total in his ill-fated year in Chapel Hill, N.C.

18. Austin Simmons, Missouri

Preseason rank: 38th

Stats: 64.8 completion rate, 1,434 yards, 14 total touchdowns, one interception, 164.7 efficiency rating

After not being able to do quite enough to take down Taylor in Starkville, Simmons bounced back with the performance of his career against Florida, throwing for 340 yards and two touchdowns against the Gators and elevating himself to the top 20 on this list. His accuracy can be spotty at times, but he’s come a long way at mitigating risk, throwing just one interception in six games, compared to the four he threw in two starts in 2025. 

19. Aidan Chiles, Northwestern

Preseason rank: 51st

Stats: 71.4% completion rate, 1,172 yards, 15 total touchdowns, zero interceptions, 186.1 efficiency rating

The Chiles we’ve seen operate in Chip Kelly’s system in Evanston, Ill., looks like an entirely different player, almost completely free of the mistakes he made constantly at Michigan State. He has zero turnovers thus far and hasn’t sacrificed his downfield arm talent, ranking fifth in the P4 in yards per attempt (10.5). His completion percentage has leapt up 8.3 points (from 63.1% in 2025) and he ranks sixth in the P4 in yards per dropback, albeit on a smaller sample size (24 dropbacks per game) than many of the nation’s top signal-callers.

20. Bear Bachmeier, BYU

Preseason rank: 19th

Stats: 66.4% completion rate, 1,033 yards, 12 total touchdowns, one interception, 162.1 efficiency rating

The overall numbers don’t burst off the page, but Bachmeier has made some key improvements in his sophomore season. He’s doing a much better job at handling pressure, either by escaping the pocket or throwing the ball away and has taken just three sacks in five games. And yet he’ll still have the occasional passing performance that looks dreadful, like when he went 11 for 24 (45.8%) for 62 yards on 2.6 yards per attempt in a low-scoring win over TCU. I find myself wanting more from Bachmeier, and we may get that soon with star running back LJ Martin out indefinitely due to injury. 

21. Sam Leavitt, LSU

Preseason rank: Ninth

Stats: 67.6% completion rate, 1,496 yards, 17 total touchdowns, eight interceptions, 149.7 efficiency rating

Leavitt is an agent of chaos and is the outright FBS leader in interceptions. He’s thrown a pick in every game, including one each in the second half of both of LSU’s losses at Ole Miss and Kentucky. And yet, he’s hard to quit because he never gives up on a play and has settled in from an accuracy standpoint over the Tigers’ past three games (75% completion rate).

22. Ethan Grunkemeyer, Virginia Tech

Preseason rank: 32nd

Stats: 73.1% completion rate, 1,734 yards, 16 total touchdowns, two interceptions, 159.9 efficiency rating

James Franklin is letting his quarterback throw plenty, as Grunkemeyer leads the ACC in completions, attempts and passing yards. And after a shaky, storm-affected performance at Boston College that saw him average just 4.2 yards per attempt, the Penn State transfer aired it out for 434 yards and three touchdowns in a close loss to Pitt. The consistency could be better, seeing as the Tech offense struggled the next week against Cal, but Grunkemeyer looks more like an upper-half P4 quarterback in his first full year than expected.

23. Anthony Colandrea, Nebraska

Preseason rank: 27th

Stats: 64.0% completion rate, 1,406 yards, 16 total touchdowns, three interceptions, 147.7 efficiency rating

Colandrea was flying high until the Hoosiers came into Lincoln, Neb., on Saturday and forced some massive second-half mistakes that harkened back to the QB’s days at Virginia. Despite Colandrea being a third-down machine in the first half, the Huskers offense struggled after halftime, going 11 for 21 with an interception and a would-be second pick that was overturned by roughing the passer. Nebraska should still be thrilled with the quarterback play it’s getting, but should be wary of needing Colandrea to throw often against better competition.

