Ranking Top 25 Quarterbacks in College Football After Week 13
Welcome to Bleacher Report's Top 25 college football quarterback rankings after Week 13.
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 Tuesday morning throughout the 2023 season, we've ranked the nation's top signal-callers, with players rising and falling based on where they ranked the previous week, so it has been a fluid process throughout the year. And now we've reached the end of the regular-season slate.
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.
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 13:
Drew Allar, Penn State
Rocco Becht, Iowa State
Chevan Cordeiro, San Jose State
Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss
Quinn Ewers, Texas
TJ Finley, Texas State
Garrett Greene, West Virginia
Frank Harris, UTSA
Sam Hartman, Notre Dame
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
Spencer Rattler, South Carolina
Chandler Rogers, North Texas
Brayden Schager, Hawaii
Donovan Smith, Houston
Preston Stone, SMU
DJ Uiagalelei, Oregon State
Tyler Van Dyke, Miami
Gunnar Watson, Troy
Jacob Zeno, UAB
Nos. 25-21
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25. Austin Reed, Western Kentucky (Previous Rank: NR)
Week 13: 26-of-35, 280 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT; -6 rush yards
Season: 289-of-470, 3,340 yards, 31 TD, 11 INT; 100 rush yards, 4 TD
Reed led the nation with 4,746 passing yards in the 2022 season, and while he didn't quite match that production this year, he was still tops in Conference USA in completions (289), passing yards (3,340) and touchdown passes (31). His four touchdown passes on Saturday marked the sixth time in 12 games he has thrown for at least three scores.
24. Dequan Finn, Toledo (Previous Rank: 20)
Week 13: 9-of-17, 97 yards, 1 TD, 24 rush yards
Season: 183-of-281, 2,384 yards, 21 TD, 8 INT; 530 rush yards, 6 TD
Toledo has rattled off 11 straight wins since a season-opening loss to Illinois, and Finn leads the MAC in passer rating (155.4), completion percentage (65.1%), passing yards (2,384), yards per attempt (8.5), passing touchdowns (21) and total touchdowns (27).
23. Brady Cook, Missouri (Previous Rank: 23)
Week 13: 12-of-20, 112 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT; 14 rush yards, 1 TD
Season: 233-of-351, 3,189 yards, 20 TD, 6 INT; 253 rush yards, 8 TD
Cook led Missouri to its first 10-win season since 2014 when Maty Mauk was under center, and his 3,189 passing yards are the eighth-highest single-season total in team history. He threw multiple touchdown passes for the first time since Week 6 against LSU on Saturday in a win over Arkansas.
22. Graham Mertz, Florida (Previous Rank: 17)
Week 13: Injured
Season: 261-of-358, 2,903 yards, 20 TD, 3 INT; -75 rush yards, 4 TD
Mertz suffered a season-ending fractured collarbone in Week 12 and watched from the sidelines during Saturday's loss to rival Florida State, but his efficiency throughout the year earns him a spot in the top 25. The Wisconsin transfer led the SEC and ranked fifth in the nation with a 72.9 percent completion rate.
21. Byrum Brown, South Florida (Previous Rank: HM)
Week 13: 22-of-30, 253 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT; 43 rush yards, 1 TD
Season: 257-of-401, 3,078 yards, 23 TD, 11 INT; 745 rush yards, 11 TD
The first 3,000-yard passer in South Florida history, Brown also led the Bulls in rushing yards (745) and rushing touchdowns (11) as one of the nation's best dual-threat quarterbacks. He tallied five total touchdowns for the third time this season in Saturday's 48-14 victory over Charlotte.
Nos. 20-16
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20. Taulia Tagovailoa, Maryland (Previous Rank: HM)
Week 13: 24-of-31, 361 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT; -3 rush yards, 1 TD
Season: 290-of-437, 3,377 yards, 25 TD, 11 INT; 18 rush yards, 5 TD
Tagovailoa surpassed Purdue's Drew Brees (10,909), Minnesota's Adam Weber (10,917) and Purdue's Curtis Painter (11,163) on Saturday to become the all-time leading passer in Big Ten history with 11,256 yards in four seasons at Maryland. The Terrapins went just 2-5 to close out the year after a 5-0 start, but Tagovailoa still had a strong overall season.
19. Seth Henigan, Memphis (Previous Rank: 22)
Week 13: 18-of-28, 250 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT; 5 rush yards
Season: 293-of-441, 3,516 yards, 28 TD, 9 INT; 247 rush yards, 4 TD
After throwing for a season-high 402 yards in Week 12 against SMU, Henigan closed out the year with his second four-touchdown performance of the year. The three-year starter led the AAC with 3,516 passing yards and finished with his third 3,000-yard, 20-touchdown performance.
