Ranking Top 25 Quarterbacks in College Football After Week 12
Welcome to Bleacher Report's Top 25 college football quarterback rankings after Week 12.
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 every week, and players will rise and fall based on where they ranked the previous week, so it has been 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 season to date is only going to go so far if a player falls flat and fails to duplicate his previous 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. Those are the guys with the best chance of jumping onto the list with a strong showing in Week 13.
Let the debate begin.
Honorable Mentions
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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 12:
Drew Allar, Penn State
Rocco Becht, Iowa State
Carter Bradley, South Alabama
Davis Brin, Georgia Southern
Byrum Brown, South Florida
Chevan Cordeiro, San Jose State
Quinn Ewers, Texas
TJ Finley, Texas State
Garrett Greene, West Virginia
Sam Hartman, Notre Dame
KJ Jefferson, Arkansas
Haynes King, Georgia Tech
Cade Klubnik, Clemson
Kyle McCord, Ohio State
Joe Milton III, Tennessee
Diego Pavia, New Mexico State
Andrew Peasley, Wyoming
Jack Plummer, Louisville
Chandler Rogers, North Texas
Preston Stone, SMU
Taulia Tagovailoa, Maryland
DJ Uiagalelei, Oregon State
Nicholas Vattiato, Middle Tennessee
Gunnar Watson, Troy
Jacob Zeno, UAB
Nos. 25-21
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25. Frank Harris, UTSA (Previous Rank: HM)
Week 12: 31-of-46, 411 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT; 112 rush yards, 3 TD
Season: 193-of-298, 2,308 yards, 17 TD, 6 INT; 295 rush yards, 4 TD
Since returning on Oct. 7 from a toe injury that cost him two games, Harris has led UTSA to seven straight wins with 1,885 passing yards and 15 touchdowns against three interceptions during that span. He also ripped off 112 rushing yards and three scores on the ground in a 49-21 victory over South Florida on Saturday, and a huge matchup against Tulane will close out the regular-season slate.
24. Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss (Previous Rank: HM)
Week 12: 24-of-31, 310 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT; -9 rush yards
Season: 194-of-292, 2,889 yards, 19 TD, 5 INT; 345 rush yards, 7 TD
Dart has slid in these rankings during an uneven second half of the season, but he had a chance to pad his stats against Louisiana-Monroe in a tune-up game on Saturday before the regular-season finale against Mississippi State. He now has four games this season with at least 300 passing yards and multiple touchdowns.
23. Brady Cook, Missouri (Previous Rank: HM)
Week 12: 20-of-34, 331 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT; 11 rush yards, 1 TD
Season: 221-of-330, 3,077 yards, 18 TD, 6 INT; 239 yards, 7 TD
Another early season standout at the helm of a two-loss team, Cook has recorded five straight games with only one touchdown pass following four in a row with multiple touchdown strikes and at least 300 yards. With quality wins over Tennessee and Florida the past two weeks, Missouri is now up to No. 10 in the latest AP poll.
22. Seth Henigan, Memphis (Previous Rank: 24)
Week 12: 35-of-51, 402 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT; 13 rush yards
Season: 275-of-413, 3,266 yards, 24 TD, 8 INT; 242 rush yards, 4 TD
Henigan ranks in the top 10 nationally in completions (275, sixth), attempts (413, seventh) and passing yards (3,266, eighth), and his season-high 402-yard performance on Saturday against SMU was his seventh game of the season with at least 300 passing yards. He now has over 10,000 passing yards for his career and a third straight 3,000-yard season.
21. Cameron Ward, Washington State (Previous Rank: HM)
Week 12: 18-of-30, 288 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT; 5 rush yards, 2 TD
Season: 291-of-437, 3,426 yards, 22 TD, 5 INT; 141 rush yards, 8 TD
Ward briefly occupied a top-five spot in these rankings following back-to-back four-touchdown performances during Washington State's 4-0 start to the year. Things quickly went south from there and they lost six in a row before finally snapping that skid on Saturday against Colorado, but Ward has continued to put up numbers all season and his 3,426 passing yards are fifth in the nation.
