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Report Card Grades for Top 20 College Football QBs after Week 6
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. Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State
1 of 21
Week 6 Passing Stats: 19-of-28, 304 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
Week 6 Rushing Stats: 2 carries, 2 yards, 1 TD
Week 6 Quality of Opponent: ★★★ (UCF)
Week 6 Outcome: Win (42-28)
The Oklahoma State offense is averaging 45.3 points per game during its current four-game winning streak, righting the ship in a major way since the season-opening loss to Tulsa.
Drew Mestemaker has completed 70.8 percent of his passes for 1,334 yards, with 12 touchdowns and three interceptions during that stretch, eclipsing 300 passing yards in every game. His 15 total touchdowns on the year trail only Conner Weigman (21), Noah Fifita (19) and Michael Hawkins Jr. (19) on the Big 12 leaderboard.
Week 6 Grade: A
19. Arch Manning, Texas
2 of 21
Week 6 Passing Stats: 19-of-31, 260 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
Week 6 Rushing Stats: 7 carries, 20 yards
Week 6 Quality of Opponent: ★★★ (Oklahoma)
Week 6 Outcome: Loss (24-27)
The Longhorns suffered their first loss of the season in the Red River Rivalry on Saturday. Arch Manning, arguably the most hyped quarterback in the nation entering the year, delivered another lackluster performance. He is in danger of falling out of our rankings entirely.
Among SEC quarterbacks, he ranks 12th in completion percentage (63.0), 11th in passing yards (1,122), eighth in passing touchdowns (10) and 10th in passer rating (143.3), while his five interceptions are the fourth-highest total.
Week 6 Grade: D
18. Anthony Colandrea, Nebraska
3 of 21
Week 6 Passing Stats: 25-of-43, 263 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT
Week 6 Rushing Stats: 17 carries, 47 yards, 1 TD
Week 6 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★★ (Indiana)
Week 6 Outcome: Loss (17-20)
For the first time this season, Anthony Colandrea failed to record a passing touchdown against a tough Indiana defense. He was also bottled up for just 2.8 yards per carry on a season-high 17 rushing attempts.
The Cornhuskers actually led 17-6 early in the fourth quarter, but Indiana responded with back-to-back touchdown drives, while the Nebraska offense stalled with a punt and two turnovers on downs.
Week 6 Grade: C
17. Gio Lopez, Wake Forest
4 of 21
Week 6 Passing Stats: 26-of-33, 303 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
Week 6 Rushing Stats: 8 carries, 10 yards, 1 TD
Week 6 Quality of Opponent: ★★★ (NC State)
Week 6 Outcome: Win (38-14)
Wake Forest is ranked for the first time since 2022 after improving to 5-1 with a victory over NC State. North Carolina transfer Gio Lopez has been a big reason for their early success.
He leads the ACC in total yards (1,882) and total touchdowns (19). His improvements in completion percentage (65.1 to 67.4) and yards per attempt (6.7 to 9.1) help illustrate his progress as a passer. He was largely held in check on the ground on Saturday, but he has 202 rushing yards and six rushing scores this year.
Week 6 Grade: A
16. Ethan Grunkemeyer, Virginia Tech
5 of 21
Week 6 Passing Stats: 21-of-31, 288 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
Week 6 Rushing Stats: 8 carries, -5 yards, 1 TD
Week 6 Quality of Opponent: ★★ (California)
Week 6 Outcome: Loss (20-25)
Virginia Tech has lost two in a row since a 4-0 start, though Penn State transfer Ethan Grunkemeyer is still having a prolific passing season, leading the ACC in passing yards (1,734) while tallying 12 touchdowns and two interceptions.
The Hokies' offense had five punts and a pair of missed field goals on Saturday. That ended up being too many empty possessions to come away with a victory. It remains a standout individual season for Grunkemeyer, but the team's strong start has quickly crumbled.
