Quarterback Battles That Will Have the Biggest Impact on the 2023 CFB Season

When we finalize the story of any college football season, the most important characters are generally a few quarterbacks.

Last year, Georgia won a second championship in a row as Stetson Bennett morphed into a dynamic starter. TCU, thanks to Max Duggan, ascended to become a surprise national runner-up. Michigan watched J.J. McCarthy overtake Cade McNamara and guide the Wolverines to another Big Ten crown and back to the College Football Playoff.

While many programs have a QB in place for 2023, several key teams are still working through a competition to pick a starter.

The list focuses on six programs that carry high preseason expectations for the upcoming season.

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Chandler Morris

While the competitions at Tennessee and TCU match the "battle in name only" description, they technically remain open.

Tennessee has 5-star freshman Nico Iamaleava for the future, but there's no question Joe Milton III will start in 2023.

TCU, meanwhile, is expected to reinsert Chandler Morris. After he won the job in fall camp, an injury sidelined him for a month. But as the Horned Frogs soared under Max Duggan, Morris remained the backup.

Florida and Texas A&M aren't considered top-tier SEC teams, although a breakout QB—even as that feels like wishful thinking—can change perception. Florida is down to Graham Mertz and Jack Miller III, and Texas A&M is choosing between Conner Weigman and Max Johnson.

The same narrative applies at Oklahoma State, which has a packed competition with Alan Bowman, Garret Rangel, Gunnar Gundy or Zane Flores. The team's ability to compete in the Big 12 hinges on this answer.

UCLA Bruins

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PASADENA, CALIF., NOV 19, 2022. UCLA head coach Chip Kelly on the sideline in the first half of the annual crosstown rivalry game against USC, played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday night, Nov. 19, 2022. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

As the Bruins work to replace longtime starter Dorian Thompson-Robinson, they're also aiming to rise in the Pac-12.

Before they head to the Big Ten.

The most experienced QB is Kent State transfer Collin Schlee, who transferred to UCLA this offseason. But the Bruins added 5-star Dante Moore—the flashy option, given his recruiting billing—and return 2021-22 backup Ethan Garbers and 2020 second-stringer Chase Griffin.

UCLA finished 6-3 in conference and 9-4 overall last year. Even if the Bruins fall short of the Pac-12 Championship Game again, the roster is talented enough to disrupt the league's title race in 2023.

They might just have an opportunity to derail rival USC's championship dreams in mid-November, too.

Ole Miss Rebels

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Jaxson Dart and Lane Kiffin

Ole Miss faces a terrific problem. It nonetheless is a problem.

Jaxson Dart, the incumbent, had an unsatisfying end to 2022 but generally played well in his first year as a starter. He averaged 8.2 yards per attempt and rushed for 614 yards, helping the Rebels finish 8-5.

Dart's job is not safe, however, because Ole Miss bolstered the position with two marquee additions. Spencer Sander held the QB1 label across four seasons at Oklahoma State, and LSU transfer Walker Howard closed the 2021 cycle as one of the highest-ranked 4-star prospects.

The talent is there. So is the opportunity.

Ole Miss takes on both Alabama and LSU in September—and reigning AAC champion Tulane earlier in the month, for that matter. Plus, the Rebels head to powerhouse Georgia in November.

The road to an SEC crown, and potentially a national title, will probably include Ole Miss. And the Rebels need the right answer at quarterback to navigate those showdowns.

Oregon State Beavers

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DJ Uiagalelei

Similar to UCLA, Oregon State is probably a mid-tier program within the Pac-12 hierarchy. The perceived gap is not a large one, though; not after the Beavers won 10 games last season.

The challenge is the passing game lacked a serious punch. Ben Gulbranson did a decent job in relief of Chance Nolan yet averaged a modest 153.8 yards per game in eight starts. To truly compete in the Pac-12, Oregon State needs more firepower at the position.

And the Beavers took a big swing in search of that production.

DJ Uiagalelei never matched his 2020 flashes in two seasons as Clemson's starter, but his physical talent is apparent.

Since the Beavers host Utah and Washington in addition to ending the year at Oregon, they'll have three excellent chances to disrupt—and perhaps demand a place in—the Pac-12 race.

Georgia Bulldogs

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Carson Beck

No team is legitimately quarterback-proof. But this combination of talent and coaching has Georgia awfully close.

Perhaps you don't feel similarly, although this sentiment isn't a rare one. It's sensible to trust the UGA staff, regardless of whether Carson Beck, Brock Vandagriff or Gunner Stockton takes the competition.

Winning back-to-back championships is a compelling argument, you know?

Beck is the favorite, given his second-string role for the last two seasons, with Vandagriff as the apparent top challenger. Either way—or if Stockton amazingly leaps both on the depth chart—Georgia's quarterback will mostly be tasked with not holding back an elite roster.

The schedule is incredibly favorable, and Georgia should be back in the SEC Championship Game. Another trip to the College Football Playoff is a reasonable expectation.

Nevertheless, if the Dawgs are to bring home a third straight national title, they certainly must have the correct QB in place.

Ohio State Buckeyes

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Kyle McCord

During an appearance on Always College Football, Ryan Day offered a succinct view of Ohio State's situation: "We have so many weapons, we don't need extraordinary play."

No arguments here.

Marvin Harrison Jr. is the best receiver in the nation, and Emeka Egbuka has a serious claim to being No. 2. Julian Fleming and tight end Cade Stover both tallied 34-plus catches and five-plus touchdowns last year. And then there's TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams, who form one of the country's best duos at running back.

Despite the demand of replacing C.J. Stroud, Kyle McCord or Devin Brown will be stepping into an immensely friendly spot.

The main challenge is the Buckeyes are aiming to rip Michigan off its two-year pedestal atop the Big Ten.

Because that rivalry clash ends the regular season, that strain will linger for OSU's new quarterback all season. Identify the proper signal-caller, however, and a trophy or two could be headed to Columbus.

Alabama Crimson Tide

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Jalen Milroe

At least from my perspective, Alabama is holding the most interesting competition in the country.

First, the context: Bryce Young won a Heisman Trophy in 2022 and became the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL draft. Second, the stakes: It's Alabama. Third, the outlook: We legitimately do not know the outcome.

Georgia and Ohio State have undetermined battles, but Beck and McCord are typically viewed as the favorites. That label doesn't exist for the Tide, who have a front-runner in 2022 backup Jalen Milroe yet added Notre Dame transfer Tyler Buchner after spring practice.

That timing, at best, is curious.

Milroe and Buchner are also competing with Ty Simpson, a 5-star signee from the 2022 cycle.

Throughout the 16-year tenure of Nick Saban, Alabama has never gone three straight years without a national title. The streak currently sits at two, and Saban only watched a former assistant lead a conference rival to both of those championships—once in person.

I'm sure he'll be exceedingly calm in 2023. No pressure, new guy.