.jpg?w=2560 "CFB QB Grades")
Report Card Grades for Top 20 College Football QBs after Week 4
Every Tuesday morning throughout the 2026 college football season, we will be grading the performance of the top 20 quarterbacks in the nation, then re-ranking a new top 20 for next week's report card assignment.
Included are each player's numbers through the air and on the ground, their game's outcome, and the quality of their opponent. A 1-5 star system was used to highlight the quality of the opponent, using the most recent version of The Athletic's ranking of all 138 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. 101-138 in the rankings or an FCS opponent
Each quarterback's performance was given a grade of A, B, C, D or F. Those grades were factored into the reordering of the rankings for the following week.
20. Avery Johnson, Kansas State
1 of 21
Week 4 Passing Stats: 30-of-50, 292 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
Week 4 Rushing Stats: 6 carries, 38 yards
Week 4 Quality of Opponent: ★★★ (Cincinnati)
Week 4 Outcome: Loss (26-31)
Avery Johnson racked up 227 passing yards and 152 rushing yards in a 31-20 victory over Tulane in Week 3 to climb into the rankings, but he was mostly kept in check in a loss to Cincinnati.
With 58 total touchdowns over 25 games in the 2024 and 2025 seasons, Johnson has been a dynamic dual-threat option throughout his time at Kansas State. Saturday marked the first time this season that he did not account for multiple scores.
Week 4 Grade: C
19. Anthony Colandrea, Nebraska
2 of 21
Week 4 Passing Stats: 15-of-27, 212 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
Week 4 Rushing Stats: 10 carries, 66 yards
Week 4 Quality of Opponent: ★★★ (Michigan State)
Week 4 Outcome: Win (31-13)
Nebraska is 4-0 for the first time since 2016, when Tommy Armstrong Jr. led them to a 9-4 season and a trip to the Music City Bowl. Anthony Colandrea has been one of the nation's more productive transfer quarterbacks early on.
He has completed 65.4 percent of his passes, right in line with his 65.9 percent completion rate at UNLV in 2025. Saturday was his first real test against a quality opponent. He has now tallied 904 passing yards, 141 rushing yards and 12 total touchdowns on the year.
Week 4 Grade: B
18. Keelon Russell, Alabama
3 of 21
Week 4 Passing Stats: 21-of-27, 365 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT
Week 4 Rushing Stats: 8 carries, 35 yards, 1 TD
Week 4 Quality of Opponent: ★★★ (South Carolina)
Week 4 Outcome: Win (49-18)
Things have clicked for Keelon Russell over the past two weeks after a slow start to the season, as the former 5-star recruit is looking the part in his first year under center for the Crimson Tide:
Week 1-2: 34-of-53, 444 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT; 21 carries, 77 yards, 1 TD
Week 3-4: 44-of-57, 685 yards, 7 TD, 0 INT; 11 carries, 91 yards, 2 TD
Now, a grueling stretch of the calendar begins as they face Mississippi State, Georgia, Tennessee and Texas A&M over a span of four weeks. That will put his breakthrough performance to the test.
Week 4 Grade: A
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17. Ethan Grunkemeyer, Virginia Tech
4 of 21
Week 4 Passing Stats: 22-of-35, 147 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
Week 4 Rushing Stats: 3 carries, -3 yards
Week 4 Quality of Opponent: ★★ (Boston College)
Week 4 Outcome: Win (21-14)
Ethan Grunkemeyer leads the ACC with 101 completions through four games. After connecting on 69.1 percent of his attempts at Penn State a year ago, he has upped that to 74.3 percent this season while piloting the Hokies to a 4-0 start.
His 7.4 yards per attempt keeps him out of the nation's elite tier of signal callers for the time being. Virginia Tech has leaned heavily on the running game with 177.8 rushing yards per game. Still, the stability he has provided under center has already helped the team surpass last year's win total.
Week 4 Grade: C
16. Noah Fifita, Arizona
5 of 21
Week 4 Passing Stats: 22-of-36, 297 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT
Week 4 Rushing Stats: 11 carries, 20 yards
Week 4 Quality of Opponent: ★★ (Washington State)
Week 4 Outcome: Win (34-24)
With 622 yards and eight touchdowns through the air in the last two weeks against Northern Illinois and Washington State, Noah Fifita now leads the Big 12 in completions (99), completion percentage (75.6) and passing touchdowns (11).