Nos. 20-16
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20. Dequan Finn, Toledo (Previous Rank: 23)
Week 12: 20-of-30, 279 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT; 7 rush yards, 1 TD
Season: 174-of-264, 2,287 yards, 20 TD, 8 INT; 506 rush yards, 6 TD
Toledo is a 10-win team for the first time since 2017 when quarterback Logan Woodside and wide receiver Diontae Johnson were leading the offensive attack, and it has come by way of 10 straight victories following a season-opening loss to Illinois. Following a 407-yard, three-touchdown explosion against Eastern Michigan in Week 11, Finn picked up his fourth road win of the season against Bowling Green last Tuesday.
19. Joey Aguilar, Appalachian State (Previous Rank: 21)
Week 12: 28-of-46, 318 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT; 0 rush yards
Season: 224-of-353, 2,975 yards, 29 TD, 8 INT; 259 rush yards, 2 TD
Aguilar needs 362 passing yards and three passing touchdowns to overtake Chase Brice (3,337 yards in 2021) and Taylor Lamb (31 TD in 2015) for the single-season records at Appalachian State. Not bad for a guy who was playing at the JUCO level for Diablo Valley College at this time a year ago.
18. Spencer Rattler, South Carolina (Previous Rank: 20)
Week 12: 19-of-27, 207 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT; 24 rush yards
Season: 259-of-367, 3,074 yards, 19 TD, 7 INT; 88 rush yards, 4 TD
After a 2-6 start to the season, South Carolina has won three in a row, including conference victories over Vanderbilt and Kentucky at home the past two weeks. Rattler has now thrown for a career-high 3,074 yards after recording a pair of 3,000-yard seasons during his time at Oklahoma.
17. Graham Mertz, Florida (Previous Rank: 17)
Week 12: 14-of-21, 183 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT; 13 rush yards
Season: 261-of-358, 2,903 yards, 20 TD, 3 INT; -75 rush yards, 4 TD
Mertz is one of the most improved quarterbacks in the country after he threw for 2,136 yards with 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions last season at Wisconsin. He leads the SEC in completions (261) and completion percentage (72.9 percent), but after suffering a fractured collarbone on Saturday his season is likely over.
16. Michael Pratt, Tulane (Previous Rank: 22)
Week 12: 21-of-28, 252 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT; -2 rush yards
Season: 155-of-225, 2,043 yards, 19 TD, 4 INT; 271 rush yards, 4 TD
After several close games in a row, Tulane won in convincing fashion on Saturday with a 24-8 victory over Florida Atlantic to improve to 10-1 and maintain the highest ranking among Group of Five teams at No. 18 in the latest AP poll. The team is still undefeated this year with Pratt under center, and Saturday was his seventh multi-touchdown performance in nine games.
Nos. 15-11
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15. Noah Fifita, Arizona (Previous Rank: 18)
Week 12: 22-of-30, 253 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT; 0 rush yards
Season: 187-of-254, 1,988 yards, 18 TD, 4 INT; 2 rush yards
With five straight wins over Washington State, Oregon State, UCLA, Colorado and Utah, Arizona has climbed to No. 16 in the latest AP poll, and Fifita is unquestionably one of the hottest quarterbacks in the country. The above numbers were essentially compiled in seven games worth of action after he took over for an injured Jayden De Laura.
14. J.J. McCarthy, Michigan (Previous Rank: 11)
Week 12: 12-of-23, 141 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT; -7 rush yards
Season: 175-of-237, 2,335 yards, 18 TD, 4 INT; 164 rush yards, 3 TD
McCarthy remains one of the nation's most efficient passers playing for an undefeated Michigan squad, but he has not thrown a touchdown pass in three weeks. He tallied just 201 total passing yards in wins over Penn State and Maryland on the road in Week 10 and Week 11, and he will need to step it up against Ohio State on Saturday.