18. Cameron Ward, Washington State (Previous Rank: 21)
Week 13: 32-of-48, 317 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT; -19 rush yards
Season: 323-of-485, 3,736 yards, 25 TD, 7 INT; 144 rush yards, 8 TD
Ward ranks fourth in the nation with 3,736 passing yards, and he now has back-to-back 3,000-yard, 20-touchdown seasons under his belt at Washington State after starting his college career at Incarnate Word. He had three or more total touchdowns seven times in 12 games.
17. Joey Aguilar, Appalachian State (Previous Rank: 19)
Week 13: 23-of-36, 296 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT; 11 rush yards
Season: 247-of-389, 3,271 yards, 33 TD, 9 INT; 270 rush yards, 2 TD
Aguilar ranks third in the nation with 33 passing touchdowns behind only Jayden Daniels (40) and Bo Nix (37), and his four touchdown passes on Saturday gave him the school record for a single season, surpassing Taylor Lamb (31, 2015). The JUCO transfer helped lead the Mountaineers to an 8-4 regular season and a spot in the Sun Belt title game.
16. Michael Pratt, Tulane (Previous Rank: 16)
Week 13: 9-of-22, 125 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT; 50 rush yards
Season: 164-of-247, 2,168 yards, 21 TD, 4 INT; 321 rush yards, 4 TD
Tulane has gone 10-0 with Pratt under center this season, and he threw a pair of touchdown passes in a 29-16 victory over UTSA on Saturday. A matchup with SMU in the AAC title game is up next, and a win should clinch the Green Wave's place in a New Year's Six bowl game as the nation's highest-ranked Group of Five team.
Nos. 15-11
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15. Will Howard, Kansas State (Previous Rank: 10)
Week 13: 24-of-48, 288 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; 46 rush yards, 1 TD
Season: 219-of-357, 2,643 yards, 24 TD, 10 INT; 351 rush yards, 9 TD
Howard had multiple touchdowns in 11 of 12 games this season, and he had put together a 5-1 stretch of games before Saturday night's loss to Iowa State in the snow. The former 3-star recruit tied the single-season record with his 24th touchdown pass of the season in Week 13, matching the total posted by Ell Roberson in 2003.
14. Drake Maye, North Carolina (Previous Rank: 12)
Week 13: 22-of-38, 254 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT; 106 rush yards, 1 TD
Season: 269-of-425, 3,608 yards, 24 TD, 9 INT; 449 rush yards, 9 TD
Expectations were sky high for Maye heading into the season after he threw for 4,321 yards and 38 touchdowns during a breakout 2022 season. The redshirt sophomore failed to emerge as a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate, but he had a solid season while continuing to show the physical tools to potentially have a bright future in the NFL.
13. Shedeur Sanders, Colorado (Previous Rank: 13)
Week 13: Injured
Season: 298-of-430, 3,230 yards, 27 TD, 3 INT; -77 rush yards, 4 TD
Despite throwing for just 86 yards in Week 12 before exiting the game with an injury that also kept him on the sidelines on Saturday, Sanders still finished among the top five in a stacked Pac-12 in passing yards (3,230, fifth), passing touchdowns (27, fourth) and passer rating (151.7, fifth). Will he declare for the 2024 draft?
12. Noah Fifita, Arizona (Previous Rank: 15)
Week 13: 30-of-41, 527 yards, 5 TD, 1 INT
Season: 217-of-295, 2,515 yards, 23 TD, 5 INT; 2 rush yards
Fifita threw for a school-record 527 yards on Saturday in a 59-23 blowout over Arizona State, capping off a six-game winning streak to close out the regular season. Considering he did not become a starter until Week 5 when he first filled in for an injured Jayden De Laura, his overall numbers are even more impressive.
11. J.J. McCarthy, Michigan (Previous Rank: 14)
Week 13: 16-of-20, 148 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT; 17 rush yards
Season: 191-of-257, 2,483 yards, 19 TD, 4 INT; 181 rush yards, 3 TD
McCarthy was a model of efficiency leading one of the nation's top teams, leading the Big Ten in completion percentage (74.3%), yards per attempt (9.7) and passer rating (176.8). He recorded just one total touchdown over Michigan's final four games, but he outplayed Kyle McCord in a huge win over Ohio State on Saturday.
Nos. 10-6
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10. Carson Beck, Georgia (Previous Rank: 8)
Week 13: 13-of-20, 175 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; 24 rush yards
Season: 268-of-370, 3,495 yards, 22 TD, 6 INT; 129 rush yards, 3 TD
Beck had his worst game of the season on Saturday, throwing for a season-low 175 yards in a 31-23 victory over Georgia Tech, but it's still been a solid overall year for the Bulldogs' first-year starter. A matchup with Alabama is up next in the SEC title game as Georgia looks to lock up its spot in the College Football Playoff.
9. Jordan Travis (Previous Rank: 6)
Week 13: Injured
Season: 207-of-324, 2,756 yards, 20 TD, 2 INT; 176 rush yards, 7 TD
A season-ending leg injury cut short an excellent season for Travis, and while Florida State managed to survive without him against rival Florida on Saturday, a tougher test awaits in the ACC title game when it squares off against Louisville. His importance to one of the nation's best teams gives the Seminoles an uphill battle in the national title picture.