24. Aaron Philo, Florida

Preseason rank: 34th

Stats: 70.5% completion rate, 1,341 yards, 12 total touchdowns, three interceptions, 162.0 efficiency rating

Florida is getting everything it wants out of Philo in its run-first system, having its quarterback average just 27.2 dropbacks per game against FBS competition. The issue becomes not having a player who can deliver downfield throws consistently if the Gators fall behind, as they did against Missouri and South Carolina the past two weeks. He plummeted down the ranks in yards per completion (from third in the P4 at the end of September to 30th in just 13 days), but still deserves some recognition for operating Buster Faulkner’s system so well in September.

25. Beau Pribula, Virginia

Preseason rank: 31st

Stats: 66.4% completion rate, 1,074 yards, 14 total touchdowns, one interception, 161.8 efficiency rating

After a dominant showing against NC State in the opener, Pribula and the Hoos offense have cooled off significantly, as teams seem more than content to let the quarterback dink and dunk, rather than take deep shots off play-action or scramble. He’s averaged fewer than six yards per attempt in his P4 games since, took 10 sacks at Florida State and has been far less efficient when being asked to throw the ball more often.

26. Katin Houser, Illinois

Preseason rank: 37th

Stats: 66.3% completion rate, 1,440 yards, 14 total touchdowns, four interceptions, 148.9 efficiency rating

Houser hasn’t been to blame for Illinois’s disappointing follow-up to a nine-win season as he ranks 17th among the P4 in QBR and had some major moments in last weekend’s overtime win over Michigan State. Unfortunately, he also suffered a significant injury to his throwing hand, which will cause him to miss major time, coach Bret Bielema announced after the game. That said, the first half of this season has been a vast improvement from his previous stint in the Big Ten with far better accuracy (60.8% in 2024 to 66.3% in ’26) and far fewer turnovers. 

Illinois quarterback Katin Houser
Illinois quarterback Katin Houser will miss time after suffering an injury to his throwing hand. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

27. CJ Bailey, NC State

Preseason rank: 18th

Stats: 66.7% efficiency rating, 1,507 yards, 11 total touchdowns, four interceptions, 145.4 efficiency rating

Bailey left the wrong kind of impression with the finish at Vanderbilt, but statistically, he’s not that far behind the pace of his 2025 campaign. It’s clear that there’s not much help around him, but he’s still capable of bringing the team through a lot, like he did with a 373-yard, two-touchdown outing against Louisville. The issue is, NC State needs him to be nearly perfect to win ACC games, and Bailey has been too inconsistent through the first half, adding three lost fumbles to his four picks.

28. Kenny Minchey, Kentucky

Preseason rank: 40th

Stats: 67.4% completion rate, 1,394 yards, 12 total touchdowns, one interception, 152.1 efficiency rating

Will Stein’s Wildcats are rolling and Minchey has played a huge role in the last two overtime wins. He’s completed 66.2% of his passes for 518 yards, four total touchdowns and no interceptions against South Carolina and LSU, with a QBR of more than 80 in each outing. He’s not a world-beater, averaging just 7.8 yards per attempt (tied for 58th in FBS), but he doesn’t have to be to win games.

29. Mason Heintschel/Holden Geriner, Pittsburgh

Preseason rank (Heintschel): 33rd

Stats (combined): 66.1% completion rate, 1,741 passing yards, 17 total touchdowns, three interceptions, 146.15 average efficiency rating

The Panthers were dealt a devastating blow by losing Heintschel for the season amid a 5–0 start. It’s important to mention, however, that he also was extremely hot and cold in September, throwing 13 of his 14 passing touchdowns against Miami (Ohio) and Bucknell. Geriner, a fifth-year senior, had just 47 combined passing attempts before starting against North Carolina, a game where he averaged just 5.0 yards per attempt and threw two picks. 

