Ranking Top 25 Quarterbacks in College Football After Week 2
Welcome to Bleacher Report's Top 25 college football quarterback rankings after Week 2.
This will be a weekly feature published each Tuesday morning throughout the 2023 season, with the goal of progressively identifying the 25 best QBs in the country each week as the season unfolds.
The only thing that matters here is on-field production in 2023.
That means past performance, future expectations, physical tools and NFL upside have all been removed from the equation.
Each quarterback's individual production and quality of opponent will be considered each week, and players will rise and fall based on where they ranked the previous week, so it will be a fluid process throughout the year.
If your favorite team's quarterback is not currently on the list, fear not. If a guy is putting up numbers, he will find his way onto the list. On the flip side, a strong first week is only going to go so far if a player falls flat in Week 2 and fails to duplicate his early success.
With only 25 spots up for grabs and 133 quarterbacks to consider, an honorable mention slide featuring the "Next 25" who just missed the cut is also included here. Those are the guys with the best chance of jumping onto the list with a strong showing in Week 3.
Let the debate begin.
Honorable Mentions: Next 25
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These 25 quarterbacks were also under consideration for a spot in the rankings but ultimately settled for an honorable mention following Week 2 action:
Carson Beck, Georgia
Davis Brin, Georgia Southern
Brady Cook, Missouri
Jalon Daniels, Kansas
JT Daniels, Rice
Mitch Griffis, Wake Forest
Seth Henigan, Memphis
Tayven Jackson, Indiana
Mikey Keene, Fresno State
Noah Kim, Michigan State
Cade Klubnik, Clemson
Devin Leary, Kentucky
Drake Maye, North Carolina
Jordan McCloud, James Madison
Kyle McCord, Ohio State
Graham Mertz, Florida
Jalen Milroe, Alabama
Dante Moore, UCLA
Chandler Morris, TCU
Austin Reed, Western Kentucky
Will Rogers, Mississippi State
Kedon Slovis, BYU
Taulia Tagovailoa, Maryland
Conner Weigman, Texas A&M
Jacob Zeno, UAB
Nos. 25-21
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25. Donovan Smith, Houston (Previous Rank: 19)
Week 2: 24-of-42, 260 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT; 57 rush yards, 3 TD
Season: 46-of-76, 493 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT; 88 rush yards, 3 TD
After picking up a quality win over UTSA in Week 1, the Cougars suffered an overtime loss to Rice on Saturday, but Smith found the end zone five times, including three rushing touchdowns. The Texas Tech transfer had five rushing touchdowns last season, so he's no stranger to punching it in himself.
24. Riley Leonard, Duke (Previous Rank: HM)
Week 2: 12-of-12, 136 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT; 13 rush yards
Season: 29-of-45, 311 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT; 111 rush yards, 1 TD
Fresh off an upset victory over Clemson, Leonard was a perfect 12-for-12 passing against Lafayette before making an early exit in a 42-7 blowout. A matchup against Northwestern next weekend should provide another opportunity to pad his stats.
23. Dequan Finn, Toledo (Previous Rank: NR)
Week 2: 16-of-17, 232 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT; 7 rush yards
Season: 36-of-53, 468 yards, 5 TD, 1 INT; 82 rush yards, 1 TD
Finn threw for 230 yards and two touchdowns while also adding 75 yards and a score on the ground in Week 1 against Illinois, and he was nearly perfect on Saturday in a lopsided 71-3 victory over Texas Southern. The Rockets are contenders for the MAC title with the junior standout under center.
22. Garrett Shrader, Syracuse (Previous Rank: HM)
Week 2: 19-of-30, 286 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT; 31 rush yards, 1 TD
Season: 37-of-54, 543 yards, 5 TD, 1 INT; 71 rush yards, 1 TD
Shrader has put up solid numbers during Syracuse's 2-0 start against Colgate and Western Michigan, but a more difficult test awaits next week on the road against Purdue. The Orange will face a daunting schedule starting Sept. 30 with a three-week stretch against Clemson, North Carolina and Florida State.
