Report Card Grades for Top 20 College Football QBs After Week 7

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. Kenny Minchey, Kentucky

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Week 7 Passing Stats: 21-of-28, 158 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
Week 7 Rushing Stats: 7 carries, 4 yards
Week 7 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (Oklahoma)
Week 7 Outcome: Win (21-13)

Kentucky is up to No. 12 in the latest AP poll thanks to a 6-1 start, which is a far cry from where most predicted them to be after they were picked to finish 14th in the SEC preseason media poll.

Notre Dame transfer Kenny Minchey has been a big reason for their unexpected success, completing 68.4 percent of his passes for 1,552 yards and 13 touchdowns while throwing only one interception. The former 4-star recruit led a fourth-quarter touchdown drive to give Kentucky a 14-13 lead on Saturday. The defense iced it with a pick-six.

Week 7 Grade: B

19. Bear Bachmeier, BYU

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Week 7 Passing Stats: 23-of-36, 224 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Week 7 Rushing Stats: 13 carries, 45 yards, 2 TD
Week 7 Receiving Stats: 1 catch, 15 yards, 1 TD
Week 7 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★★ (Notre Dame)
Week 7 Outcome: Win (28-24)

With a passing touchdown, two rushing touchdowns and even a receiving touchdown, Bear Bachmeier did it all in arguably the biggest game of his career, leading BYU to a victory over Notre Dame.

That win vaulted the Cougars to No. 2 in the latest AP poll. Bachmeier has made a significant leap up the Heisman Trophy odds board. His interception came in the fourth quarter with BYU trailing 24-21, but the defense forced a three-and-out. Bachmeier responded with a 10-play, 55-yard drive to take the lead for good.

Week 7 Grade: A

18. Ethan Grunkemeyer, Virginia Tech

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Week 7 Passing Stats: 15-of-22, 250 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
Week 7 Rushing Stats: 13 carries, 25 yards, 1 TD
Week 7 Quality of Opponent: ★★ (Georgia Tech)
Week 7 Outcome: Win (34-24)

Back-to-back losses to Pitt and Cal knocked Virginia Tech out of the national conversation, but Ethan Grunkemeyer continues to be one of the more productive quarterbacks in the country this year.

The Penn State transfer leads the ACC in completions (167) and passing yards (1,984). His 72.9 percent completion rate is the fourth-highest mark in the nation, behind only Darian Mensah (80.9), Gunner Stockton (74.1) and Noah Fifita (73.3).

Week 7 Grade: A

17. Aidan Chiles, Northwestern

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Week 7 Passing Stats: 18-of-27, 226 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT
Week 7 Rushing Stats: 16 carries, 25 yards, 1 TD
Week 7 Quality of Opponent: ★★ (Michigan State)
Week 7 Outcome: Win (24-21)

With nine passing touchdowns, seven rushing touchdowns and zero turnovers, Aidan Chiles has done a fantastic job anchoring Northwestern's surprising 5-1 start. The Wildcats are in the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2020.

After stops at Oregon State and Michigan State, Chiles is enjoying the best season of his career by a wide margin. His 70.5 percent completion rate leads the Big Ten. He has come a long way from two years ago, when he led the Big Ten with 11 interceptions as the Michigan State starter.

Week 7 Grade: B

16. Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State

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Week 7 Passing Stats: 22-of-34, 365 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
Week 7 Rushing Stats: 6 carries, 34 yards
Week 7 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (Houston)
Week 7 Outcome: Loss (32-35)

Drew Mestemaker was the first quarterback off the board and the No. 3 overall pick in B/R's latest 2027 NFL mock draft, which speaks to his combination of raw physical talent and still untapped potential just a few years removed from walking on at North Texas as an unranked recruit.

All three of his touchdown passes on Saturday came after halftime, including a 10-play, 96-yard drive in the fourth quarter to make it a one-possession game, but the Cowboys' defense was unable to stop Houston from grinding out the rest of the clock.

