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Report Card Grades for Top 20 College Football QBs After Week 5
Every Tuesday morning during the 2025 college football season, we will be grading the performance of the top 20 quarterbacks in the nation.
The rankings will then be shuffled to provide a fresh top 20 list to grade the following week, providing an updated view of the top-tier quarterback landscape across college football.
Included is each player's production through the air and on the ground, the outcome of their game and the quality of their opponent. A 1-5 star system was used to highlight quality of opponent, using the most recent version of The Athletic's ranking of all 136 FBS teams, with stars awarded as follows:
5 stars: No. 1-10 in the rankings
4 stars: No. 11-40 in the rankings
3 stars: No. 41-70 in the rankings
2 stars: No. 71-100 in the rankings
1 star: No. 101-136 in the rankings or an FCS opponent
Finally, each quarterback's performance was given a grade of A, B, C, D or F, and those grades were factored into the shuffling of the rankings for the following week.
Let's dive into the Week 5 grades.
20. Devon Dampier, Utah
1 of 21
Week 5 Passing Stats: 21-of-26, 237 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT
Week 5 Rushing Stats: 11 carries, 33 yards, 1 TD
Week 5 Quality of Opponent: ★★★ (West Virginia)
Week 5 Outcome: Win (48-14)
After a 162-yard, two-interception dud against Texas Tech in Week 4, Devon Dampier bounced back with a strong performance on the road against West Virginia on Saturday.
He now has 1,027 yards and 11 touchdowns after throwing a season-high four touchdown passes, and his 72.5 percent completion rate leads the Big 12 and ranks ninth among quarterbacks with at least 100 pass attempts.
Week 5 Grade: B
19. Haynes King, Georgia Tech
2 of 21
Week 5 Passing Stats: 28-of-42, 243 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
Week 5 Rushing Stats: 21 carries, 106 yards, 2 TD
Week 5 Quality of Opponent: ★★ (Wake Forest)
Week 5 Outcome: Win (30-29, OT)
Haynes King logged his third 100-yard rushing performance in four games to help Georgia Tech improve to 5-0 on the year and climb to No. 17 the latest AP poll, and the lower body injury that sidelined him in Week 2 is now comfortably in the rearview.
He has 758 passing yards, 380 rushing yards and 10 total touchdowns, and while his stat line rarely looks like that of a traditional passing quarterback, his dual-threat impact is a huge reason why the Yellow Jackets have become nationally relevant.
Week 5 Grade: B
18. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
3 of 21
Week 5 Passing Stats: 21-of-34, 197 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Week 5 Rushing Stats: 2 carries, -7 yards
Week 5 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (Ole Miss)
Week 5 Outcome: Loss (19-24)
Garrett Nussmeier entered the season as one of the Heisman Trophy favorites and a candidate to be the first quarterback taken in the 2026 draft, but his lackluster performance through five games has knocked him out of the upper echelon of college signal callers.
He had a season-low 197 passing yards in Saturday's loss to Ole Miss, and he has completed 67.3 percent of his passes for 1,159 yards with seven touchdowns and three interceptions on the year. A well-timed Week 6 bye will give him and the Tigers an opportunity to reset.
Week 5 Grade: C
17. Marcel Reed, Texas A&M
4 of 21
Week 5 Passing Stats: 15-of-22, 207 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT
Week 5 Rushing Stats: 7 carries, -23 yards
Week 5 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (Auburn)
Week 5 Outcome: Win (16-10)
Running back Le'Veon Moss (21 carries, 139 yards, 1 TD) and a stout Aggies defense was the story on Saturday, as Texas A&M allowed just 176 total yards and held Auburn to 0-of-12 on third down attempts.
The interception that Reed threw was on a tipped ball, but it came at an inopportune time early in the fourth quarter, and a touchdown on the ensuing Auburn drive made it a 13-10 game. Moving forward, Reed will need to do more if the Aggies are going to remain undefeated.
Week 5 Grade: C
16. Luke Altmyer, Illinois
5 of 21
Week 5 Passing Stats: 20-of-26, 328 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
Week 5 Rushing Stats: 5 carries, 28 yards, 1 TD
Week 5 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (USC)
Week 5 Outcome: Win (34-32)
One week removed from a brutal 63-10 loss to Indiana, the Fighting Illini picked up a big conference win over USC, surviving a pair of costly red zone fumbles to escape with a two-point victory on a game-winning field goal at the end of regulation.