13. Shedeur Sanders, Colorado (Previous Rank: 12)
Week 12: 6-of-10, 86 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT; -26 rush yards
Season: 298-of-430, 3,230 yards, 27 TD, 3 INT; -77 rush yards, 4 TD
Sanders was knocked out of Saturday's blowout loss to Washington State with numbness in his hand and an ankle injury, but he still ranks 10th in the nation with 3,230 passing yards in what has been a breakout season individually. With a losing record clinched for the Buffaloes, he may have played his final game of the season.
12. Drake Maye, North Carolina (Previous Rank: 8)
Week 12: 16-of-36, 209 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; 67 rush yards
Season: 247-of-387, 3,354 yards, 22 TD, 7 INT; 343 rush yards, 8 TD
A 31-20 defeat against Clemson on Saturday gave North Carolina its third loss of the year and dropped it out of the AP poll. Maye has not had the huge season many were expecting after he threw for 4,321 yards and 38 touchdowns to finish 10th in Heisman voting a year ago.
11. Jordan McCloud, James Madison (Previous Rank: 7)
Week 12: 27-of-46, 289 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; -4 rush yards, 1 TD
Season: 236-of-345, 3,089 yards, 27 TD, 8 INT; 306 rush yards, 7 TD
The controversy surrounding an undefeated James Madison team being ineligible for bowl games because of a silly rule that requires teams spend two years at the FBS level before gaining eligibility was silenced on Saturday when the Dukes suffered their first loss of the season Appalachian State. That said, McCloud is still having a fantastic all-around season at the helm of the No. 24 team in the nation.
Nos. 10-6
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10. Will Howard, Kansas State (Previous Rank: 14)
Week 12: 13-of-24, 165 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT; 18 rush yards, 1 TD
Season: 195-of-309, 2,355 yards, 23 TD, 9 INT; 305 rush yards, 8 TD
Howard has 16 total touchdowns over the past five weeks, and the Wildcats have climbed into the top 20 in the AP poll following a nice win on the road against Kansas on Saturday. Dual-threat freshman Avery Johnson has also seen action in seven games this year with 301 passing yards and 225 rushing yards, so Howard's numbers have come with some split time under center.
9. Jalen Milroe, Alabama (Previous Rank: 13)
Week 12: 13-of-16, 197 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT; 18 rush yards, 1 TD
Season: 142-of-214, 2,267 yards, 19 TD, 6 INT; 332 rush yards, 12 TD
Milroe is a completely different quarterback than the guy who was benched in Week 3 following a loss to Texas, and he was nearly perfect on Saturday in a 66-10 blowout against FCS opponent Chattanooga. He has 13 total touchdowns over the past three weeks, giving him a ton of momentum heading into Saturday's Iron Bowl matchup with Auburn.
8. Carson Beck, Georgia (Previous Rank: 10)
Week 12: 24-of-30, 298 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT; 5 rush yards
Season: 255-of-350, 3,320 yards, 21 TD, 5 INT; 105 rush yards, 3 TD
Beck had one of his best games of the year on Saturday on the road against Tennessee, completing 80 percent of his passes and throwing three touchdown passes for just the third time this season. He ranks second in the SEC in completion percentage (72.9 percent), passing yards (3,320) and passing touchdowns (21).
7. Kaidon Salter, Liberty (Previous Rank: 9)
Week 12: 11-of-16, 225 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT; 118 rush yards, 2 TD
Season: 138-of-230, 2,409 yards, 28 TD, 5 INT; 823 rush yards, 11 TD
Only Jayden Daniels (46), Caleb Williams (41) and Bo Nix (40) have more total touchdowns this season than Salter, who added four more to that tally on Saturday. A road game against UTEP this weekend is all that stands between the Flames and an undefeated regular season, and New Mexico State awaits in the Conference USA championship game.