Week 7 Grade: A

15. Austin Simmons, Missouri

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Week 7 Passing Stats: 25-of-44, 339 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT
Week 7 Rushing Stats: 3 carries, -8 yards
Week 7 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★★ (Ole Miss)
Week 7 Outcome: Loss (3-31)

A nonexistent Missouri running game (26 carries, 39 yards) put Saturday's offensive load squarely on Austin Simmons' shoulders. He attempted a career-high 44 passes and piled up 339 yards, but failed to find the end zone in a lopsided loss to Ole Miss.

With seven punts and two turnovers on downs, the Tigers couldn't find any offensive momentum. After tallying 13 touchdowns and zero interceptions in the first five games this season, he has one touchdown and two picks over the last two weeks.

Week 7 Grade: C

14. Lincoln Kienholz, Louisville

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Week 7 Passing Stats: 14-of-26, 310 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT
Week 7 Rushing Stats: 10 carries, 53 yards, 2 TD
Week 7 Quality of Opponent: ★★ (Syracuse)
Week 7 Outcome: Win (34-26)

With two more rushing scores against Syracuse, Lincoln Kienholz is now one of only three players in the country with 10 passing touchdowns and 10 rushing touchdowns, joining Ashton Daniels (Florida State) and Michael Hawkins Jr. (West Virginia).

Saturday was also his first game this season with multiple interceptions. He still did enough to lead Louisville to victory. The Cardinals have won two in a row since their second loss of the season. Kienholz remains one of 2026's biggest breakout quarterbacks.

Week 7 Grade: B

13. Marcus Stokes, Memphis

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Week 7 Passing Stats: 20-of-37, 306 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT
Week 7 Rushing Stats: 15 carries, 18 yards
Week 7 Quality of Opponent: ★★ (Tulane)
Week 7 Outcome: Loss (17-31)

Marcus Stokes threw three interceptions and lost two fumbles in a game where Memphis had six total turnovers. The Tigers' outlook in the Group of Six picture took a major blow with their second loss of the year.

The West Florida transfer still leads the AAC in passing touchdowns (18), yards per attempt (10.2) and passer rating (178.5), but he has hit a bump in the road in his breakthrough season.

Week 7 Grade: F

12. Gio Lopez, Wake Forest

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Week 7 Passing Stats: 16-of-23, 267 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT
Week 7 Rushing Stats: 8 carries, 51 yards
Week 7 Quality of Opponent: ★★★ (California)
Week 7 Outcome: Win (41-7)

Over the past three weeks against Stanford, NC State and Cal, Gio Lopez has completed 74.7 percent of his passes for 835 yards with nine touchdowns and zero interceptions. He also has 149 rushing yards and four more scores on the ground during that stretch.

Now the ACC leader in total yards (2,200) and total touchdowns (23), Lopez has Wake Forest up to No. 17 in the latest AP poll. The Nov. 14 matchup against SMU looms large as both one-loss ACC contenders look to secure their spot alongside Miami in the conference championship game.

Week 7 Grade: A

11. Devon Dampier, Utah

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Week 7 Passing Stats: 24-of-41, 278 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
Week 7 Rushing Stats: 8 carries, -8 yards
Week 7 Quality of Opponent: ★★ (Colorado)
Week 7 Outcome: Win (27-24)

For the first time since Sept. 20, 2025, against Texas Tech, Devon Dampier threw multiple interceptions. The Utes narrowly avoided disaster in a game where they were 15.5-point favorites.

Facing a 17-13 deficit late in the third quarter, Dampier led an eight-play, 75-yard drive that was capped off by a 16-yard touchdown strike to Braden Pegan to give Utah the lead. Another quick touchdown strike following an interception by the Utes defense made it a two-possession game late.

Week 7 Grade: C

10. Kevin Jennings, SMU

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Week 7 Passing Stats: 23-of-36, 246 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
Week 7 Rushing Stats: 4 carries, 26 yards
Week 7 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (Virginia)
Week 7 Outcome: Win (23-13)

Since SMU's Week 3 loss to Louisville, Kevin Jennings has completed 72.4 percent of his passes for 845 yards, seven touchdowns and one interception. He's doing a better job protecting the football while efficiently piloting the Mustangs' offense.