If he can lead Arizona to victories over Cincinnati and West Virginia over the next two weeks, they could roll into their bye week with a spot in the AP Top 25 poll. His efficiency and high-level production could continue to push him up the rankings.
Week 4 Grade: A
15. Michael Hawkins Jr., West Virginia
6 of 21
Week 4 Passing Stats: 10-of-22, 132 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT
Week 4 Rushing Stats: 28 carries, 103 yards, 3 TD
Week 4 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (Oklahoma State)
Week 4 Outcome: Loss (24-41)
Michael Hawkins Jr. ranks 10th in the nation and leads all quarterbacks with 425 rushing yards. He has found the end zone nine times on the ground while logging 5.9 yards per carry.
His passing production has essentially been icing on the cake, though the West Virginia offense hit a wall down the stretch on Saturday with three turnovers on downs and a punt over their final four possessions as a 24-21 lead flipped to a 41-24 loss.
Week 4 Grade: C
14. Dante Moore, Oregon
7 of 21
Week 4 Passing Stats: 8-of-10, 77 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT
Week 4 Rushing Stats: 1 carry, 10 yards
Week 4 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (USC)
Week 4 Outcome: Win (41-27)
Dante Moore left the field on an ambulance during the second quarter of Saturday's game after USC linebacker Desman Stephens delivered an illegal hit that led to his ejection.
"He's in recovery, so I don't want to speak too soon, but he is moving, and he does have the ability to move," head coach Dan Lanning told reporters.
Backup Dylan Raiola completed 19-of-25 pass attempts for 289 yards and two touchdowns in relief to help lead Oregon to victory, a week after connecting on all 11 of his passes for 124 yards and three scores.
Week 4 Grade: Incomplete
13. Conner Weigman, Houston
8 of 21
Week 4 Passing Stats: 17-of-22, 239 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT
Week 4 Rushing Stats: 6 carries, 14 yards, 2 TD
Week 4 Quality of Opponent: ★ (Georgia Southern)
Week 4 Outcome: Win (42-28)
A shaky day from the Houston defense and a successful onside kick made things interesting in a game where the Cougars were 18.5-point favorites, but Conner Weigman led the offense on six straight touchdown drives to help avoid the upset and seize control of what was a 14-14 game.
His 14 total touchdowns trail only Kamario Taylor (16), Jayden Maiava (16) and Darian Mensah (15). He has completed 71.6 percent of his passes, up from 65.2 percent during his breakout 2025 campaign.
Week 4 Grade: A
12. Rocco Becht, Penn State
9 of 21
Week 4 Passing Stats: 12-of-29, 114 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT
Week 4 Rushing Stats: 10 carries, 23 yards, 1 TD
Week 4 Quality of Opponent: ★★★ (Wisconsin)
Week 4 Outcome: Loss (20-24)
After completing 70.3 percent of his throws for 751 yards and nine touchdowns in wins over Marshall, Temple and Buffalo, Rocco Becht turned in a dud in his first game against a major conference opponent.
The Nittany Lions managed just 233 yards of total offense, including 3.9 yards per pass attempt. They failed to put any points on the board in their final five offensive possessions. They will look to rebound on the road against Northwestern on Friday.
Week 4 Grade: D
11. CJ Carr, Notre Dame
10 of 21
Week 4 Passing Stats: 14-of-22, 237 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
Week 4 Rushing Stats: 3 carries, 10 yards, 1 TD
Week 4 Quality of Opponent: ★★ (Purdue)
Week 4 Outcome: Win (49-10)
After a quiet Week 3 performance against Michigan State, where he finished without a passing touchdown, CJ Carr led the onslaught in a lopsided victory on the road against Purdue on Saturday with four total touchdowns.
He quietly passed Joe Theismann to move into 10th all-time in Notre Dame history with 33 career passing touchdowns. His 172.2 passer rating sits atop the leaderboard among quarterbacks with at least 100 pass attempts.
Week 4 Grade: B
10. Julian Sayin, Ohio State
11 of 21
Week 4 Passing Stats: 27-of-36, 367 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT
Week 4 Rushing Stats: 7 carries, 29 yards, 1 TD
Week 4 Quality of Opponent: ★★★ (Illinois)
Week 4 Outcome: Win (42-19)
The Julian Sayin-to-Jeremiah Smith connection reached new heights against the Illinois defense, as the All-American wide receiver hauled in 12 catches for 217 yards and four touchdowns.