Week 6 Grade: B
15. Noah Fifita, Arizona
6 of 21
Week 6 Passing Stats: 16-of-23, 341 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
Week 6 Rushing Stats: 3 carries, 1 yard
Week 6 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (West Virginia)
Week 6 Outcome: Win (52-31)
The Arizona offense scored a season-high 52 points and Noah Fifita outplayed Michael Hawkins Jr. as the Wildcats improved to 5-1 and are now on the doorstep of a spot in the AP Top 25.
It was the third game of the season that Fifita threw at least three passing touchdowns. Through Week 6 he stands as the Big 12 leader in completion percentage (73.3), passing yards (1,756), passing touchdowns (16) and passer rating (174.0).
Week 6 Grade: A
14. Michael Hawkins Jr., West Virginia
7 of 21
Week 6 Passing Stats: 11-of-28, 219 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT
Week 6 Rushing Stats: 25 carries, 98 yards, 1 TD
Week 6 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (Arizona)
Week 6 Outcome: Loss (31-52)
Michael Hawkins Jr. entered Week 6 as the nation's leading rusher among quarterbacks. For the sixth time in as many games, he eclipsed 90 yards on the ground and logged at least one rushing touchdown.
However, he was largely a non-factor in the passing game. His 3.9 yards per carry lacked big-play impact. The Oklahoma transfer still has 1,727 total yards and 19 total touchdowns this year, but he was successfully held in check by the Arizona defense.
Week 6 Grade: D
13. Conner Weigman, Houston
8 of 21
Week 6 Passing Stats: 19-of-30, 242 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT
Week 6 Rushing Stats: 6 carries, 21 yards
Week 6 Quality of Opponent: ★★★ (Kansas State)
Week 6 Outcome: Win (35-16)
Conner Weigman matched a season high with four touchdown passes in a quality Big 12 road win over Kansas State. Patrick Overmyer caught all four, tying an FBS record for touchdown receptions by a tight end.
Weigman now has 15 passing touchdowns and six rushing touchdowns this year. Those 21 total scores trail only Oregon State quarterback Braden Atkinson (24) for the most among all FBS players.
Week 6 Grade: A
12. Devon Dampier, Utah
9 of 21
Week 6 Passing Stats: 23-of-30, 238 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
Week 6 Rushing Stats: 17 carries, 71 yards, 1 TD
Week 6 Quality of Opponent: ★★ (Kansas)
Week 6 Outcome: Win (41-24)
After an injury-plagued 2025 season, Devon Dampier had not flashed much of his dual-threat abilities in the early going this season, but he recorded a season-high 17 carries for 71 rushing yards against Kansas, helping Utah improve to 5-0 on the year.
As a 1,000-yard rusher at New Mexico in 2024, Dampier made significant strides as a passer and can now be more selective about when he uses his legs. His career-best marks in completion percentage (71.8) and yards per attempt (8.7) remain the biggest takeaways from his early success.
Week 6 Grade: A
11. Braden Atkinson, Oregon State
10 of 21
Week 6 Passing Stats: 29-of-38, 409 yards, 5 TD, 0 INT
Week 6 Rushing Stats: 1 carry, -9 yards
Week 6 Quality of Opponent: ★★ (San Diego State)
Week 6 Outcome: Win (66-14)
With his third 400-yard passing game of the season on Saturday, Braden Atkinson now leads the nation in completions (166), passing yards (2,257) and passing touchdowns (21). He has done it while completing an impressive 70.6 percent of his attempts.
Meanwhile, Oregon State has quietly won four straight after opening the season with back-to-back losses to Houston and Texas Tech, both comfortably inside the AP Top 25. If they can win out and pick up a victory over Boise State along the way, the Beavers could be in the conversation for a College Football Playoff spot.
Week 6 Grade: A
10. Austin Simmons, Missouri
11 of 21
Week 6 Passing Stats: 14-of-28, 147 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Week 6 Rushing Stats: 4 carries, 24 yards
Week 6 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (Texas A&M)
Week 6 Outcome: Win (27-6)
Workhorse running back Jamal Roberts (34 carries, 222 yards, 2 TD) and a stout Missouri defense did the heavy lifting on Saturday in a relatively quiet day for Austin Simmons under center.
