College Football Passing Leaders Through Week 2: A Surprise At The Top

The Heisman Trophy race is loaded with stat-stuffing quarterbacks off to incredible starts this college football season, but most of those star passers haven't had to play full games yet while blowing past overmatched non-conference opponents.

So college football's passing leaders list is a still-evolving picture that will tighten up in the weeks to come.

Nonetheless, here's a look at the top passers through Week 2 of the season, ranked by passing yards per game. A number of teams got an early start in Week 0 and have played an extra game, which why averages were used here.

10. Lincoln Kienholz (Louisville, 319.5 YPG)

Louisville quarterback Lincoln Kienholz is off to a strong start, averaging 319.5 passing yards a game. — Louisville quarterback Lincoln Kienholz is off to a strong start in his Cardinals debut season, averaging 319.5 passing yards a game. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Ohio State transfer Lincoln Kienholz has settled in nicely at Louisville, averaging 319.5 passing yards through two games with 4 passing touchdowns and 0 interceptions.

After throwing for 307 yards and 2 TDs against Ole Miss, as the Cardinals put a scare into the top 10 Rebels in a 41-38 loss, Kienholz was near-perfect in a 59-13 Week 2 win over Villanova. He completed 16 of 21 passes for 332 yards, 2 TDs and also rushed for 2 scores.

The dual-threat QB has 111 rushing yards through two games.

9. Cutter Boley (Arizona State, 320.5 YPG)

Cutter Boley is another transfer quarterback making a mark as the former Kentucky QB takes over at Arizona State this year. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Cutter Boley wasn't a prolific passer last season at Kentucky, throwing for 2,160 yards, 15 TDs and 12 INTs, but it's been a different story at Arizona State.

The transfer newcomer has averaged 320.5 passing yards through his first two starts for the Sun Devils with 8 TDs and 2 INTs.

Of course, the bulk of those stats came in a Week 1 rout of FCS-level Morgan State. Last week in a 48-20 loss to then-No. 10 Texas A&M, Boley passed for 254 yards and 2 TDs but also 2 INTs.

8. Ryan Browne (Purdue, 323.0 YPG)

Purdue QB Ryan Browne is off to a much better start in 2026 with 646 passing yards, 4 TDs and 0 INTs through two games. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

To say Ryan Browne had a rough 2025 season would be putting it lightly. The Purdue quarterback threw for 2,153 yards, 9 TDs and 10 INTs for a 2-10 Boilermakers team that went winless in Big Ten play.

But he's started 2026 with the two highest passing outputs of his career, throwing for 317 yards, 3 TDs and 0 INTs in a 44-19 win over Indiana State and then 329 yards, 1 TD and 0 INTs in a 38-36 double-overtime loss to Wake Forest.

Browne ranks eighth nationally with 323.0 passing yards per game.

7. Landyn Locke (Sam Houston, 325.5 YPG)

Sam Houston quarterback Landyn Locke (8) throws the ball under pressure from Oregon State Beavers linebacker Andy Alfieri (88). | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After making three starts late last season as a freshman, Landyn Locke is locked in as Sam Houston State's quarterback this year and filling up the stat sheet so far.

The sophomore has passed for 651 yards, 5 TDs and 1 TD in narrow losses to Troy (24-21) and Tulsa (23-17).

He ranks seventh nationally at 325.5 passing yards per game.

6. Darian Mensah (Miami, 326.5 YPG)

Miami quarterback Darian Mensah is a top Heisman Trophy candidate after a strong start with the Hurricanes. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Darian Mensah has been everything Miami could have hoped for in landing the Duke transfer to replace 2025 starter Carson Beck.

The Hurricanes haven't been remotely tested yet in blowout wins over Stanford (45-6) and Florida A&M (77-7), but that doesn't take away from how well Mensah has commanded the offense.

He has completed 41 of 45 passes for 653 yards, 8 TDs and 0 INTs, and that's with only playing the first half against Florida A&M last week.

Miami opens ACC play this week at Wake Forest.