30. Arch Manning, Texas

Preseason rank: Sixth

Stats: 63.0% completion rate, 1,122 yards, 10 total touchdowns, five interceptions, 143.5 efficiency rating

NFL scouts may still see something in Manning, but his play in 2026 hasn’t inspired confidence that he’s taken a major leap in Year 2 on the Forty Acres. He ranks 66th in FBS in yards per dropback and 63rd in efficiency rating, just 0.5 points above the national average. There are the highs of the second half against Ohio State or the opening two quarters against Oklahoma that are quickly undone by horrendous mistakes, like the two fourth-quarter interceptions that sank Texas in the Red River Rivalry.

Texas quarterback Arch Manning
Texas quarterback Arch Manning has yet to show a major leap in Year 2. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

31. Avery Johnson, Kansas State

Preseason rank: 28th

Stats: 63.8% completion rate, 1,092 yards, 12 total touchdowns, three interceptions, 134.7 efficiency rating

Johnson started off on pace for the best season of his career, and still has a chance to get there, but has hit the wall in Big 12 play. His completion percentage has dipped from 69.9% in nonconference play to 57.5% against league opponents and his yards per attempt against Cincinnati and Houston has been 5.8 and 6.1, respectively. He remains a valuable runner and doesn’t take bad sacks, but just hasn’t been a reliable enough thrower to keep pace with better competition.

32. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina

Preseason rank: 22nd

Stats: 61.5% completion rate, 1,338 yards, 14 total touchdowns, four interceptions, 139.0 efficiency rating

Gamecocks fans probably feared the worst when Sellers threw three interceptions and took four sacks in the team’s first two SEC games against Mississippi State and Alabama. And yet he bounced back tremendously with two solid games against Kentucky and at Florida, the latter of which saw him score five touchdowns and upset the Gators in the Swamp. His 411 rushing yards rank third among P4 quarterbacks.

33. Ryan Browne, Purdue

Preseason rank: 66th

Stats: 68.9% completion rate, 1,549 yards, 10 total touchdowns, one interception, 156.4 efficiency rating

The rest of the Purdue roster isn’t giving him much help, but Browne is coming into his own in his second full year with the Boilermakers. He’s already matched his 2025 passing touchdowns total and has helped lead the offense to 36 or more points in four of his six starts. The issue is he’s getting very little help from his defense in some of those games, though the group did buckle down for wins at Illinois and at home against Minnesota over the last two weeks.

34. Colton Joseph, Wisconsin

Preseason rank: 49th

Stats: 56.6% completion rate, 1,132 yards, 13 total touchdowns, five interceptions, 139.0 efficiency rating

The Old Dominion transfer has settled into what he does best as a quarterback and that’s using his legs. He more than doubled his rushing total on the season against Michigan State (13 carries for 141 yards), putting together his best game yet at Wisconsin despite completing just nine passes. Too much throwing leads to mistakes, like against Penn State, when he threw three picks and nearly kept the Badgers from pulling off the upset.

35. Demond Williams Jr., Washington

Preseason rank: Seventh

Stats: 66.7% completion rate, 1,396 yards, 10 total touchdowns, three interceptions, 145.7 efficiency rating

Williams seemed to have all the pieces to be one of the best quarterbacks in all of college football, but between the offseason drama and a terrible offensive line, the Huskies offense is dreadful. Williams has been sacked 19 times, the most of any quarterback in the Power 4, and his play only got worse as the hits started stacking up. Williams sustained an injury in the blowout loss to Iowa, making Elijah Brown the next one up to try and resurrect what’s basically already a lost season in Seattle.

Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr.
Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. has not had great protection at the line of scrimmage. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

36. DJ Lagway/Nate Bennett, Baylor

Preseason rank (Lagway): 46th

Stats (combined): 57.4% completion rate, 1,441 yards, 17 total touchdowns, four interceptions, 152.55 average efficiency rating

The Bears have quietly put together a 4–1 start, overcoming the ugly opening loss to Auburn to get back on track. Bennett became the unlikely kick-starter against a pair of non-threats in the nonconference, but when Lagway returned, he looked rejuvenated. Accuracy is still fuzzy, but against Arizona State he completed more than 62% of his passes for 306 yards, scored five touchdowns and Baylor racked up 55 points, which could bode well for what the rest of this season might hold.