Luke Altmyer had a busy day, throwing for 328 yards and two touchdowns while also adding a rushing score and a receiving score, bouncing back from back-to-back games where he was held under 200 passing yards.
Week 5 Grade: A
15. Jalon Daniels, Kansas
6 of 21
Week 5 Passing Stats: 19-of-28, 445 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT
Week 5 Rushing Stats: 14 carries, 55 yards
Week 5 Quality of Opponent: ★★★ (Cincinnati)
Week 5 Outcome: Loss (34-37)
Jalon Daniels has long teased his immense talent under center while struggling to stay healthy, and this season his passing talents have been on full display with 1,262 passing yards and 16 touchdowns against just two interceptions.
Unfortunately, it has only resulted in a 3-2 start for the Jayhawks. Still, on an individual level, Daniels has been one of the most productive passers in the nation. His 188.8 passer rating is first in the Big 12 and fourth among all qualified FBS quarterbacks.
Week 5 Grade: B
14. Taylen Green, Arkansas
7 of 21
Week 5 Passing Stats: 17-of-32, 207 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT
Week 5 Rushing Stats: 10 carries, 81 yards
Week 5 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (Notre Dame)
Week 5 Outcome: Loss (13-56)
Taylen Green added another 81 yards to his gaudy season total of 441 rushing yards on only 54 carries, which is tops among all quarterbacks and good for 15th in the nation.
However, he had a tough game through the air in a lopsided contest against a stacked Notre Dame defense.
Green entered the game averaging 9.5 yards per attempt, but he managed just 6.5 yards per attempt against the Fighting Irish in a game they played from behind most of the way.
That's three straight losses for Arkansas after it fell to Ole Miss in Week 3 and Memphis in Week 4.
Week 5 Grade: D
13. Demond Williams Jr., Washington
8 of 21
Week 5 Passing Stats: 18-of-22, 173 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT
Week 5 Rushing Stats: 13 carries, -28 yards
Week 5 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★★ (Ohio State)
Week 5 Outcome: Loss (6-24)
If there's a positive spin to put on Saturday's performance for Demond Williams Jr. against a dynamic Ohio State defense, his 173 passing yards are the most anyone has recorded against the Buckeyes so far this season.
He did a solid job protecting the football, but he was sacked six times while going 1-of-11 on third down conversions. Williams has the potential to be a very good quarterback, the Ohio State defense was just better on Saturday.
Week 5 Grade: C
12. Ty Simpson, Alabama
9 of 21
Week 5 Passing Stats: 24-of-38, 276 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
Week 5 Rushing Stats: 4 carries, 12 yards, 1 TD
Week 5 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★★ (Georgia)
Week 5 Outcome: Win (24-21)
While a number of more proven quarterbacks at high-profile programs have struggled in the early going this season, Ty Simpson has looked the part under center for Alabama, and he added a huge win to his resume on Saturday night with a tight victory over Georgia.
The first-year starter has completed 69.3 percent of his passes for 1,138 yards and 11 touchdowns, and he has yet to throw an interception through the first four games of the season. Expect to see him start climbing up the Heisman Trophy odds in the coming weeks.
Week 5 Grade: A
11. Julian Sayin, Ohio State
10 of 21
Week 5 Passing Stats: 22-of-28, 208 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
Week 5 Rushing Stats: 4 carries, 12 yards
Week 5 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (Washington)
Week 5 Outcome: Win (24-6)
Julian Sayin now leads all qualified quarterbacks with a 78.8 percent completion rate, and he has done it while averaging 10.0 yards per attempt, so it's not a case of the Ohio State offense protecting him from taking any shots down field.
Jeremiah Smith (28 receptions, 396 yards, 4 TD) and Carnell Tate (15 receptions, 252 yards, 3 TD) have delivered on expectations as one of the best wide receiver tandems in the country, and Sayin is doing an excellent job getting them the ball.
Week 5 Grade: B
10. Beau Pribula, Missouri
11 of 21
Week 5 Passing Stats: 26-of-29, 241 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Week 5 Rushing Stats: 6 carries, -27 yards
Week 5 Quality of Opponent: ★ (UMass)
Week 5 Outcome: Win (42-6)
After lackluster performances in wins over Louisiana and South Carolina, Beau Pribula was nearly perfect against an overmatched UMass team, completing 26-of-29 pass attempts en route to a blow win.