6. Jordan Travis, Florida State (Previous Rank: 6)
Week 12: 2-of-4, 21 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT; 16 rush yards
Season: 207-of-324, 2,756 yards, 20 TD, 2 INT; 176 rush yards, 7 TD
Travis suffered a gruesome leg injury in the first quarter of Saturday's game against North Alabama. He was carted off the field and immediately driven to the hospital by ambulance. He announced Monday that his collegiate career is over. He wraps up his time on campus with 8,715 passing yards and 66 touchdowns, with all but 71 of those years and one score coming after he transferred from Louisville to Florida State.
5. Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma (Previous Rank: 5)
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Week 12: 13-of-21, 191 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT; 0 rush yards
Season: 242-of-346, 3,260 yards, 27 TD, 5 INT, 337 rush yards, 11 TD
Dillon Gabriel vaulted back into the top five when he threw for 423 yards and five touchdowns while also adding three rushing touchdowns during a 59-20 blowout win against West Virginia in Week 11.
He had more modest numbers this past weekend against BYU, but he still leads the Big 12 in completion percentage, passing yards, yards per attempt, passing touchdowns and passer rating as one of the elite signal-callers in the nation.
4. Caleb Williams, USC (Previous Rank: 4)
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Week 12: 31-of-42, 384 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; -20 rush yards
Season: 266-of-388, 3,633 yards, 30 TD, 5 INT; 142 rush yards, 11 TD
Relative to last year's Heisman Trophy-winning season, Caleb Williams actually has a better completion percentage (66.6 to 68.6 percent), more yards per attempt (9.1 to 9.4) and a better passer rating (168.5 to 170.1), but his supporting cast has let him down during a disappointing 7-5 season.
The Trojans are 1-5 in their past six games, and while they are bowl eligible, there's a good chance Williams will opt out of playing in whatever bowl game they secure. Since their regular-season schedule is over, he may have already played his final collegiate game.
3. Michael Penix Jr., Washington (Previous Rank: 3)
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Week 12: 13-of-28, 162 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT; 22 rush yards, 1 TD
Season: 262-of-394, 3,695 yards, 30 TD, 7 INT; -5 rush yards, 3 TD
Michael Penix Jr. was the Heisman Trophy favorite following a 369-yard, four-touchdown performance against Oregon in Week 7, and while he has since been overtaken by the two guys ranked ahead of him on this list, he has still unquestionably been one of college football's top-tier quarterbacks.
His 162 passing yards on Saturday were a season-low, but his two touchdown passes to star wide receiver Rome Odunze proved crucial in a 22-20 victory over Oregon State to stay undefeated. The Jordan Travis injury for Florida State could give Washington the upper hand for the final spot in the College Football Playoff field, but the Huskies can't overlook the Apple Cup this weekend.
2. Bo Nix, Oregon (Previous Rank: 2)
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Week 12: 24-of-29, 404 yards, 6 TD, 0 INT; 7 rush yards
Season: 282-of-361, 3,539 yards, 35 TD, 2 INT; 128 rush yards, 5 TD
Bo Nix has thrown for 1,202 yards with 14 touchdowns and one interception over the past three weeks against California, USC and Arizona State, and the Oregon Ducks are waiting in the wings at No. 6 in the latest AP poll if someone in the current projected College Football Playoff field slips up.
Nix leads the nation with a 78.1 percent completion rate, and his 191.4 passer rating trails only the No. 1 player in these rankings. He is still very much in the Heisman Trophy conversation and will have a chance to make another statement against a good Oregon State team on Friday.
1. Jayden Daniels, LSU (Previous Rank: 1)
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Week 12: 25-of-30, 413 yards, 6 TD, 0 INT; 96 rush yards, 2 TD
Season: 220-of-303, 3,577 yards, 36 TD, 4 INT; 1,014 rush yards, 10 TD
What is Jayden Daniels going to do next?
The Heisman Trophy contender joined Joe Burrow as the only players in LSU history with an eight-touchdown game on their resume in Saturday's 56-14 blowout against Georgia State, and he also went over 1,000 rushing yards on the season.
At 11.8 yards per pass attempt and 8.2 yards per carry, Daniels has been the definition of a dual-threat under center.