37. Ashton Daniels, Florida State

Preseason rank: 60th

Stats: 59.5% completion rate, 1,320 yards, 18 total touchdowns, seven interceptions, 139.8 efficiency rating

Daniels is the sort of boom-or-bust quarterback who can either make things go extremely well or very poorly. That’s evidenced by the fact that he leads the ACC in interceptions, but also in yards per completion (14.5, eight in the P4). He’s also taken 15 sacks and still managed to rush for 323 yards and 10 scores, five of which came in a surprising rout of Virginia at the start of October.

38. Dante Moore/Dylan Raiola, Oregon

Preseason rank (Moore): Fourth

Stats (combined): 68.1% completion rate, 1,382 yards, 14 total touchdowns, two interceptions, 168.35 efficiency rating

It’s somewhat unfair to put these two players together, but this ranking encapsulates what Oregon’s QB situation has become this season. Before the scary hit at USC, Moore had only one really solid game, and it’s important to remember that he followed it up by going 14 for 29 at Oklahoma State. Raiola was much worse than that at home against UCLA (6 for 19, two interceptions, 2.3 yards per attempt, a QBR of 2.4), and though he should get some grace for being thrown into the fire in a situation he wasn’t expecting, it’s left the Ducks in a difficult spot until Moore’s return.

Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiola
Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiola has been trust into action after Dante Moore was injured against USC. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

39. Hank Brown/Jeremy Hecklinski, Iowa

Preseason rank (Hecklinski): 67th

Stats (combined): 62.9% completion rate, 1,242 yards, 10 total touchdowns, two interceptions, 141.35 average efficiency rating

Solid Iowa quarterback play you say? That’s how Brown delivered in the clutch against both Iowa State and Michigan. Then Hecklinski stepped in and carved up Washington for 202 yards and three touchdowns last Friday night. Sure, the Hawkeyes are still averaging just 22.75 points against P4 competition, but the QBs have been clean and competent en route to a 5–1 start.

40. Cutter Boley, Arizona State

Preseason rank: 43rd

Stats: 62.7% completion rate, 1,229 yards, 13 total touchdowns, three interceptions, 149.5 efficiency rating

Since 387 yards and six touchdowns against Morgan State in the opener, Boley has thrown six touchdowns and three interceptions in four games. He labored his way to a measly 95 yards against Kansas, but it’s evident that the pieces are still there for him to be successful. The highlight is that he’s cut down significantly on the interceptions from last season (when he threw 12 in 12 games at Kentucky).

41. John Mateer, Oklahoma

Preseason rank: 21st

Stats: 66.7% completion rate, 1,038 yards, eight total touchdowns, four interceptions, 144.9 efficiency rating

Mateer was in real danger of being further down the list until he played a pivotal role in stewarding Oklahoma back to a win in Red River on Saturday. He didn’t have to do much, getting turnover help from his defense and a bit from his run game, but he threw two strikes to Isaiah Sategna III in the final 20 seconds to get into field goal range. Perhaps that can be the moment that kick-starts a run this season for the Sooners.

42. Byrum Brown, Auburn

Preseason rank: 17th

Stats: 65.4% completion rate, 1,055 yards, 11 total touchdowns, seven interceptions, 126.6 efficiency rating

There’ve been some more growing pains from the jump up to the SEC than many, including myself, expected from Brown. He’s already thrown as many interceptions as all of last year and taken more sacks (18), which makes sense from a better level of competition. His 4.4% interception rate is fourth in the P4, which isn’t great when considering his yards per attempt (6.6) is fifth to fewest.