Running back Ahmad Hardy already has 730 rushing yards and nine touchdowns through five games, and he has 68 carries the last three weeks, so the Missouri offense doesn't need Pribula to throw the ball 40-plus times per game to be successful.
Week 5 Grade: B
9. Sawyer Robertson, Baylor
12 of 21
Week 5 Passing Stats: 24-of-35, 393 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT
Week 5 Rushing Stats: 5 carries, 6 yards, 1 TD
Week 5 Quality of Opponent: ★ (Oklahoma State)
Week 5 Outcome: Win (45-27)
Sawyer Robertson has now thrown at least three touchdown passes in each of his first five games this season, and his 1,713 passing yards lead all FBS quarterbacks by a comfortable margin.
He is already more than halfway to last year's numbers, when he had 3,071 yards and 28 touchdowns in 12 games. He has done a nice job spreading the ball around with five different receivers who have tallied at least 200 yards and seven different players who have caught a touchdown pass.
Week 5 Grade: A
8. Drew Allar, Penn State
13 of 21
Week 5 Passing Stats: 14-of-25, 137 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
Week 5 Rushing Stats: 9 carries, 42 yards
Week 5 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★★ (Oregon)
Week 5 Outcome: Loss (24-30, 2OT)
Drew Allar led touchdown drives of 75 yards and 62 yards in the fourth quarter to erase a 17-3 deficit and force overtime, but he threw an interception in the second extra period to end the game and send Penn State tumbling to No. 7 in the latest AP poll.
Viewed as the potential QB1 in the 2026 draft heading into the season, Allar has yet to eclipse 220 passing yards in a game this year, and his yards per attempt (8.4 to 6.8) and completion percentage (66.5 to 62.8 percent) have both moved in the wrong direction. In a way, he has regressed back into the role of game manager, with Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen driving the offense on the ground.
Week 5 Grade: D
7. Darian Mensah, Duke
14 of 21
Week 5 Passing Stats: 22-of-28, 268 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
Week 5 Rushing Stats: 4 carries, -22 yards
Week 5 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (Syracuse)
Week 5 Outcome: Win (38-3)
After stumbling against Illinois and Tulane, the Duke Blue Devils are trending in the right direction once again and fresh off a quality road win against Syracuse to improve to 2-0 in ACC play.
Darian Mensah leads the ACC in completions (121), passing yards (1,573), passing touchdowns (13). He has multiple touchdown passes in each of Duke's first five games, helping to establish the Blue Devils offense as one of the best in the ACC.
Week 5 Grade: B
6. Josh Hoover, TCU
15 of 21
Week 5 Passing Stats: 20-of-32, 242 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT
Week 5 Rushing Stats: 9 carries, -38 yards, 1 TD
Week 5 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (Arizona State)
Week 5 Outcome: Loss (24-27)
A road win over North Carolina and a victory against SMU as part of a 3-0 start helped TCU quickly jump into the AP poll, but a loss on the road against Arizona State on Friday made their stay among the nation's top 25 teams a short one.
After huge passing games against Abilene Christian (337 yards, 4 TD) and SMU (379 yards, 5 TD), Josh Hoover was picked off twice in the second half, including on the second play of the Horned Frogs final drive of the game.
Week 5 Grade: D
5. Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt
16 of 21
Week 5 Passing Stats: 26-of-34, 321 yards, 5 TD, 1 INT
Week 5 Rushing Stats: 9 carries, 79 yards, 1 TD
Week 5 Quality of Opponent: ★★ (Utah State)
Week 5 Outcome: Win (55-35)
Diego Pavia joined Bill Wade (1950), Jay Cutler (2005) and Johnny McCrary (2014) as the only quarterbacks in Vanderbilt history with five touchdown passes in a game, helping to lead the Commodores to a 5-0 start for the first time since 2008.
"He's a really good football player and today was his day," Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea told reporters. "I'm happy for him."
Week 5 Grade: A
4. Joey Aguilar, Tennessee
17 of 21
Week 5 Passing Stats: 24-of-40, 335 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT
Week 5 Rushing Stats: 7 carries, 21 yards, 1 TD
Week 5 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (Mississippi State)
Week 5 Outcome: Win (41-34, OT)
After an interception, a punt and an interception over a three drive stretch in the second half, Joey Aguilar led a 13-play, 75-yard drive in the fourth quarter, capped off by the game-tying six yard touchdown run.