His interception came on Missouri's first drive of the game. That was followed by back-to-back punts, but he led a 10-play, 77-yard touchdown drive early in the second quarter, capped off by a 32-yard scoring strike to Cayden Lee.
Week 6 Grade: C
9. Lincoln Kienholz, Louisville
12 of 21
Week 6 Passing Stats: 11-of-15, 140 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT
Week 6 Rushing Stats: 9 carries, 40 yards, 2 TD
Week 6 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (Florida State)
Week 6 Outcome: Win (44-20)
A 2-3 start to the year knocked Louisville out of the national picture, but Lincoln Kienholz continues to be one of the bigger breakout stars at the quarterback position after transferring from Ohio State.
He failed to record a passing touchdown for the first time all year on Saturday, but did find the end zone twice on the ground. His 17 total touchdowns are good for third on the ACC leaderboard. That puts him tied with Miami's Darian Mensah, though he has played one less game.
Week 6 Grade: B
8. Marcus Stokes, Memphis
13 of 21
Week 6 Passing Stats: 11-of-21, 164 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
Week 6 Rushing Stats: 9 carries, 36 yards
Week 6 Quality of Opponent: ★★ (UAB)
Week 6 Outcome: Win (38-13)
Despite little national attention, Memphis is 5-1 on the year, with its lone loss coming against a now-ranked Boise State team. An undefeated run through the AAC is not out of the question after they steamrolled Charlotte and UAB the last two weeks.
After three seasons at D-II West Florida, where he won the 2025 Gulf South Conference Offensive Player of the Year, Marcus Stokes has settled in nicely at quarterback. Over the last three weeks, he has completed 73.1 percent of his pass attempts for 740 yards with 11 touchdowns and zero interceptions.
Week 6 Grade: C
7. Jayden Maiava, USC
14 of 21
Week 6 Passing Stats: 21-of-33, 301 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
Week 6 Rushing Stats: 2 carries, -1 yard
Week 6 Quality of Opponent: ★★★ (Penn State)
Week 6 Outcome: Win (31-23)
Jayden Maiava led two 10-play drives of 71 yards or more that both ended in touchdowns, flipping a 20-17 deficit early in the third quarter into a 31-23 advantage.
With an improved completion rate (65.8 to 67.9 percent), touchdown rate (6.0 to 8.0 percent) and interception rate (2.5 to 1.3 percent), Maiava has taken a step forward as a passer, despite losing top target and first-round pick Makai Lemon to the NFL.
Week 6 Grade: A
6. CJ Carr, Notre Dame
15 of 21
Week 6 Passing Stats: 14-of-20, 181 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
Week 6 Rushing Stats: 5 carries, 41 yards
Week 6 Quality of Opponent: ★★ (Stanford)
Week 6 Outcome: Win (58-7)
CJ Carr has yet to attempt 30 passes in a game this season, but he continues to make a major impact when the Fighting Irish do air it out. He has 10 touchdown passes against only one interception in the last three weeks.
Notre Dame's toughest test of the season so far awaits this coming weekend when they travel to Provo to take on No. 8 BYU. The Cougars allow just 80.4 rushing yards per game, the 10th-lowest mark among FBS teams, so more could be asked out of the passing game.
Week 6 Grade: A
5. Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss
16 of 21
Week 6 Passing Stats: 20-of-30, 213 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
Week 6 Rushing Stats: 4 carries, 5 yards, 1 TD
Week 6 Quality of Opponent: ★★★ (Vanderbilt)
Week 6 Outcome: Win (52-17)
After a surprising Week 4 loss to Florida and a Week 5 bye, Ole Miss took advantage of a favorable matchup on Saturday and torched the Vanderbilt defense for a season-high 52 points.
Trinidad Chambliss has now thrown an interception in four of the team's five games, already exceeding the three picks he threw a year ago. With Missouri, Texas and Georgia occupying three of the next four slots on the schedule, the next month will determine if he's a Heisman Trophy candidate.