43. Drake Lindsey, Minnesota

Preseason rank: 39th

Stats: 64.8% completion rate, 1,335 yards, nine total touchdowns, five interceptions, 131.9 efficiency rating

Lindsey started to generate some serious buzz going into the year and so far, hasn’t quite been able to live up to the billing. He has four interceptions compared to five touchdowns against his four P4 opponents thus far and that’s while averaging 6.8 yards per attempt (tied for 98th in FBS). There’s just very little explosiveness in the Gophers’ offense, a group that ranks outside the top 100 FBS teams in yards per play (5.4).

44. JC French IV, Cincinnati

Preseason rank: 53rd

Stats: 69.9% completion rate, 949 yards, 11 total touchdowns, zero interceptions, 150.7 efficiency rating

The Bearcats got off to a rip-roaring start, which included two P4 wins over Boston College and Kansas State, but got exposed before their bye. French had been solid up until that point, but looked far more overwhelmed against a good team like Arizona, completing just 16 passes for 153 yards as the Wildcats sold out against the run. Unfortunately a gauntlet of ranked Big 12 teams await French and Cincinnati, which doesn’t bode well for the team’s ceiling.

45. Keyone Jenkins/Alonza Barnett III, UCF

Preseason rank (Barnett III): 29th

Stats (combined): 68.3% completion rate, 1,150 yards, 14 total touchdowns, four interceptions, 138.3 average efficiency rating

Barnett went down with an early injury and didn’t get the chance to show much at the P4 level, allowing Jenkins, an Florida International transfer to step in and step up. He’s done so admirably, throwing just one incompletion in his first Big 12 start, a win against TCU, and racking up four touchdowns at Oklahoma State last Saturday. He just lacks in explosiveness, with 9.7 yards per completion ranking last among 67 eligible power-conference quarterbacks.

46. Rocco Becht, Penn State

Preseason rank: 25th

Stats: 62.7% completion rate, 1,397 yards, 12 total touchdowns, three interceptions, 151.5 efficiency rating

Becht’s counting stats are heavily reliant on games against Marshall, Temple and Buffalo, but matchups against Big Ten foes, all losses, tell a different story. He’s well off his season averages with a 57.8% completion rate, two touchdowns and three interceptions. Becht is lacking any sort of real support from the Penn State run game, which is making life far more difficult and forcing the fourth-year starter to have to do more than he’s been asked to do by Matt Campbell in the past.

47. Alberto Mendoza, Georgia Tech

Preseason rank: 42nd

Stats: 69.9% completion rate, 1,193 yards, seven total touchdowns, three interceptions, 146.5 efficiency rating

The best compliment for any first-year starter is that they’re improving, and that’s exactly what’s happening with Mendoza. After struggling against Colorado and Tennessee, he was sharp in the win against Duke, with his most accurate performance to date (23 for 30) that saw him execute an impressive two-minute drill to score the go-ahead touchdown with 54 seconds remaining.

Georgia Tech quarterback Alberto Mendoza
Georgia Tech quarterback Alberto Mendoza continues to improve in his first season as a starter. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

48. Walker Eget, Duke

Preseason rank: 59th

Stats: 62.7% completion rate, 980 yards, seven total touchdowns, one interception, 139.9 efficiency rating

The Blue Devils will happily ride the hot hand of star running back Nate Sheppard, meaning Eget doesn’t have to do much to keep the momentum rolling. He can make a variety of throws, but Duke would probably prefer him in the 25-attempt range, as opposed to the 41 he had to put up at Georgia Tech last weekend. The Blue Devils rank in the top 40 in points per game (34.0) and yards per play (6.5), which is excellent, seeing as Eget was a late addition to replace Mensah.

49. Will Hammond, Texas Tech

Preseason rank: 36th

Stats: 68.3% completion rate, 1,102 yards, six total touchdowns, five interceptions, 138.4 efficiency rating

Tech has been hanging on by a thread and Hammond hasn’t shown any signs of restoring at least serviceable quarterback play in Lubbock. He’s nowhere near as mobile as last year, when he averaged 7.0 yards per carry and scored five rushing touchdowns, since coming off of surgery to repair a torn ACL. And he’s looked wild at times, throwing his five picks in his first four games and not having had to play a very competitive defense thus far. 