A 37-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Hale with 12:22 remaining in the fourth quarter gave SMU a two-possession lead, as the defense did the rest. The Mustangs are now 5-1 with a clear path to 8-1 ahead of their back-to-back games against Wake Forest (Nov. 14) and Notre Dame (Nov. 21).

Week 7 Grade: B

9. Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss

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Week 7 Passing Stats: 20-of-36, 241 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
Week 7 Rushing Stats: 4 carries, 14 yards, 1 TD
Week 7 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (Missouri)
Week 7 Outcome: Win (31-3)

After a Week 4 loss to Florida and a Week 5 bye, Ole Miss is rolling once again, outscoring Vanderbilt and Missouri by a combined 63 points the last two weeks.

Trinidad Chambliss has 454 passing yards and eight total touchdowns in those two victories, once again looking like one of the nation's elite quarterbacks. A high-profile showdown in Austin against Arch Manning and Texas awaits next weekend.

Week 7 Grade: A

8. Conner Weigman, Houston

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Week 7 Passing Stats: 24-of-33, 343 yards, 5 TD, 1 INT
Week 7 Rushing Stats: 11 carries, 52 yards
Week 7 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (Oklahoma State)
Week 7 Outcome: Win (35-32)

Conner Weigman threw five passing touchdowns for the second time in his career. It was the first time against a Power Conference opponent, outdueling Drew Mestemaker and Oklahoma State in a clash of Big 12 contenders.

The Big 12 leader in passing touchdowns (20), total touchdowns (26) and passer rating (174.1), Weigman has been steadily climbing these rankings into the upper echelon of quarterbacks. If he can lead Houston to a win over Utah next weekend, the Cougars will have a legitimate path to the College Football Playoff.

Week 7 Grade: A

7. CJ Carr, Notre Dame

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Week 7 Passing Stats: 27-of-49, 261 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT
Week 7 Rushing Stats: 6 carries, 13 yards
Week 7 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★★ (BYU)
Week 7 Outcome: Loss (24-28)

CJ Carr had a career-high 49 pass attempts on Saturday after not throwing more than 29 passes in any game so far this season. He averaged just 5.3 yards per attempt without throwing a touchdown pass.

Carr got the ball back with 1:47 remaining after BYU took a 28-24 lead and led a 15-play drive, but it ultimately stalled at the BYU eight-yard line as time expired. A one-loss Notre Dame team is still a virtual lock for the College Football Playoff, but they still have to navigate through Miami (Nov. 7) and SMU (Nov. 21).

Week 7 Grade: C

6. Braden Atkinson, Oregon State

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Week 7 Passing Stats: 23-of-38, 347 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
Week 7 Rushing Stats: 4 carries, 16 yards
Week 7 Quality of Opponent: ★ (Washington State)
Week 7 Outcome: Win (48-30)

Another week, another 300-yard passing performance for Braden Atkinson, who has now eclipsed that mark in all seven of Oregon State's games. He leads the nation in passing yards (2,604) and passing touchdowns (24). He leads the Pac-12 in completion percentage (69.2), even with his high volume.

After going 2-10 last year, the Beavers are 5-2 overall and 3-0 in conference play, with their only losses coming against Houston and Texas Tech to open the year. The Nov. 14 matchup with Boise State looms large in the revamped Pac-12 landscape.

Week 7 Grade: A

5. Keelon Russell, Alabama

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Week 7 Passing Stats: 19-of-29, 147 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT
Week 7 Rushing Stats: 11 carries, 6 yards, 1 TD
Week 7 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (Tennessee)
Week 7 Outcome: Loss (10-26)

On Alabama's first three drives of the game, Keelon Russell lost a fumble, the Crimson Tide went three-and-out while losing 13 yards and Russell threw an interception. Meanwhile, Tennessee built a 9-0 lead. The offense never found enough momentum to mount a comeback.

He did have a 19-yard rushing touchdown on the other side of an interception by the Alabama defense, but a middling 201 total yards from the Crimson Tide offense and three turnovers by Russell led to the upset loss.

