2026 College Football Passing Leaders Through Week 3: Breakout Star QB Continues Hot Start

A breakout star continues to lead college football in passing through the opening weeks of the season.

Oregon State's Braden Atkinson leads college football with 373.3 passing yards per game through Week 3. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

College football's passing yardage leaderboard saw quite a shakeup in Week 3, but not at the very top where an emerging star out West continues to be one of the best stories of this young season.

The overall picture of the top passers across the FBS level should start coming into clearer focus, though, as the schedule turns to a full slate of conference play in Week 4.

Here are the current passing leaders by yards per game, counting down from 10 to 1.

10. Demond Williams Jr. [Washington, 296.7 YPG]

Washington Huskies quarterback Demond Williams Jr. has passed for 890 yards, 5 TDs and 1 INT through three games. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After throwing for just 1 touchdown through the first two games, Demond Williams Jr. found his rhythm in a 48-16 win over Eastern Washington Week 3.

Williams completed 27 of 33 passes for 373 yards, 4 TDs and 1 interception.

That bumped his season totals to 890 yards, 5 TDs and 1 INT in three games (along with 150 rushing yards and a score).

After a light non-conference schedule, Washington (3-0) opens Big Ten play at home vs. Minnesota on Saturday.

9. Malik Washington [Maryland, 297.3 YPG]

Maryland quarterback Malik Washington is off to a strong start to his sophomore season with 892 passing yards, 6 TDs and 0 INTs. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Malik Washington was one of the more productive true freshman quarterbacks in the country last year, passing for 2,963 yards, 17 TDs and 9 INTs while rushing for 303 yards and 4 scores.

So far in 2026, Washington is pacing to surpass those passing numbers while totaling 892 yards, 6 TDs and 0 INTs through the air. He's raised his completion percentage from 57.7% to 71.6%.

The Terrapins (2-1) lost their Big Ten opener 35-26 to Virginia Tech, but it wasn't Washington's fault. The sophomore threw for a season-high 359 yards, 3 TDs and 0 INTs.

8. Jaden Craig [TCU, 301.0 YPG]

Jaden Craig is settling in as TCU's starting QB after transferring in from Harvard. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It's hard to fully evaluate Jaden Craig so far in his first season leading TCU's offense.

The Harvard transfer was quiet in his lone game against FBS competition so far, throwing for just 175 yards and 0 TDs in a season-opening loss to North Carolina. But he's filled up the stat sheet in two games against lower-level competition.

Craig threw for 391 yards and 4 TDs against FCS-level Grambling and then passed for 337 yards, 3 TDs and 1 INT in a comfortable win over Arkansas State.

Overall, that gives him 903 passing yards, 7 TDs and 1 INT heading into the 2-1 Horned Frogs' Big 12 opener this week at UCF.

7. Tayven Jackson [North Texas, 305.7 YPG]

North Texas quarterback Tayven Jackson is playing for his fourth school in five years. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Tayven Jackson is on his fourth school in five years and may have found his best situation yet at North Texas.

After passing for a modest 2,151 yards, 10 TDs and 8 INTs as the starter at UCF last year -- after previous stops at Tennessee and Indiana -- Jackson has already thrown for 917 yards, 5 TDs and 2 INTs in three games for the Mean Green (1-2).

That said, that total is significantly skewed by Jackson's performance in a 49-35 shootout loss to Texas State last weekend in which he threw for 492 yards, 3 TDs and 1 INT.

Tayven Jackson threw for 483 yards and it still wasn't enough 💔

43/57, 483 PYDS, 3 PTD vs Texas State

pic.twitter.com/sAclLNJhVT

— CFB Performances (@performancesCFB) September 22, 2026

Jackson's previous career-high for passing yards in a game was 299 back in 2023 for Indiana vs. Louisville, so he may not be long for this top 10 list, but he's on it for now.

6. Trinidad Chambliss [Ole Miss, 308.0]

Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss (6) smiles after leading the Rebels to a 32-24 win over LSU and his former coach Lane Kiffin. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Leading Heisman Trophy contender Trinidad Chambliss, on the other hand, should remain among the national passing leaders all season.

The Ole Miss star completed 33 of 48 passes for 363 yards, 2 TDs and 1 INT along with the go-ahead rushing TD in the fourth quarter Saturday night to led the Rebels to a 32-24 win over then-No. 7 LSU and his former head coach Lane Kiffin.