50. Nico Iamaleava, UCLA

Preseason rank: 26th

Stats: 62.1% completion rate, 982 yards, five total touchdowns, four interceptions, 138.1 efficiency rating

This may seem a harsh ranking for the quarterback of an undefeated team, but other than his running ability (144 yards, 3.4 yards per carry) and more of a willingness to push the ball downfield (13.6 yards per completion, 22nd in FBS) he’s not bringing much to the table. The Bruins’ reliance on their running game may be why they can withstand Iamaleava’s indefinite injury with Cal Poly transfer Ty Dieffenbach under center.

51. Jaden Craig, TCU

Preseason rank: 44th

Stats: 68.8% completion rate, 1,400 yards, eight total touchdowns, four interceptions, 155.4 efficiency rating

Against Power 4 competition this season, Craig has thrown a single touchdown, three interceptions and taken 11 sacks. TCU has lost all three games by one score and has averaged 11 points in those losses. Craig is certainly trying and is averaging more than 30 dropbacks per game in those outings, but it’s just not translating into points for the Horned Frogs.

52. Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, Cal

Preseason rank: 16th

Stats: 65.2% completion rate, 1,180 yards, eight total touchdowns, five interceptions, 135.8 efficiency rating

Tosh Lupoi will be hoping that the bye week shook off some of the horrible vibes within the Cal program and some of the sophomore slump cobwebs on his quarterback. Sagapolutele is last in the P4 in EPA per dropback against FBS competition and the eye test bears that out with mistake-laden performances against UCLA, Clemson and UNLV. It’s possible that Sagapolutele is feeling the burden of a subpar run game and a poor defense and the pressure is only making his performances get worse as the season goes along.

Cal quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele
Cal quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele has had mistake-laden performances this season as pressure mounts. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

53. Billy Edwards Jr., North Carolina

Preseason rank: 61st

Stats: 59.8% completion rate, 1,069 yards, eight total touchdowns, five interceptions, 140.2 efficiency rating

It’s taken some time, but Edwards, Bill Belichick and Bobby Petrino seem to be getting on the same page. It started in the Notre Dame game, when Edwards shook off two first-quarter interceptions to keep the Tar Heels around and continued in last Saturday’s win at Pitt when Edwards delivered a perfect touch pass to Shamar Easter for the game-winning 75-yard touchdown. Now it’s just time to get rid of those costly turnovers, all five of which have come in the last three games.

54. Bryce Underwood, Michigan

Preseason rank: 23rd

Stats: 59.3% completion rate, 881 yards, seven total touchdowns, four interceptions, 132.4 efficiency rate

This season in Ann Arbor, Mich., hit a wall right after it started and though Underwood has very little help in the run game, he’s also had some dreadful moments. Michigan still hasn’t scored 20 points in its four games not against UTEP and the sophomore’s worst performance yet came in his most recent start at Minnesota (10 for 21, 4.8 yards per attempt, two interceptions, three sacks taken). His rushing ability is the only real positive thus far (212 yards, two touchdowns) and that’s been getting worse and worse each week.

55. Jaylen Raynor, Iowa State

Preseason rank: 57th

Stats: 57.4% completion rate, 1,001 yards, 10 total touchdowns, four interceptions, 124.7 efficiency rating

Raynor was thrust into a difficult situation at a revamped Iowa State and the team’s lack of cohesion has shown at times. His best game came against a bad West Virginia defense (70.4% completion rate, 264 yards) but at BYU, he couldn’t seem to get going as the Cyclones went three and out on five of their first eight drives. That lack of consistency has made it hard to generate momentum in Ames, Iowa.

