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Report Card Grades for Top 20 College Football QBs After Week 8
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 8 grades.
20. Haynes King, Georgia Tech
1 of 21
Week 8 Passing Stats: 14-of-21, 205 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT
Week 8 Rushing Stats: 14 carries, 120 yards, 1 TD
Week 8 Quality of Opponent: ★★★ (Duke)
Week 8 Outcome: Win (27-18)
Haynes King ranks fifth among FBS quarterbacks with 560 rushing yards after turning in his fourth 100-yard rushing performance of the season against the Blue Devils, and his 10 rushing touchdowns trail only running backs Jonah Coleman (12) and Ahmad Hardy (11).
With Georgia Tech off to a 7-0 start and all the way up to No. 7 in the latest AP poll, King has drawn some comparisons to Eric Crouch, who won the 2001 Heisman Trophy as a run-first quarterback at Nebraska.
Week 8 Grade: A
19. Chandler Morris, Virginia
2 of 21
Week 8 Passing Stats: 15-of-25, 179 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT
Week 8 Rushing Stats: 4 carries, 15 yards
Week 8 Quality of Opponent: ★★ (Washington State)
Week 8 Outcome: Win (22-20)
Despite a 3-4 record, Washington State actually has one of the better pass defenses in the nation statistically, allowing 190.1 passing yards per game.
Chandler Morris was held under 200 yards passing for the third time this season and the second week in a row, but the Cavaliers still managed to pull out their fifth straight victory to improve to 6-1 on the year.
Week 8 Grade: C
18. Arch Manning, Texas
3 of 21
Week 8 Passing Stats: 12-of-27, 132 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT
Week 8 Rushing Stats: 11 carries, -1 yard
Week 8 Quality of Opponent: ★★★ (Kentucky)
Week 8 Outcome: Win (16-13, OT)
The Longhorns punted eight times against a mediocre Kentucky defense and had under 100 yards of total offense at halftime, but managed to pull out an overtime victory over the Wildcats thanks to their defense.
Arch Manning matched a season low by completing just 44 percent of his passes, and for the first time this year, he failed to find the end zone with either his arm or his legs.
Week 8 Grade: D
17. Beau Pribula, Missouri
4 of 21
Week 8 Passing Stats: 23-of-40, 252 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT
Week 8 Rushing Stats: 16 carries, 28 yards, 1 TD
Week 8 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (Auburn)
Week 8 Outcome: Win (23-17, 2OT)
Beau Pribula salvaged an otherwise lackluster performance by scoring what ended up being the game-winning rushing touchdown in double overtime.
The Penn State transfer shined in non-conference play, but he has completed just 57.9 percent of his pass attempts for 585 yards with three touchdowns and five interceptions through his first three SEC games.
Week 8 Grade: C
16. Byrum Brown, South Florida
5 of 21
Week 8 Passing Stats: 14-of-24, 256 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
Week 8 Rushing Stats: 14 carries, 111 yards, 1 TD
Week 8 Quality of Opponent: ★ (Florida Atlantic)
Week 8 Outcome: Win (48-13)
The South Florida offense has scored a staggering 228 points over its last four games while logging wins over South Carolina State, Charlotte, North Texas and Florida Atlantic.
During that stretch, Byrum Brown has completed 65.1 percent of his passes for 948 yards with 14 touchdowns and four interceptions, and he also has 364 rushing yards and four more scores on the ground. His 2,170 total yards of offense lead the AAC and rank sixth in the nation.
Week 8 Grade: A
15. Josh Hoover, TCU
6 of 21
Week 8 Passing Stats: 22-of-31, 231 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
Week 8 Rushing Stats: 2 carries, -2 yards
Week 8 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (Baylor)
Week 8 Outcome: Win (42-36)
After a three-touchdown performance on Saturday against Baylor, Josh Hoover is now tied with Fernando Mendoza (Indiana) and Sawyer Robertson (Baylor) for the FBS lead with 21 touchdown passes.