Week 6 Grade: B
4. Josh Hoover, Indiana
17 of 21
Week 6 Passing Stats: 12-of-22, 263 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
Week 6 Rushing Stats: 5 carries, 24 yards
Week 6 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (Nebraska)
Week 6 Outcome: Win (20-17)
Indiana had just 115 total yards and three points at halftime. The Hoosiers still trailed 17-6 early in the fourth quarter when Josh Hoover and Nick Marsh connected on a 75-yard touchdown strike.
After a three-and-out from Nebraska, Hoover led a five-play, 80-yard drive that was punctuated by another Marsh touchdown reception, effectively saving the Hoosiers from a potential upset. The offense can't afford a similarly slow start this coming weekend against Ohio State.
Week 6 Grade: B
3. Gunner Stockton, Georgia
18 of 21
Week 6 Passing Stats: 18-of-22, 249 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Week 6 Rushing Stats: 6 carries, 12 yards, 1 TD
Week 6 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★★ (Alabama)
Week 6 Outcome: Win (20-17)
Despite throwing an early interception and missing on a deep ball, Gunner Stockton put together a strong overall performance in a huge win against Alabama, finishing with just four incompletions and accounting for a pair of touchdowns.
"You know, he had the pick which was kind of batted. And then he had a boot that we thought could have been a big play that he underthrew. He doesn't let things fester and affect him. And when he's gotta stand in there and throw a bullet and make a play, he was able to do it tonight in really critical situations," head coach Kirby Smart told reporters.
Week 6 Grade: A
2. Keelon Russell, Alabama
19 of 21
Week 6 Passing Stats: 16-of-30, 185 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
Week 6 Rushing Stats: 9 carries, 41 yards
Week 6 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★★ (Georgia)
Week 6 Outcome: Loss (17-20)
Keelon Russell lost a fumble on Alabama's first possession of the game, followed by a pair of stalled drives that ended in punts, but he eventually settled in with a pair of second-quarter touchdown drives.
The Georgia defense ultimately bottled him and the rest of the Crimson Tide offense up in the fourth quarter to come away with the victory. Russell was outplayed by the more experienced Gunner Stockton in a showdown between two of the nation's top quarterbacks.
Week 6 Grade: C
1. Julian Sayin, Ohio State
20 of 21
Week 6 Passing Stats: 13-of-21, 242 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT
Week 6 Rushing Stats: 7 carries, 11 yards
Week 6 Quality of Opponent: ★★ (Maryland)
Week 6 Outcome: Win (45-16)
Since a lackluster performance in Week 2's loss to Texas, Julian Sayin has completed 73.6 percent of his pass attempts for 1,174 yards with 13 touchdowns and one interception against Kent State, Illinois, Iowa and Maryland.
His 11.5 yards per attempt speaks to the explosiveness of the Buckeyes' offense when they air it out. Jeremiah Smith once again made noise, catching four passes for 93 yards and two touchdowns.
Up next is an Indiana defense allowing just 188.5 passing yards per game.
Week 6 Grade: A
Updated Top 20 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 7 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 7 performance to grade, they are presented with "***" rather than a ranking number and will not appear in next week's article.
Week 7 CFB Quarterback Rankings
1. Darian Mensah, Miami
2. Julian Sayin, Ohio State
3. Gunner Stockton, Georgia
4. Josh Hoover, Indiana
5. Keelon Russell, Alabama
6. Braden Atkinson, Oregon State
*** Jayden Maiava, USC
7. CJ Carr, Notre Dame
8. Conner Weigman, Houston
9. Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss
10. Kamario Taylor, Mississippi State
11. Kevin Jennings, SMU
12. Devon Dampier, Utah
13. Gio Lopez, Wake Forest
*** Noah Fifita, Arizona
14. Marcus Stokes, Memphis
15. Lincoln Kienholz, Louisville
16. Austin Simmons, Missouri
17. Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State
18. Aidan Chiles, Northwestern
19. Ethan Grunkemeyer, Virginia Tech
20. Bear Bachmeier, BYU
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