There is little doubt that having such a dominant No. 1 target is benefiting Sayin, but he still has to get him the football. He is putting together another extremely efficient season, leading the Big Ten with a 72.2 percent completion rate while averaging 301.5 passing yards per game.
Week 4 Grade: A
9. Devon Dampier, Utah
12 of 21
Week 4 Passing Stats: 18-of-27, 206 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
Week 4 Rushing Stats: 7 carries, 21 yards
Week 4 Quality of Opponent: ★★★ (Iowa State)
Week 4 Outcome: Win (31-17)
Devon Dampier has yet to eclipse 50 rushing yards in a game this season, but Utah has not needed him to win games with his legs. Keeping him healthy after a banged-up 2025 season is the No. 1 priority.
His completion percentage has increased from 57.9 to 63.5 to 70.3 percent in his three years as a starter. He now ranks among the most efficient passers in the nation. The Utes are up to No. 13 in the latest AP poll, just one spot behind Big 12 favorite Texas Tech.
Week 4 Grade: B
8. Lincoln Kienholz, Louisville
13 of 21
Week 4 Passing Stats: 27-of-36, 324 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Week 4 Rushing Stats: 13 carries, -19 yards, 2 TD
Week 4 Quality of Opponent: ★★★ (Wake Forest)
Week 4 Outcome: Loss (27-30)
Saturday's loss dropped Louisville to 2-2 on the year and knocked the team out of the AP poll, but Lincoln Kienholz remains one of college football's biggest breakout stars after transferring from Ohio State during the offseason.
He drove Louisville into field-goal range twice in the fourth quarter with a chance to tie the game, but the first attempt was missed and the second was blocked.
Still, the ACC remains wide open, and the Cardinals' win over SMU could loom large if they rebound from this disappointing start.
Week 4 Grade: B
7. Arch Manning, Texas
14 of 21
Week 4 Passing Stats: 14-of-19, 201 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT
Week 4 Rushing Stats: 11 carries, -1 yard
Week 4 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (Tennessee)
Week 4 Outcome: Win (20-17)
The Longhorns pulled off a big road win against Tennessee on two rushing touchdowns by Raleek Brown and a 10-sack performance by the defense, while Arch Manning had limited impact on the outcome.
"It's not about me," Manning said in his postgame interview. "I didn't play very well, but our team played great. Defense played well."
Since throwing four touchdown passes in the opener against Texas State, Manning has completed 60.2 percent of his throws for 557 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions in his last three games.
Week 4 Grade: C
6. Kamario Taylor, Mississippi State
15 of 21
Week 4 Passing Stats: 27-of-38, 360 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
Week 4 Rushing Stats: 10 carries, 7 yards
Week 4 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (Missouri)
Week 4 Outcome: Win (31-24)
In his first career start against a ranked opponent, Kamario Taylor continued his breakout season, recording a fourth straight game with at least three touchdown passes. He leads the SEC in passing touchdowns (14) and ties Jayden Maiava for the FBS lead in total touchdowns (16). Maiava has played one more game.
If they can pull off the upset at home against Alabama next weekend, it would be the first time the Bulldogs have started the season 5-0 since 2014, when Dak Prescott led them to a 10-3 finish.
Week 4 Grade: A
5. Josh Hoover, Indiana
16 of 21
Week 4 Passing Stats: 19-of-29, 201 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
Week 4 Rushing Stats: 6 carries, 1 yard, 1 TD
Week 4 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (Northwestern)
Week 4 Outcome: Win (29-23)
After back-to-back shutouts, the Indiana defense struggled on Friday night against Northwestern, while quarterback Josh Hoover averaged a season-low 6.9 yards per attempt and found the end zone once with his arm and once with his legs.
The Hoosiers were ultimately bailed out by running back Lee Bebee Jr. (24 carries, 203 yards, 1 TD), avoiding the upset in a game where they were 20.5-point favorites. Hoover has been efficient, but he is still searching for his first 300-yard passing performance in an Indiana uniform. He should have a chance to put up some numbers on the road against Rutgers next Saturday.