He has also already secured his third straight 2,000-yard passing season, and his 8,281 career passing yards are up to fourth on TCU's all-time list, behind Trevone Boykin (10,728), Andy Dalton (10,314) and Max Duggan (9,618).
Week 8 Grade: A
14. Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss
7 of 21
Week 8 Passing Stats: 19-of-36, 263 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
Week 8 Rushing Stats: 9 carries, 42 yards, 2 TD
Week 8 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★★ (Georgia)
Week 8 Outcome: Loss (35-43)
A year ago, Trinidad Chambliss was playing at D-II Ferris State, where he led the Bulldogs to a national championship while racking up 2.925 passing yards, 1,019 rushing yards and 51 total touchdowns.
After starting the season behind Austin Simmons on the depth chart at Ole Miss, he has shined since moving into the starting role in Week 3, tallying 1,490 passing yards, 302 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. He did his part on Saturday against Georgia, but ultimately came out on the losing end.
Week 8 Grade: B
13. Joey Aguilar, Tennessee
8 of 21
Week 8 Passing Stats: 28-of-44, 268 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Week 8 Rushing Stats: 8 carries, -20 yards
Week 8 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★★ (Alabama)
Week 8 Outcome: Loss (20-37)
Joey Aguilar spent some time in the injury tent on Saturday against Alabama after taking a big hit to his neck. And while he stayed in the game, he was unable to mount a comeback after the Vols fell behind 23-7 at halftime.
After throwing for 1,124 yards and 12 touchdowns while completing 66.7 percent of his throws in four non-conference games, he saw those numbers drop to a 62.4 completion rate with 824 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions against Mississippi State, Arkansas and Alabama to open conference play.
Week 8 Grade: C
12. Darian Mensah, Duke
9 of 21
Week 8 Passing Stats: 32-of-44, 373 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
Week 8 Rushing Stats: 4 carries, -13 yards
Week 8 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (Georgia Tech)
Week 8 Outcome: Loss (18-27)
With a 4-3 record following Saturday's loss to Georgia Tech, the Blue Devils are not having the season some thought they might have after a nine-win campaign in 2024 and with high-profile transfer quarterback Darian Mensah added to the mix.
That said, Mensah is the ACC leader in passing yards (2,211), passing touchdowns (17) and passer rating (165.8), so he has done his part to anchor a high-powered offensive attack.
Week 8 Grade: B
11. Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt
10 of 21
Week 8 Passing Stats: 14-of-22, 160 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
Week 8 Rushing Stats: 17 carries, 86 yards, 2 TD
Week 8 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★★ (LSU)
Week 8 Outcome: Win (31-24)
The phrase "for the first time since..." has become a staple for the Vanderbilt football program the last two seasons with Diego Pavia under center, and on Saturday, they beat LSU for the first time since 1990.
He had one passing touchdown, two rushing touchdowns and even hit the Heisman pose on one of his trips to the end zone. And with Vanderbilt looking more and more like a legitimate playoff threat, he has become one of the biggest stories of the 2025 college football season.
Week 8 Grade: A
10. CJ Carr, Notre Dame
11 of 21
Week 8 Passing Stats: 16-of-26, 136 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Week 8 Rushing Stats: 5 carries, -7 yards, 1 TD
Week 8 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (USC)
Week 8 Outcome: Win (34-24)
Running back Jeremiyah Love was the story for the Fighting Irish in Saturday's win over USC in a clash of ranked teams, as he tallied 228 rushing yards on 24 carries to lead the way in a 10-point victory.
For quarterback CJ Carr, it was another quietly solid performance in what has been a rock-solid first season as the starter under center. The former 4-star recruit has completed 65.8 percent of his throws for 1,758 yards with 14 touchdowns and four interceptions, averaging 9.6 yards per pass attempt.