56. Faizon Brandon/George MacIntyre, Tennessee

Preseason rank (Brandon): 52nd

Stats (combined): 62.0% completion rate, 1,092 yards, 12 total touchdowns, three interceptions, 138.9 average efficiency rating

Brandon turned 18 in June, and he certainly plays like it. He’s last in the Power 4 and 135th in FBS in yards per dropback (3.93), has just two turnovers but has fumbled five times and also took a whopping 10 sacks against Texas in a game that Tennessee could have stolen. Despite it all, the Vols are 5–1, so perhaps this is a harsh landing spot, but with tougher SEC defenses still awaiting, Brandon or MacIntyre will have to be more consistent. 

57. Mason McKenzie, Boston College

Preseason rank: 64th

Stats: 58.3% completion rate, 967 yards, eight total touchdowns, five interceptions, 121.8 efficiency rate

McKenzie is tough, as evidenced by his 95 carries for 437 yards across five games. He’s probably too reliant on his legs, even if that’s the best element of his game. That said, he looked more proficient as a passer against SMU and could still be effective as a runner, racking up 282 total yards and two touchdowns. He’s also pretty much doing this all on his own, leading the next rusher on BC’s roster by more than 200 yards.

58. Jared Curtis/Blaze Berlowitz, Vanderbilt

Preseason rank: 48th

Stats: 60.1% completion rate, 1,354 yards, nine total touchdowns, six interceptions, 123.45 efficiency rating

Having to experience growing pains with a true freshman after Diego Pavia mania is a tough pill to swallow, but may work out in the long run for the Commodores. Curtis has had a few great moments, especially against NC State, even if that should’ve been a loss for Vanderbilt. And then will come the occasional interception that all 19-year-olds (yes, even the five-stars), have to get out of their system. In two SEC games, Curtis has one touchdown and four turnovers.

59. Marcel Reed, Texas A&M

Preseason rank: 12th

Stats: 55.3% completion rate, 1,097 yards, eight total touchdowns, six interceptions, 108.2 efficiency rating

Reed just hasn’t been the same quarterback since last year’s dismal CFP performance against Miami. He’s constantly missing throws (115th in completion percentage), even when not throwing downfield—his 5.8 yards per attempt is last in the Power 4 and down from 8.4 in 2025. Reed is also turning the ball over at the same rate as last season without being nearly the same threat as a scorer. In 13 games in 2025, he scored 31 total touchdowns. Through six games in ’26, he has just eight. 

60. KJ Jackson, Arkansas

Preseason rank: 56th

Stats: 59.8% completion rate, 1,193 yards, nine total touchdowns, four interceptions, 122.6 efficiency rating

Jackson seems to be improving and gave Arkansas the lead going into the fourth quarter of last week’s games against Tennessee. His issues center around turnovers, which include three lost fumbles on top of his four picks. The Razorbacks need just about everything to go right to hang around against SEC opponents and at this point, it doesn’t seem like Jackson’s play will save them from a 2–10 or, at best, a 3–9 season.

61. Malik Washington, Maryland

Preseason rank: 45th

Stats: 61.0% completion rate, 1,352 yards, eight total touchdowns, six interceptions, 117.2 efficiency rating

More doesn’t always mean better, and though Washington is sixth in the Power 4 in dropbacks against FBS opponents (190), he’s 63rd in EPA per dropback. That’s because he averages just 6.1 yards per attempt and 9.9 yards per completion, while also having a habit for letting mistakes build on top of one another. His four interception outing in a 54–3 loss to UCLA was one of the worst P4 starts of the season—a disappointment given how much optimism surrounded his sophomore season.

62. Davis Warren, Stanford

Preseason rank: 68th

Stats: 58.5% completion rate, 1,351 yards, six total touchdowns, two interceptions, 124.6 efficiency rating

The Cardinal have the worst scoring offense in the Power 4, averaging just 15.7 points per game (134th in FBS) and 5.0 yards per play (120th). Warren isn’t entirely to blame for that as the team has fallen out of games almost immediately in all four losses, with an average margin of defeat of 43 points. Plus, he looked great against Georgia Tech in late September (396 yards, 18 yards per completion, three touchdowns).