21. Spencer Rattler, South Carolina (Previous Rank: HM)
Week 2: 25-of-27, 345 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT; 8 rush yards, 1 TD
Season: 55-of-66, 698 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT; -14 rush yards, 1 TD
Rattler didn't throw a touchdown pass in South Carolina's Week 1 victory, but he made up for lost time on Saturday with four total touchdowns and a near-perfect day through the air in a 47-21 victory over Furman. He will have a golden opportunity to make a statement next week against No. 1 Georgia on the road.
Nos. 20-16
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20. Haynes King, Georgia Tech (Previous Rank: NR)
Week 2: 21-of-29, 290 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT
Season: 40-of-61, 603 yards, 7 TD, 1 INT; 53 rush yards
A 4-star recruit who landed at Texas A&M out of high school, King threw for 1,220 yards with seven touchdowns and six interceptions last season, eventually losing his starting job to Conner Weigman. After losing to Louisville in Week 1, he lit up South Carolina State in a 48-13 victory on Saturday.
19. Jayden Daniels, LSU (Previous Rank: HM)
Week 2: 18-of-24, 269 yards, 5 TD, 0 INT; 29 rush yards
Season: 40-of-61, 615 yards, 6 TD, 1 INT; 93 rush yards
Daniels threw for five touchdowns to help LSU build a 42-10 halftime lead over Grambling State, then spent the second half watching from the sidelines. He threw for 346 yards with one touchdown and one interception in a Week 1 loss to Florida State, and he could steadily climb these rankings in the coming weeks.
18. KJ Jefferson, Arkansas (Previous Rank: HM)
Week 2: 13-of-19, 136 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT; 48 rush yards
Season: 31-of-42, 382 yards, 5 TD, 0 INT; 59 rush yards, 1 TD
On the heels of consecutive 2,600-yard, 20-touchdown seasons, Jefferson is back under center in Arkansas and looking to lead the Razorbacks to a better result than last year's 7-6 finish. After steamrolling Western Carolina and Kent State, a tougher opponent awaits next week when BYU comes to town.
17. Drew Allar, Penn State (Previous Rank: 17)
Week 2: 22-of-26, 204 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT; 27 rush yards, 1 TD
Season: 43-of-55, 529 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT; 28 rush yards, 1 TD
The Nittany Lions have racked up eight rushing touchdowns through their first two games, leaving Allar with less-gaudy numbers than some of his counterparts on this list. He has been extremely efficient, completing 78.2 percent of his pass attempts, which ranks sixth in the nation among quarterbacks with at least 50 pass attempts.
16. Cameron Ward, Washington State (Previous Rank: 20)
Week 2: 20-of-32, 212 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT; 43 rush yards
Season: 57-of-81, 663 yards, 5 TD, 0 INT; 83 rush yards, 1 TD
After posting big numbers against an overmatched Colorado State team in Week 1, Ward proved he belongs in the top quarterback conversation by leading the Cougars to a 31-22 victory over No. 19 Wisconsin. That win vaulted Washington State into the AP poll, and Ward should post big numbers again against FCS Northern Colorado this weekend.
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Nos. 15-11
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15. Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss (Previous Rank: 23)
Week 2: 17-of-27, 267 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT; 41 rush yards
Season: 35-of-50, 601 yards, 6 TD, 1 INT; 77 rush yards
Dart has fully erased any lingering questions about a potential QB battle with offseason transfer Spencer Sanders, leading Ole Miss to a quality win over No. 24 Tulane on Saturday. The Rebels trailed 17-10 at halftime, but they scored 20 points in the fourth quarter, with Dart throwing a 21-yard touchdown pass to Michael Trigg with 4:28 remaining to make it a 27-17 game.
14. Will Howard, Kansas State (Previous Rank: HM)
Week 2: 21-of-32, 250 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT; 33 rush yards, 2 TD
Season: 39-of-58, 547 yards, 5 TD, 2 INT; 38 rush yards, 3 TD
With five total touchdowns in a 42-13 victory over an underrated Troy squad, Howard was one of the biggest risers after settling for an honorable mention in Week 1. The Wildcats are No. 15 in the latest AP poll, and he could start to receive more national attention if they continue to steadily climb the poll.