Week 4 Grade: B
4. Gunner Stockton, Georgia
17 of 21
Week 4 Passing Stats: 14-of-25, 171 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Week 4 Rushing Stats: 5 carries, 0 yards
Week 4 Quality of Opponent: ★★★ (Oklahoma)
Week 4 Outcome: Win (41-13)
The Bulldogs had three rushing touchdowns, two field goals and a defensive score in their lopsided win over Oklahoma, so most of the damage on the scoreboard on Saturday came outside of the passing game.
Georgia has outscored the opposition by a 219-53 margin so far this year. However, after throwing eight total touchdown passes against Tennessee State and Western Kentucky, Gunner Stockton has been held below 200 passing yards in back-to-back games, with two touchdowns and one interception.
Week 4 Grade: C
3. Jayden Maiava, USC
18 of 21
Week 4 Passing Stats: 23-of-42, 326 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
Week 4 Rushing Stats: 6 carries, 1 yard, 1 TD
Week 4 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (Oregon)
Week 4 Outcome: Loss (27-41)
Jayden Maiava led a seven-play, 75-yard drive to tie the game at 27-27 with 12:41 remaining in the fourth quarter, but Oregon responded with back-to-back touchdown drives, while USC settled for a turnover on downs and an interception to close out a disappointing loss.
Maiava leads the FBS in passing yards (1,499). While he has played one more game than most quarterbacks, his 299.8 yards per game is a slight improvement over last year's 285.5 mark, when he led the Big Ten in passing.
Week 4 Grade: C
2. Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss
19 of 21
Week 4 Passing Stats: 25-of-34, 298 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Week 4 Rushing Stats: 7 carries, 44 yards, 2 TD
Week 4 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (Florida)
Week 4 Outcome: Loss (28-52)
Ole Miss allowed 302 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground in a blowout loss to Florida, crashing back to earth one week after its top-10 victory over LSU.
Trinidad Chambliss did what he could to keep Ole Miss competitive. His interception came on the final drive, when the outcome was already decided. Despite the final scoreboard, he continues to have a Heisman-caliber season, leading the SEC in completions (102) and passing yards (1,222) while tallying 12 total touchdowns.
Week 4 Grade: B
1. Darian Mensah, Miami
20 of 21
Week 4 Passing Stats: 23-of-27, 338 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
Week 4 Rushing Stats: 4 carries, 21 yards, 1 TD
Week 4 Quality of Opponent: ★ (Central Michigan)
Week 4 Outcome: Win (52-3)
It's rare for a quarterback to complete 23 of 27 passes in his fourth game of the season and still see his season completion percentage drop, but that's how efficient Darian Mensah has been this year.
He remains the FBS leader in completion percentage (88.7) and passer rating (228.2). He added his first rushing touchdown of the season on Saturday, joining his 14 passing scores. A road game against Clemson next week will provide his first true high-profile test of the season.
Week 4 Grade: A
Updated Top 20 CFB Quarterbacks List
21 of 21
To keep things fresh and include breakout performers, we will re-rank the top 20 quarterbacks each week on this final slide. That will then reset the field for next week's report cards.
Quarterbacks with a Week 5 bye who are performing at a top-20 level were still included in the updated rankings to show how they stack up to the field.
However, since there will be no Week 5 performance to grade, they are presented with "***" rather than a ranking number and will not appear in next week's article.
Week 5 CFB Quarterback Rankings
1. Darian Mensah, Miami
***Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss
2. Julian Sayin, Ohio State
3. Kamario Taylor, Mississippi State
4. Jayden Maiava, USC
5. Keelon Russell, Alabama
6. Noah Fifita, Arizona
7. Conner Weigman, Houston
8. Josh Hoover, Indiana
***Devon Dampier, Utah
9. Lincoln Kienholz, Louisville
10. Kevin Jennings, SMU
11. CJ Carr, Notre Dame
12. Beau Pribula, Virginia
13. Gunner Stockton, Georgia
14. Aaron Philo, Florida
***Arch Manning, Texas
15. Anthony Colandrea, Nebraska
16. Michael Hawkins Jr., West Virginia
17. Mason Heintschel, Pitt
18. Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State
19. John Alan Richter, Toledo
20. Braden Atkinson, Oregon State
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