Week 7 Grade: F

4. Josh Hoover, Indiana

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Week 7 Passing Stats: 20-of-40, 296 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
Week 7 Rushing Stats: 4 carries, 3 yards
Week 7 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★★ (Ohio State)
Week 7 Outcome: Loss (15-19)

In a showdown between legitimate national title contenders with elite defenses, Josh Hoover threw 20 incompletions and lost a fumble as Indiana came up on the wrong side of its high-profile showdown with Ohio State.

He led a seven-play, 75-yard touchdown drive capped off with a 19-yard scoring strike to Nick Marsh to make it a 19-15 game with 10:30 remaining in the fourth quarter. However, the Hoosiers managed only a three-and-out and a turnover on downs on their final two possessions.

Week 7 Grade: C

3. Gunner Stockton, Georgia

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Week 7 Passing Stats: 22-of-34, 272 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
Week 7 Rushing Stats: 9 carries, 26 yards
Week 7 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★ (Auburn)
Week 7 Outcome: Loss (24-27)

Gunner Stockton threw two interceptions for the first time in his career on Saturday, but his lost fumble with 58 seconds remaining was the real dagger, robbing the Bulldogs of a chance to drive for the potential game-tying field goal.

Despite his lackluster performance that directly contributed to Georgia's first loss of the season, Stockton still leads the SEC in completion percentage (74.1), yards per attempt (9.9) and passer rating (185.7).

Week 7 Grade: D

2. Julian Sayin, Ohio State

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Week 7 Passing Stats: 15-of-29, 235 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
Week 7 Rushing Stats: 5 carries, -26 yards
Week 7 Quality of Opponent: ★★★★★ (Indiana)
Week 7 Outcome: Win (19-15)

Despite a shaky overall performance that included a pair of interceptions, Julian Sayin did enough under center to lead Ohio State to a huge road victory over Indiana.

The play of the game came on fourth down from the Indiana 38-yard line early in the fourth quarter when he found Jeremiah Smith in the end zone for what ended up being the game-winning score. The Buckeyes managed just 20 total yards on their next two drives, forcing two punts. The defense held on for the win, vaulting Ohio State to No. 3 in the latest AP poll.

Week 7 Grade: C

1. Darian Mensah, Miami

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Week 7 Passing Stats: 23-of-34, 326 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
Week 7 Rushing Stats: 3 carries, 6 yards
Week 7 Quality of Opponent: ★★★ (Florida State)
Week 7 Outcome: Win (43-35, 2 OT)

Darian Mensah attempted 153 passes before throwing his first interception this season, as he was picked off in the third quarter of a back-and-forth battle with rival Florida State. He still leads the nation in completion percentage (80.8), yards per attempt (10.6) and passer rating (203.9).

The pick was a rare mistake, as the game was much closer than expected. In the end, Mensah was there to deliver the go-ahead touchdown pass to Malachi Toney in the second overtime before the Hurricanes' defense closed out the win.

Week 7 Grade: A

Updated Top 20 Quarterbacks List

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Sam Leavitt (LSU)

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 8 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 8 performance to grade, they are presented with "***" rather than a ranking number and will not appear in next week's article.

Week 8 CFB Quarterback Rankings

1. Darian Mensah, Miami
***Julian Sayin, Ohio State
***Braden Atkinson, Oregon State
2. Conner Weigman, Houston
***Gio Lopez, Wake Forest
3. Jayden Maiava, USC
4. Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss
***Gunner Stockton, Georgia
5. Josh Hoover, Indiana
6. Kevin Jennings, SMU
***CJ Carr, Notre Dame
7. Noah Fifita, Arizona
8. Keelon Russell, Alabama
9. Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State
10. Devon Dampier, Utah
11. Lincoln Kienholz, Louisville
12. Ethan Grunkemeyer, Virginia Tech
13. Bear Bachmeier, BYU
14. Sam Leavitt, LSU
15. Michael Hawkins Jr., West Virginia
***Austin Simmons, Missouri
16. Aidan Chiles, Northwestern
17. Kenny Minchey, Kentucky
18. Marcus Stokes, Memphis
19. JC French, Cincinnati
20. Tayven Jackson, North Texas

Note: With his status uncertain for Week 8, Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor has been excluded from the rankings. He would slot in between Michael Hawkins Jr. and Austin Simmons if healthy.