8. Jalen Milroe, Alabama (Previous Rank: 9)
Week 13: 16-of-24, 259 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT; 107 rush yards
Season: 158-of-238, 2,526 yards, 21 TD, 6 INT; 439 rush yards, 12 TD
A second-half surge from Milroe continued on Saturday when his 32-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Bond with 32 seconds remaining gave Alabama a dramatic 27-24 victory over Auburn in the Iron Bowl. The dual-threat standout also recorded his second 100-yard rushing game of the season.
7. Kaidon Salter, Liberty (Previous Rank: 7)
Week 13: 4-for-11, 22 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT; 76 rush yards
Season: 142-of-241, 2,431 yards, 29 TD, 5 INT; 899 rush yards, 11 TD
With 40 total touchdowns, Salter led Liberty to an undefeated regular season, capping things off with a 42-28 victory over UTEP on Saturday where little was needed from him in the passing game. He ranks in the top five nationally in yards per attempt (10.1, third), passer rating (179.2, fourth) and total touchdowns (40, fifth).
6. Jordan McCloud, James Madison (Previous Rank: 11)
Week 13: 26-of-35, 324 yards, 5 TD, 1 INT; 5 rush yards, 1 TD
Season: 262-of-380, 3,413 yards, 32 TD, 9 INT; 311 rush yards, 8 TD
After a lackluster performance in James Madison's first loss of the season in Week 12, McCloud rebounded with a career-high five passing touchdowns and six total scores in a 56-14 blowout against Coastal Carolina. After starting 19 games at South Florida and Arizona during his first three collegiate seasons, he has been a breakout star in 2023.
5. Caleb Williams, USC (Previous Rank: 4)
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Week 13: Bye
Season: 266-of-388, 3,633 yards, 30 TD, 5 INT; 142 rush yards, 11 TD
Caleb Williams threw for 384 yards with one touchdown and one interception in Week 12 against UCLA in what will likely be the final game of his collegiate career, as his NFL future will likely outweigh whatever bowl game the 7-5 USC Trojans secure.
He may not have matched his 2022 Heisman Trophy performance, but he made modest improvements to his completion percentage (66.6 to 68.6 percent) and yards per attempt (9.1 to 9.4 yards) playing on a flawed team.
4. Michael Penix Jr., Washington (Previous Rank: 3)
7 of 10
Week 13: 18-of-33, 204 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT; -9 rush yards
Season: 280-of-427, 3,899 yards, 32 TD, 8 INT; -14 rush yards, 3 TD
Michael Penix Jr. is the only quarterback in the top five of these rankings playing for an undefeated team, and he outplayed Bo Nix with a 302-yard, four-touchdown performance in a victory over Oregon in Week 7.
Those two veteran signal-callers will square off again in the Pac-12 championship game, and the winner will likely earn a spot in the College Football Playoff.
3. Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma (Previous Rank: 5)
8 of 10
Week 13: 24-of-38, 400 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT; 36 rush yards, 1 TD
Season: 266-of-384, 3,660 yards, 30 TD, 6 INT; 373 rush yards, 12 TD
Dillon Gabriel had his second 400-yard passing game in three weeks on Saturday in a 69-45 shootout against TCU, and he now ranks in the top 10 in FBS history in passing yards (14,865, seventh) and passing touchdowns (125, eighth).
He leads the Big 12 in most passing categories this season, and his 42 total touchdowns are eight more than any other player in the conference and trails only Jayden Daniels (50) and Bo Nix (43) among all players.
2. Bo Nix, Oregon (Previous Rank: 2)
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Week 13: 33-of-40, 367 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT; 31 rush yards, 1 TD
Season: 315-of-401, 3,906 yards, 37 TD, 2 INT; 159 rush yards, 6 TD
With 16 touchdowns and 1,569 passing yards over the last four weeks, Bo Nix has moved to the front of the pack among this year's class of standout Pac-12 quarterbacks, and the conference title game will give him a golden opportunity to move into the driver's seat in the Heisman Trophy race.
Nix threw for 337 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions against Washington in Oregon's only loss of the season, and Friday will be his chance to avenge that game and make a case for a spot in the College Football Playoff field.
1. Jayden Daniels, LSU (Previous Rank: 1)
10 of 10
Week 13: 16-of-24, 235 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT; 120 rush yards
Season: 236-of-327, 3,812 yards, 40 TD, 4 INT; 1,134 rush yards, 10 TD
Jayden Daniels was the only quarterback to rush for 1,000 yards this season, and his 8.4 yards per carry were tops among players with at least 75 carries, and that's just what he did with his legs.
He also led the nation in passing touchdowns (40), passer rating (208.0) and yards per attempt (11.7), and his 17 total touchdowns over the past three weeks might be enough for him to win the Heisman Trophy on a three-loss team.
