College Football QB Battles Still Undecided After 2025 Spring Practices
Throughout the offseason, few topics generate as much attention in the college football world than quarterback competitions.
They can, after all, make or break a team.
While in-season switches will happen, every program enters the regular season with an initial answer at QB. Some battles are decided quickly—see Arch Manning at Texas—but many linger from spring practice into the summer and fall camp.
The following group is a sampling of teams with the highest expectations in 2025 that haven't yet named a QB1.
Alabama
1 of 7
Down in Tuscaloosa, the early favorite is backing up his billing.
Although the coaching staff stopped short of naming Ty Simpson the starter, new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb made a very clear statement.
"If we're playing a football game tomorrow," Grubb told reporters after the spring game, "Ty Simpson would start."
Simpson, a redshirt junior, has held a backup role in his three previous seasons. He'll be aiming to separate further from Austin Mack and Keelon Russell during the summer to lock in QB1 status as soon as possible in fall camp.
Alabama opens the campaign at Florida State.
Colorado
2 of 7
Amid the nonstop talk around Shedeur Sanders' draft fall, his college team is still deciding on his replacement.
Colorado brought in Kaidon Salter, a standout at Liberty, as the presumed heir. However, he's not officially clear of 4-star signee Julian Lewis—who is just 17 years old—or returning backup Ryan Staub.
Unfortunately for us, the CU staff kept it simple in media communication and stuck to predictable platitudes about the growth of the players.
Salter will likely be the starter, but we won't find out until August.
Georgia
3 of 7
Entering the offseason, it seemed Gunner Stockton was the clear favorite. Spring practice didn't change that perception, either.
Ryan Puglisi isn't going away quietly, though.
As always, understand that spring-game statistics are merely a point of reference—not a decisive factor. That said, Stockton went 17-of-34 for 309 yards with two touchdowns and, most importantly, took all his snaps with the first-string offense. Puglisi finished 23-of-49 for 224 yards and a couple of scores.
Stockton is fully expected to start over Puglisi against Marshall in Week 1. But after Carson Beck's elbow injury late in 2024, you hardly need to explain the value of a backup QB to Georgia fans.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Michigan
4 of 7
From one perspective, Michigan's competition has hardly begun.
Last season's QB carousel led the Wolverines to sink hefty NIL dollars into Bryce Underwood, the nation's top-rated prospect in 2025. They also snagged former UCF and Fresno State starter Mikey Keene out of the portal.
Keene missed all of spring practice due to an unspecified injury, however, as did Davis Warren. Their absences left Underwood and recent blue-chip signee Jadyn Davis to share practice reps in March and April.
The spring game suggested Davis is well behind Underwood, who U-M undoubtedly prefers to take the reins in 2025.
Keene will be a factor once healthy, but Underwood is the favorite.
Notre Dame
5 of 7
I think we know where this one is headed.
CJ Carr has been labeled the future of the program since he signed as a 4-star prospect in the 2024 class. Riley Leonard's departure opened the door for Carr and Steve Angeli to compete this offseason, then Angeli entered the portal after the spring and transferred to Syracuse.
Nevertheless, last season's national runner-up hasn't announced Carr as QB1 because Kenny Minchey performed well during the spring.
At the very least, Minchey isn't done yet—even if Carr, in all likelihood, will be leading ND into its opening game at Miami.
Ohio State
6 of 7
Heading into the spring, the reigning champions had a competition with Julian Sayin, Lincoln Kienholz and 5-star signee Tavien St. Clair.
The battle is ongoing, but Ohio State has trimmed the field.
According to Dan Hope of Eleven Warriors, OSU coach Ryan Day said Sayin and Kienholz are in a "two-horse race" entering the summer.
Two years ago, the Buckeyes let the competition between Kyle McCord and Devin Brown linger into the regular season. Since they begin the campaign at home against Texas, though, the expectation is a sole starter will be chosen in advance of that showdown—a potential clash of No. 1 vs. No. 2.
Oregon
7 of 7
As veteran Dillon Gabriel used up his eligibility, it left Oregon with a basic question: Dante Moore or Austin Novosad?
Well, we might've overlooked Luke Moga.
The star of the spring game threw a winning 56-yard touchdown in the scrimmage. Moga is not suddenly the front-runner, but he's attracted plenty of praise for his development and athleticism early in the offseason.
Yes, it's possible Moga is more a contender to leap Novosad as the backup. Moore has been and remains the presumed starter in 2025.
As long as UO makes the correct choice at QB, however, the talented roster should be a high-end national contender.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
