College Football Power Rankings: Top 10 QBs Heading into Week 2

Heading into the 2011 college football season, we had a good idea of which quarterbacks would rise to the top, but you don't truly know until you see them play the game.

Most of the quarterbacks on this list were legitimate top-10 quarterbacks coming into Week 1, but one quarterback in particular has risen and could continue to rise as the season goes on.

In all, there were some great performances from an exciting quarterback class this season, and although it's going to be difficult to steal the Heisman away from a certain quarterback in California, some players could certainly make it interesting in 2011.

Here are the top 10 quarterbacks heading into Week 2.

10. Denard Robinson, Michigan

Denard Robinson exploded onto the scene as a sophomore last season, passing for over 2,500 yards and 18 touchdowns and rushing for over 1,700 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Robinson will assuredly be in the Heisman discussion this season, there's no doubt about it. However, his passing ability bothers me at times, and his performance against Western Michigan in Week 1 (98 passing yards, 46 rushing yards) wasn't that spectacular, so I have him at No. 10 for now.

9. Russell Wilson, Wisconsin

Russell Wilson showed why he's a top-10 quarterback this season against UNLV, going 10-for-13 for 255 yards and two touchdowns in the Badgers' 51-17 blowout win.

Wilson, who passed for over 3,500 yards and 28 touchdowns last season with NC State, is better in the pocket than Robinson. He also is a dual-threat, rushing for 435 yards and nine touchdowns last season (he rushed two times for 62 yards and a touchdown against UNLV).

Wilson has definitely gotten off to a hot start in 2011.

8. Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State

Oklahoma State's Brandon Weeden dropped a bit in my rankings after his game against Louisiana-Lafayette in Week 1.

Sure he passed for 388 yards and three touchdowns, but he also tossed three interceptions including one for a pick-six. So, that has to be concerning after he threw only 13 interceptions last season next to 34 touchdowns.

He will also get his numbers given the amount he throws the ball. He does have star wideout Justin Blackmon, who caught eight balls for 144 yards in Week 1, but his decision-making has already looked a bit off.

7. Robert Griffin III, Baylor

Wow, what more can you say about Robert Griffin III that hasn't already been said?

Griffin was the main reason the Baylor Bears upset No. 14 TCU in Week 1, leading them to a 50-48 shocker.

He looked marvelous in the pocket, going 21-for-27 for 359 yards and a whopping five touchdowns, and confirmed why many were projecting him to be in the Heisman race coming into the season.

Ironically, Griffin's passing ability in Week 1 overshadowed that he's also a tremendous athlete and can make plenty of plays with his legs.

Baylor is in position to start the season 5-0 before the Bears face off with Texas A&M. Who knows, the way Griffin is playing, they could defeat the Aggies.

6. Darron Thomas, Oregon

While LaMichael James received the most buzz in the Ducks' run to the BCS Championship Game last season, you can't deny the strides quarterback Darron Thomas made.

As a sophomore, Thomas passed for nearly 2,900 yards and 30 touchdowns with just nine interceptions, proving to be a dangerous dual-threat as well.

However, although he was facing a formidable defense in LSU in Week 1, he didn't rise to the occasion like he had so many times last season. Given I expected him to even be more effective this season, it was a bit of a disappointment when he threw for a ho-hum 240 yards, one touchdown and one interception. On top of this, he only ran twice for 12 yards.

I expect him to have a bounceback game against Nevada in Week 2, however.

5. Case Keenum, Houston

Didn't Case Keenum miss last year with a torn ACL?

The way he played in Week 1 against UCLA, you would have never known.

Keenum, who passed for 44 touchdowns in both his 2008 and 2009 campaigns, showed why he's a top-five quarterback in college football this season with his performance against the Bruins, simply dissecting the defense.

Keenum went 30-for-40, completing 75 percent of his passes for 310 yards and two touchdowns in Houston's 38-34 victory. He also scrambled out of trouble twice, rushing for 30 yards on the day. Did I mention he's on pace to break the NCAA all-time record in passing yards?

Keenum's a special player in college football.

4. Kellen Moore, Boise State

What does Kellen Moore have to do get respect around here?

He's been the leader of a team that has lost twice in the last three years, not to mention directing the Broncos to wins against seven of their eight non-conference ranked opponents.

Moore passed for 261 yards, three touchdowns and an interception against No. 19 Georgia in Week 1, effectively putting an end to the hype that followed the Bulldogs coming into the regular season. The fact that Moore threw an interception is becoming a surprise these days. Beyond the INT, he was simply dominant, completing 28 of his 34 throws and proving to be remarkably accurate.

You know that talk about the Broncos possibly slipping after the losses of receivers Austin Pettis and Titus Young? No need to worry, Boise State still has Moore on its side.

3. Landry Jones, Oklahoma

There are four premier quarterbacks in college football right now, and then there's everybody else.

It's going to be interesting if Landry Jones can prove to be the No. 2 quarterback in college football this season, as one quarterback from a glorified team in California is currently challenging him for that position.

Against Tulsa in Week 1, Jones predictably lived up to his billing, going 35-for-47 for 375 yards and a touchdown in the Sooners' 47-14 victory.

Jones, who passed for over 4,700 yards and 38 touchdowns last season, is one of the main reasons why the Sooners are the favorite in college football this season.

2. Matt Barkley, USC

The main reason why the USC Trojans are in the top 25 of the AP poll this season is because of junior quarterback Matt Barkley, who had a breakout campaign in 2010.

Against Minnesota in Week 1, Barkley went 34-for-45 for 304 yards and three touchdowns, surviving a scare from the Golden Gophers with a 19-17 win. The offense did slump a bit in the second half, but Barkley also didn't get much help from his running game. Lead back and freshman D.J. Morgan rushed for just 70 yards on 18 carries, averaging 3.9 yards per carry.

The race for the No. 2 spot is close between Jones and Barkley, but for now I'm still labeling Barkley the better quarterback.

1. Andrew Luck, Stanford

C'mon, you could see this one coming, couldn't you?

The one thing you need to know about Andrew Luck is he's being compared to a young Peyton Manning. That right there is enough, but then you see him play and he actually looks better than his stellar numbers would suggest (FYI: Luck threw 38 touchdowns to eight interceptions last season).

Against San Jose State in Week 1, Luck didn't have to do a whole lot in the Cardinal's 57-3 blowout victory, but he smoothly led them down the field when he needed to, going 17-for-26 for 171 yards and two touchdowns. He also showed his deceptive ability to run when he needs to, rushing twice for nine yards and a score.

Barring a major change, you're looking at the No. 1 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, folks.