63. Isaiah Marshall, Kansas

Preseason rank: 63rd

Stats: 53.9 completion rate, 1,143 yards, nine total touchdowns, four interceptions, 135.1 efficiency rating

Marshall has shown flashes and isn’t afraid to take shots, averaging 15.0 yards per completion in his first year on the job. The issue is he’s just so inaccurate, ranking above only Hawkins in completion percentage while not providing the same level of running threat. Take out the win over Long Island University and he’s completed just 50.8% of his passes this season.

64. Alessio Milivojevic, Michigan State

Preseason rank: 62nd

Stats: 65.8% completion rate, 1,047 yards, five total touchdowns, three interceptions, 129.8 efficiency rating

The Spartans may be in a new regime under Pat Fitzgerald, but still exhibit many of the same issues from the Jonathan Smith era. Milivojevic has been sacked 17 times and is averaging just 6.8 yards per completion (112th in FBS), giving Michigan State very little vertical threat at a time when the team desperately needs it after losing running back Cam Edwards for the season

Michigan State’s Alessio Milivojevic
Michigan State quarterback Alessio Milivojevic is completing 65.8% of his passes. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

65. Julian Lewis/Isaac Wilson, Colorado

Preseason rank (Lewis): 58th

Stats (combined): 60.8% completion rate, 1,176 yards, nine total touchdowns, five interceptions, 127.4 efficiency rating

Deion Sanders didn’t wait long to make a change and given that five of Lewis’s seven touchdowns this season came against Weber State, it doesn’t seem like it could’ve gotten much worse. Lewis is second-to-last in the P4 in yards per dropback (4.08 against FBS competition) and Colorado’s offense ranks only above Stanford in points per game (18.6). 

66. Dylan Lonergan/AJ Surace, Rutgers

Preseason rank (Lonergan): 65th

Stats (combined): 57.9% completion rate, 1,250 yards, 13 total touchdowns, nine interceptions, 150.3 average efficiency rating

Lonergan and Surace aren’t afraid to throw downfield and that’s not a bad strategy when you have an NFL-caliber receiver in KJ Duff. It also results in horrendous turnovers, an area in which Rutgers ranks tied for 121st in FBS this season. 

67. Steve Angeli/Amari Odom/Malachi Nelson, Syracuse

Preseason rank (Angeli): 35th

Stats (combined): 60.1% completion rate, 1,346 yards, 12 total touchdowns, seven interceptions, 139.13 average efficiency rating

Three starting quarterbacks appearing on this list should tell you what you need to know. Angeli threw one touchdown with five interceptions in Syracuse’s first two ACC losses. He was then benched for Odom who racked up six scores in a shootout win at UConn. Game 5 was started by Nelson, who’s at his fourth school in as many years, and went 16 for 31 in a loss at Virginia.

68. Tait Reynolds/Christopher Vizzina, Clemson

Preseason ranking (Vizzina): 50th

Stats (combined): 63.4% completion rate, 918 yards, two total touchdowns, five interceptions, 105.65 average efficiency rating

An injury might’ve helped the process along, but Dabo Swinney yanked Vizzina and handed the keys to Reynolds, who hasn’t been any better. He’s second to last in the Power 4 in yards per dropback (5.08), has taken 16 sacks in five games and Clemson has just two passing touchdowns this season tied for 137th in the FBS.

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Zach Koons
ZACH KOONS

Zach Koons is a programming editor at Sports Illustrated who frequently writes about Formula One. He joined SI as a Breaking and Trending News writer in February 2022 before joining the programming team in 2023. Koons previously worked at The Spun and interned for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He currently hosts the “Bleav in Northwestern” podcast and received a bachelor’s in journalism from Northwestern University.

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