13. Joe Milton III, Tennessee (Previous Rank: 13)
Week 2: 21-of-33, 228 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT; 7 rush yards, 1 TD
Season: 42-of-63, 429 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT; 40 rush yards, 3 TD
The Volunteers were less than dominant against FCS opponent Austin Peay on Saturday, leading just 13-6 at halftime en route to a 30-13 victory. Milton rushed for a six-yard score as time expired in the first half and then threw for a pair of touchdowns after the break, so he was able to salvage a slow start from an individual perspective.
12. Tyler Van Dyke, Miami (Previous Rank: NR)
Week 2: 21-of-30, 374 yards, 5 TD, 0 INT; -12 rush yards
Season: 38-of-52, 575 yards, 6 TD, 1 INT; -12 rush yards
Van Dyke became the first quarterback in Miami history to throw for five touchdowns against a ranked opponent in Saturday's victory over Texas A&M, which is a wild stat when you consider Heisman Trophy winners Vinny Testaverde and Gino Torretta lined up under center for the Hurricanes. As a result, he is the highest-ranked QB who did not appear in the Top 25 a week ago.
11. DJ Uiagalelei, Oregon State (Previous Rank: 11)
Week 2: 8-of-13, 107 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT; 11 rush yards, 1 TD
Season: 28-of-38, 346 yards, 5 TD, 0 INT; 21 rush yards, 3 TD
With lopsided victories over San Jose State (42-17) and UC-Davis (55-7), Uiagalelei has really not been tested yet, but it's hard to argue with the efficiency. He only played the first half of Saturday's game, but he still managed to add three more total touchdowns to his season tally while building a 38-0 lead.
Nos. 10-6
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10. Emory Jones, Cincinnati (Previous Rank: 5)
Week 2: 18-of-26, 125 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT; 17 rush yards
Season: 37-of-49, 470 yards, 7 TD, 1 INT; 29 rush yards, 1 TD
After piling up seven total touchdowns against Eastern Kentucky in Week 1, Jones had a more subdued performance on Saturday. The Bearcats pounded Pitt with the run all game, carrying the ball 42 times for 216 yards, but Jones still managed to add two more passing touchdowns to his impressive early-season total.
9. Bo Nix, Oregon (Previous Rank: 8)
Week 2: 32-of-44, 359 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT; 46 rush yards
Season: 55-of-71, 646 yards, 5 TD, 0 INT; 46 rush yards
Both of Nix's touchdown passes came in the first quarter in a game the Ducks trailed 27-18 before outscoring Texas Tech by a 20-3 margin in the fourth quarter. The fifth-year senior could put up some big numbers this weekend against a Hawaii team that loves to throw the ball.
8. Quinn Ewers, Texas (Previous Rank: 21)
Week 2: 24-of-38, 349 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT; 15 rush yards
Season: 43-of-68, 609 yards, 6 TD, 0 INT; 27 rush yards, 1 TD
There's no faster way to fly up these rankings than throwing for 300-plus yards and three touchdowns in an upset victory over a top-five opponent, and Ewers gets additional bonus points for that win coming on the road. The Longhorns have immediately entered the College Football Playoff conversation with their win over Alabama, so the hype train is rolling.
7. Jordan Travis, Florida State (Previous Rank: 3)
Week 2: 15-of-29, 175 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT; 20 rush yards
Season: 38-of-60, 517 yards, 6 TD, 1 INT; 58 rush yards, 1 TD
The Seminoles had the biggest win of Week 1 with an upset victory over LSU, and Travis accounted for five total touchdowns in that game to open our quarterback rankings in the No. 3 spot. He only played the first half of Saturday's win over Southern Mississippi, and while he threw for a pair of touchdowns, his 15-of-29 passing performance was enough for him to slide a few spots with others around him having better weeks.
6. Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma (Previous Rank: 7)
Week 2: 19-of-27, 176 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT; 20 rush yards
Season: 38-of-49, 484 yards, 6 TD, 0 INT; 35 rush yards, 1 TD
Gabriel is no stranger to gaudy passing numbers with three 3,000-yard seasons on his resume already, and he is well on his way to another big season in his second year with the Sooners. A pair of fourth-quarter touchdown passes helped put things out of reach against SMU on Saturday in what was a 14-11 game early in the fourth quarter.
5. Sam Hartman, Notre Dame
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Previous Rank: 9
Week 2: 15-of-24, 286 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT; -27 rush yards
Season: 48-of-64, 731 yards, 10 TD, 0 INT; -13 rush yards, 1 TD
Last week, I called Sam Hartman an "efficient game-manager" while noting that he was "capable of airing it out" based on his production at Wake Forest prior to transferring, and we got to see that side of the Notre Dame quarterback on Saturday.
His four touchdown passes came against a decent opponent in NC State, and two of them came in the fourth quarter to turn what was a close 24-17 game at the end of the third quarter into a convincing 45-24 victory.
After what should be a cake walk against Central Michigan next week, back-to-back tough matchups against Ohio State and Duke await to close out September.
4. J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
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Previous Rank: 6
Week 2: 22-of-25, 278 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT; 38 rush yards
Season: 48-of-55, 558 yards, 5 TD, 0 INT; 36 rush yards
With a stout defense and a high-powered running game anchored by Blake Corum, the Michigan Wolverines don't need J.J. McCarthy to throw for 400 yards and five touchdowns every game.
When he has been called on to make a play, he has been the most efficient passer in college football this season, completing a staggering 87.3 percent of his throws, which is tops among all quarterbacks who have attempted at least 50 passes.
For what Michigan needs him to be, McCarthy has essentially been perfect.
3. Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
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Previous Rank: 4
Week 2: 31-of-42, 393 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT; -30 rush yards, 1 TD
Season: 69-of-89, 903 yards, 6 TD, 0 INT; -62 rush yards, 1 TD
Shedeur Sanders proved his record-setting Week 1 performance was the real deal with another strong showing in a 36-14 victory over Nebraska.
The hype surrounding the Colorado football program is significant enough that ESPN College GameDay will be in Boulder this weekend when the Buffaloes take on Colorado State in a game where they will likely be favored by 20-plus points.
That will be followed by potentially landscape-altering games against Oregon and USC in consecutive weeks, so don't expect Colorado to disappear from the headlines any time soon.
2. Michael Penix Jr., Washington
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Previous Rank: 2
Week 2: 28-of-38, 409 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT; 11 rush yards
Season: 57-of-78, 859 yards, 8 TD, 1 INT; 9 rush yards
Michael Penix Jr. led all FBS quarterbacks in Week 2 with 409 passing yards, while wide receivers Jalen McMillan (8 catches, 120 yards, 1 TD) and Rome Odunze (7 catches, 107 yards 1 TD) both had huge days through the air.
After throwing for 4,641 yards and 31 touchdowns last season, Penix was viewed as the biggest competition to Caleb Williams in his quest to repeat as Heisman Trophy winner, and he has lived up to those expectations so far.
A road game against Michigan State on Saturday will wrap up the nonconference slate before Penix and the Huskies begin what figures to be a gauntlet in Pac-12 play.
1. Caleb Williams, USC
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Previous Rank: 1
Week 2: 19-of-22, 281 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
Season: 55-of-71, 878 yards, 12 TD, 0 INT; 40 rush yards
Until proved otherwise, the No. 1 spot in these rankings belongs to Caleb Williams, and completing 86.4 percent of his passes with three touchdowns on Saturday against Stanford only further cemented his status.
The fact that he has 12 passing touchdowns through three games while spending a significant chunk of his time on the sidelines in the second half of blowout wins speaks to just how dominant he has been when on the field.
A road game against Arizona State after a bye this coming weekend this week will be his toughest test of the year so far, but it would still be a major upset to see anyone else in the No. 1 spot in next week's rankings.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