Trinidad Chambliss is making Lane Kiffin regret leaving 😬

21/27, 248 PYDS, 2 PTD, 0 INT vs LSU at halftime

pic.twitter.com/koMnBCqnuY

— CFB Performances (@performancesCFB) September 20, 2026

That's just another night at the office for Chambliss, who has passed for 924 yards, 7 TDs and 2 INTs in three games with 2 rushing TDs for the No. 4-ranked Rebels (2-1).

Ole Miss travels to Florida for a major SEC showdown in The Swamp this weekend.

5. JJ Kohl [FIU, 310.0 YPG]

Playing for his third school in three seasons after stops at Iowa State and Appalachian State, JJ Kohl has had an up-and-down starter for FIU.

He's thrown for 930 yards in three games, but that's come with 4 TDs and 5 INTs and a 1-2 record. He threw 3 picks last week in a 16-10 loss at FAU.

4. Landyn Locke [Sam Houston, 324.3 YPG]

Sam Houston State QB Landyn Locke has passed for 973 yards, 9 TDs and 1 INT in three games this year. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Landyn Locke got some valuable experience last season for Sam Houston, but the redshirt-sophomore is really settling in this fall so far with 973 passing yards, 9 TDs and 1 INT.

He's thrown for at least 316 yards in every game for the 1-2 Bearkats, who got their first win last weekend in a 59-0 over FCS-level Nicholls as Locke passed for 322 yards, 4 TDs and 0 INT.

3. Kevin Jennings [SMU, 329.7 YPG]

Kevin Jennings is one of the more experienced quarterbacks in college football with 8,698 career passing yards now in his fifth season at SMU. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Kevin Jennings is in his third season as SMU's starting quarterback and continues to put up big numbers, passing for 989 yards, 9 TDs and 4 INTs through three games.

But he's coming off a season-low 222 passing yards with 1 TD and 2 picks in a 41-31 loss at Louisville over the weekend.

The 2-1 Mustangs will need a better version of Jennings moving forward as they try to stay in the ACC title race. Jennings put up passing lines of 3,245 yards, 23 TDs and 11 INTs in 2024 and 3,641-26-13 last season.

2. Ryan Browne [Purdue, 341.3 YPG]

Ryan Browne is off to the best start of his career for Purdue with 1,024 passing yards, 7 TDs and 1 INT through three games. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

What quarterback Ryan Browne is doing for Purdue this month is one of the more surprising breakouts of the college football season so far.

Browne was not very good at all last season as the Boilermakers' starter, throwing for just 2,153 yards, 9 TDs and 10 INTs.

So far in three games this fall, the redshirt-junior has passed for 1,024 yards, 7 TDs and 1 INT while improving his completion rate dramatically from 58.9% to 73.3%.

Ryan Browne connects with George Burhenn for a 30-yard @BoilerFootball TD 💥 pic.twitter.com/d9pd3w7r6V

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 20, 2026

That said, it hasn't translated to wins for Purdue, which is 1-2 with its lone victory over FCS-level Indiana State. But the Boilermakers did take Wake Forest to double-overtime and at least looked good offensively in a 52-38 loss at UCLA last weekend.

Browne passed for a career-high 378 yards, 3 TDs and 1 INT in that game. He's passed for at least 317 yards in all three games.

1. Braden Atkinson [Oregon State, 373.3 YPG]

Sophomore Braden Atkinson leads college football in passing at 373.3 yards per game for Oregon State. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Meanwhile, Braden Atkinson is an even better story at Oregon State.

After starting at FCS-level Mercer as a true freshman last year, Atkinson transferred to the Beavers and has been the top passer across the FBS level so far with 1,120 yards, 8 TDs and just 1 INT.

Oregon State may be 1-2, but it played remarkably competitive against two of the best defensive teams in the country in losses to ranked Big 12 contenders Houston (33-20) and Texas Tech (35-24). The Beavers got their first win over the weekend with a 52-17 blowout of Montana, a very good FCS team.

Atkinson completed 22 of 30 passes for 333 yards, 5 TDs and 0 INTs with a rushing TD in that win.

You just can’t throw a better ball than that 👏

Braden Atkinson perfect back-shoulder throw to Aaron Butler 🙌

MONT 3 | 42 OSU pic.twitter.com/2e1jWKSYtx

— USA Sports (@usasports) September 20, 2026

Incredibly, that was his lowest passing total of the season after putting up 376 yards on Houston and 413 against Texas Tech.

What Atkinson is doing is reminiscent of Drew Mestemaker's breakout for North Texas last year when the former walk-on came out of nowhere to lead the FBS in passing.