Week 8 Grade: B
9. Sawyer Robertson, Baylor
12 of 21
Week 8 Passing Stats: 25-of-52, 318 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT
Week 8 Rushing Stats: 4 carries, -12 yards
Week 8 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (TCU)
Week 8 Outcome: Loss (36-42)
Playing in an offense where he averages nearly 43 pass attempts per game, Sawyer Robertson is putting up some gaudy counting stats this season, leading all FBS quarterbacks in passing yards (2,376) and passing touchdowns (21).
However, he also leads the Big 12 with seven interceptions, three of which came in Saturday's loss to TCU, and his 61.0 percent completion rate actually represents a slight step down from his 2024 numbers.
He needs 1,934 passing yards the rest of the way to set Baylor's single-season record.
Week 8 Grade: D
8. Brendan Sorsby, Cincinnati
13 of 21
Week 8 Passing Stats: 20-of-29, 270 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
Week 8 Rushing Stats: 6 carries, 13 yards, 1 TD
Week 8 Quality of Opponent: ★ (Oklahoma State)
Week 8 Outcome: Win (49-17)
The Cincinnati Bearcats were picked to finish 12th in the Big 12 preseason poll at 247Sports, and they were widely regarded as an afterthought nationally after going 5-7 during the 2024 season.
With six straight wins since their Week 1 loss to Nebraska, they are up to No. 21 in the latest AP poll, and Brendan Sorsby has quietly been one of the most consistent quarterbacks in the country with 1,718 passing yards and 17 touchdowns against just one interception.
Week 8 Grade: A
7. Dante Moore, Oregon
14 of 21
Week 8 Passing Stats: 15-of-20, 290 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT
Week 8 Rushing Stats: 3 carries, 49 yards
Week 8 Quality of Opponent: ★★★ (Rutgers)
Week 8 Outcome: Win (56-10)
After turning in his first real dud of the season in a 30-20 loss to Indiana in Week 7, Dante Moore lit up an awful Rutgers defense that allowed 56 points and 750 yards of total offense to the Ducks on Saturday.
Moore led seven straight touchdown drives at one point while building a 56-0 lead through three quarters. He then spent the fourth quarter watching from the sidelines as Brock Thomas came on in relief.
Week 8 Grade: A
6. Demond Williams Jr., Washington
15 of 21
Week 8 Passing Stats: 20-of-32, 209 yards, 0 TD, 3 INT
Week 8 Rushing Stats: 5 carries, -19 yards
Week 8 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (Michigan)
Week 8 Outcome: Loss (7-24)
Demond Williams Jr. had the best game of his collegiate career in Week 7 against Rutgers, finishing with 402 passing yards, 136 rushing yards and six touchdowns in a 38-19 victory, but he landed with a thud on Saturday against the Michigan defense.
Despite his ugly performance against the Wolverines, he is still having a strong season overall, completing 72.1 percent of his passes with 1,837 passing yards, 363 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns. Can he bounce back next weekend at home against a good Illinois team?
Week 8 Grade: F
5. Carson Beck, Miami
16 of 21
Week 8 Passing Stats: 25-of-35, 271 yards, 0 TD, 4 INT
Week 8 Rushing Stats: 5 carries, 8 yards
Week 8 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (Louisville)
Week 8 Outcome: Loss (21-24)
Carson Beck led the SEC and ranked fifth in the nation last season with 12 interceptions, but he never had a game quite like the one he turned in on Friday night during his time with the Georgia Bulldogs.
Looking to improve to 6-0 on the year, Beck threw a career-high four interceptions in a 24-21 loss to Louisville, while also failing to record a touchdown for the second time in three games.
Strong games against Notre Dame, South Florida and Florida have shown his potential in the Hurricanes offense, but it doesn't get much worse than his Week 8 performance.
Week 8 Grade: F
4. Ty Simpson, Alabama
17 of 21
Week 8 Passing Stats: 19-of-29, 253 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
Week 8 Rushing Stats: 5 carries, 8 yards
Week 8 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (Tennessee)
Week 8 Outcome: Win (37-20)
Since Alabama's season-opening loss to Florida State, Ty Simpson has been as good as any quarterback in the country, completing 74.3 percent of his pass attempts for 1,677 yards and 16 touchdowns with only one interception.