5. Caden Veltkamp (FAU, 331.0 YPG)

Florida Atlantic quarterback Caden Veltkamp (10) is a third-year starter off to a strong start in 2026. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Caden Veltkamp is a proven commodity at this point, passing for 3,108 yards, 25 TDs and 10 INTs for Western Kentucky in 2024 and then 3,641-24-17 last season for FAU.

Back with the Owls in 2026, Veltkamp is off to a hot start with 662 passing yards, 6 TDs and 2 INTs in two games. After a loss to SEC-foe Florida to open the season, Veltkamp put FAU in the win column with 38-30 victory over Navy, completing 27 of 32 passes for 386 yards, 5 TDs and 0 picks.

He ranks fifth nationally with 331.0 passing yards per game.

4. Mason Heintschel (Pittsburgh, 332.5 YPG)

Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Mason Heintschel has picked up right where he left off last season. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Mason Heintschel got off to a blazing start last season as a true freshman, taking over the starting job at Pitt in October and throwing for at least 300 yards in four of his first five starts before tailing off down the stretch.

Well, Heintschel is looking better than ever to start the 2026 season with 665 yards, 7 TDs and 0 INTs through two games.

Granted, most of that came in a 59-14 blowout of Miami (Ohio) in which he threw for 453 yards and 7 TDs. It was a tougher test for the Panthers last week in a 12-7 win over UCF as Heintschel completed 18 of 29 passes for 212 yards and 0 TDs.

3. JJ Kohl (FIU, 334.0 YPG)

🏈 OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK 🏈

🏅1⃣ @JJKohl3, @FIUFootball #NoLimitsOnUs | https://t.co/DP3gn95tb7 pic.twitter.com/48wl8oyT1Q
— Conference USA (@ConferenceUSA) September 14, 2026

JJ Kohl is playing for his third school in three years after stops at Iowa State and Appalachian State and it looks like he's settling in just fine at FIU.

Kohl has back-to-back 300-yard games to start the season and ranks third nationally at 334.0 passing yards per game. In addition to his 668 passing yards, he had 4 TDs and 2 INTs.

Both picks came in a season-opening 19-9 loss at USF. He was much sharper last week in a 33-20 win over Buffalo, passing for 367 yards, 3 TDs and 0 INTs.

2. Kevin Jennings (SMU, 383.5 YPG)

SMU Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings remains one of the most prolific passers in college football so far in 2026. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It's no surprise to see Kevin Jennings near the top of this list, as the fifth-year senior is in his third season as SMU's starter after passing for a career-high 3,641 yards, 26 TDs and 13 INTs last season.

Through two games in 2026 -- wins over Florida State and FCS-level UC Davis -- Jennings has passed for 767 yards, 8 TDs and 2 INTs.

While he had the two picks in the season-opening 27-24 win over FSU, Jennings made up for it by passing for 430 yards and 3 scores. He only needed a partial game vs. UC Davis to pile up 337 yards, 5 TDs and 0 INTs on 14-of-16 passing.

1. Braden Atkinson (Oregon State, 394.5 YPG)

Oregon State's Braden Atkinson leads all FBS quarterbacks with 394.5 passing yards per game through Week 2. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

And the top passer in college football through Week 2 is ... a major surprise.

Braden Atkinson was prolific as a true freshman last season at FCS-level Mercer, throwing for 3,596 yards, 34 TDs and 11 INTs, but few if any could have predicted he'd be leading college football with 394.5 passing yards per game through Week 2 for Oregon State.

Not only is Atkinson making the jump to FBS seamlessly, but he's helped elevate a Beavers offense that ranked a middling 66th in passing last season (225.8).

New Oregon State coach JaMarcus Shephard sure seems to have found the right QB to run his offense.

What makes Atkinson's stats even more impressive is that they've come against two ranked opponents in surprisingly competitive losses to then-No. 23 Houston (33-20) and then-No. 13 Texas Tech (35-24).

Braden Atkinson vs. #13 Texas Tech is an early QB performance of the year relative to the competition level
413 yards, 2 TDs. pic.twitter.com/OLJFB4Diht
— Between The Lines (@BTLNFL) September 15, 2026

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