He didn't have to throw a pass in overtime, with DeSean Bishop ripping off a 25-yard touchdown run on the first play of the extra period and the defense forcing a turnover on downs, but he found another gear in crunch time after a lackluster first three quarters.
Week 5 Grade: C
3. Dante Moore, Oregon
18 of 21
Week 5 Passing Stats: 29-of-39, 248 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
Week 5 Rushing Stats: 10 carries, 35 yards
Week 5 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★★ (Penn State)
Week 5 Outcome: Win (30-24, 2OT)
Dante Moore delivered the biggest performance of his collegiate career on Saturday night, leading Oregon to a signature win over Penn State with a pair of touchdown passes in overtime.
He ranks among the FBS leaders in completion percentage (74.6, fifth) and passer rating (183.5, eighth), and he has 1,210 passing yards with 14 touchdowns and one interception. The Heisman Trophy buzz would kick into high gear with another strong showing in a win over Indiana on Oct. 11.
Week 5 Grade: A
2. Jayden Maiava, USC
19 of 21
Week 5 Passing Stats: 30-of-43, 364 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
Week 5 Rushing Stats: 5 carries, 2 yards
Week 5 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (Illinois)
Week 5 Outcome: Loss (32-34)
The end result was the USC Trojans first loss of the season, and he missed a few throws along the way, but all things considered it was another strong individual performance for Jayden Maiava on the road against a good Illinois team.
Five games into his first full season as the starter, he ranks among the FBS leaders in passing yards (1,587, second), passing touchdowns (11, ninth) and passer rating (191.1, second). The Trojans have a bye in Week 6 before back-to-back high-profile games against Michigan and Notre Dame.
Week 5 Grade: B
1. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
20 of 21
Week 5 Passing Stats: 13-of-23, 233 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
Week 5 Rushing Stats: 8 carries, 26 yards
Week 5 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (Iowa)
Week 5 Outcome: Win (20-15)
Following a three-week stretch where he threw 14 touchdown passes in wins over Kennesaw State, Indiana State and Illinois, Fernando Mendoza put together a more modest performance on the road against a good Iowa defense on Saturday.
The numbers don't jump off the page, but he delivered when it mattered most, connecting with Elijah Sarratt on a 49-yard touchdown pass with 1:28 remaining to break a 13-13 tie and keep the Hoosiers undefeated.
An Oct. 11 matchup against Oregon will be his chance for a Heisman moment as he looks to solidify his status as one of the front-runners.
Week 5 Grade: B
Updated Top 20 CFB Quarterbacks List
21 of 21
In an effort to keep things fresh and allow for the inclusion of breakout performers, we will be re-ranking the top 20 quarterbacks in college football each week on this final slide. That will then set the stage for the 20 QBs whose performance will be graded the following week.
Players who are headed into a bye week were temporarily removed from the list, to provide a list of 20 quarterbacks that can all be graded on Week 6 performance in next week's article.
That notably removed Dante Moore (Oregon), Fernando Mendoza (Indiana), Jayden Maiava (USC), Joey Aguilar (Tennessee), Beau Pribula (Missouri), Taylen Green (Arkansas), Haynes King (Georgia Tech), Devon Dampier (Utah), Garrett Nussmeier (LSU) and Trinidad Chambliss (Ole Miss) from consideration.
1. Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt
2. Ty Simpson, Alabama
3. Carson Beck, Miami
4. Sawyer Robertson, Baylor
5. Julian Sayin, Ohio State
6. Darian Mensah, Duke
7. Jalon Daniels, Kansas
8. Behren Morton, Texas Tech
9. Luke Altmyer, Illinois
10. Dylan Raiola, Nebraska
11. Josh Hoover, TCU
12. Chandler Morris, Virginia
13. Demond Williams Jr., Washington
14. CJ Carr, Notre Dame
15. Brendan Sorsby, Cincinnati
16. Aidan Chiles, Michigan State
17. Marcel Reed, Texas A&M
18. Rocco Becht, Iowa State
19. Arch Manning, Texas
20. Drew Allar, Penn State
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