The Crimson Tide have kicked off SEC play with four straight wins over ranked opponents in Georgia, Vanderbilt, Missouri and Tennessee, and he has vaulted himself squarely into the Heisman Trophy race in the process.
Week 8 Grade: B
3. Jayden Maiava, USC
18 of 21
Week 8 Passing Stats: 22-of-42, 328 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
Week 8 Rushing Stats: 2 carries, -9 yards
Week 8 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (Notre Dame)
Week 8 Outcome: Loss (24-34)
Jayden Maiava threw multiple interceptions for the first time this season, though he didn't get much help from a rushing attack that managed just 68 yards and 2.3 yards per carry against the Notre Dame defense.
The redshirt junior leads the Big Ten in passing yards (2,180) and yards per attempt (10.2), and he remains one of the biggest breakout performers of the 2025 season at the quarterback position.
After a bye next weekend, Maiava will have a chance to pad his stats during a three-week stretch against Nebraska, Northwestern and Iowa.
Week 8 Grade: C
2. Julian Sayin, Ohio State
19 of 21
Week 8 Passing Stats: 36-of-42, 393 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT
Week 8 Rushing Stats: 5 carries, 7 yards
Week 8 Quality of Opponent: ★★ (Wisconsin)
Week 8 Outcome: Win (34-0)
Julian Sayin has completed 80 percent of his passes through his first seven starts at Ohio State, and if he can maintain that mark, it would be the highest single-season completion percentage in history ahead of Bo Nix in 2023 (77.4) and Mac Jones in 2020 (77.4).
It doesn't hurt that he's throwing to two of the best wide receivers in the country in Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate, but after setting career-high marks with 393 passing yards and four touchdowns on Saturday against Wisconsin, he has pushed his way into the Heisman front-runner conversation.
Week 8 Grade: A
1. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
20 of 21
Week 8 Passing Stats: 24-of-28, 332 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT
Week 8 Rushing Stats: 5 carries, 18 yards
Week 8 Quality of Opponent: ★★★ (Michigan State)
Week 8 Outcome: Win (38-13)
The Heisman Trophy might be Fernando Mendoza's to lose at this point following his fourth game of the season with at least four touchdown passes.
Through seven games, he has completed 73.5 percent of his passes for 1,755 yards with 21 touchdowns and two interceptions while leading Indiana to a 7-0 start and the No. 2 spot in the latest AP poll.
With the Oregon game in the rearview and Ohio State not on the schedule, he just needs to navigate UCLA, Maryland, Penn State, Wisconsin and Purdue to finish off an undefeated regular season.
Week 8 Grade: A
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, setting the stage for grading the 20 QBs' performance the following week.
Players who are headed into a bye week have been temporarily removed from the list, to provide a rundown of 20 signal-callers who can all be graded on Week 9 performance in next week's article.
That notably removed Julian Sayin (Ohio State), Jayden Maiava (USC), CJ Carr (Notre Dame), Darian Mensah (Duke), Jake Retzlaff (Tulane), Gunner Stockton (Georgia), Noah Fifita (Arizona) and Anthony Colandrea (UNLV) from consideration.
1. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
2. Ty Simpson, Alabama
3. Dante Moore, Oregon
4. Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt
5. Haynes King, Georgia Tech
6. Brendan Sorsby, Cincinnati
7. Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss
8. Byrum Brown, South Florida
9. Josh Hoover, TCU
10. Sawyer Robertson, Baylor
11. Carson Beck, Miami
12. Luke Altmyer, Illinois
13. Jalon Daniels, Kansas
14. Demond Williams Jr., Washington
15. Taylen Green, Arkansas
16. Joey Aguilar, Tennessee
17. Marcel Reed, Texas A&M
18. Kevin Jennings, SMU
19. Bear Bachmeier, BYU
20. Joe Fagnano, UConn
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