The most prolific quarterback in college football is a former zero-star prospect who spent 2025 playing at the FCS level for Mercer. Braden Atkinson has never been ranked high in any high school or transfer rankings, but he may finally top the CBS Sports Quarterback Power Rankings.
At that pace, everything is on the table for Atkinson, who leads the nation in passing yards and 21 passing yards per game with an average of 373.7. The last quarterback to average more receiving yards over a full season was 2023 Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels.
And Atkinson did it against quality opposition. Oregon State opened against Big 12 contender Houston and Texas Tech, with Atkinson passing for nearly 800 yards in those two competitive losses. Since then, he’s gotten even better, leading Oregon State to four straight wins.
In the past two weeks alone, Atkinson has thrown for 836 yards with 10 touchdowns and no touchdowns over San Diego State and Colorado State to help the Beavers establish themselves as a contender in the revamped Pac-12.
Atkinson’s rise in this week’s QBPR contrasts with Arch Manning’s fall. The Texas quarterback is a former five-star prospect known by most college football fans by his first name. But after a pair of interceptions in the fourth quarter of the Longhorns’ loss to Oklahoma, Manning falls at QBPR.
1. Darian Mensah, Miami
Mensah leads the nation in EPA in transfer efficiency, completion rate (84.2%) and returns. He is one of only four Power Four players to attempt at least 100 passes without an interception. The Duke transfer also set new ACC records for consecutive completions earlier this season. He’s almost perfect for the Hurricanes at No. 3. Last week: 1
2. Braden Atkinson, Oregon State
Atkinson was named the Pac-12’s Offensive Player of the Week for the third time after becoming the fourth FBS quarterback in the 21st century with 400 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions in consecutive weeks. His top target, Jesse Legree, leads the nation with 12 touchdowns, one more than Ohio State star Jeremiah Smith. Legree also leads Smith in receiving yards with 932 compared to Smith’s 916. The man who delivers the football has a lot to do with it. Last week: 12
3. Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss
Chambliss had a light day in Week 6 as Ole Miss came back from a bye and beat Vanderbilt 52-17. He scored just four touchdowns, bringing his total to 16 through five games. He ranks 8th nationally and 2nd in the SEC in total yards at 309.6. This week brings a meeting with Missouri and Quarterback Austin Simmons, whom Chambliss unseated at Ole Miss last year. Last week: 3
4. CJ Carr, Notre Dame
It’s tempting to discount Carr just efficient and reliable, it is. But Carr is also explosive, ranking fourth nationally in completions of 25+ yards with 19. That means 18.2% of his completions go for 25+ yards. Carr will have one of his best chances to make a statement in the Heisman Trophy race when Notre Dame travels to BYU this week for a top-10 contest. Last week: 4
5. Gunner Stockton, Georgia
Thankfully for Stockton, the potentially disastrous interception was overturned late in the third quarter, tying the game in Georgia’s 20-17 Alabama victory. With that blunder out of the way, Stockton passed another big test. He ranks 3rd nationally in passing efficiency and is tied for second in the SEC with 14 passing touchdowns. He’s also a threat to run, as he showed on his 14-yard run against Alabama. Last week: 5
6. Josh Hoover, Indiana
Hoover threw a pair of touchdown passes in the fourth quarter as Indiana trailed Nebraska 17-6. Now comes another big test for the TCU transfer as Ohio State comes to town. Through six games, he has handled the unenviable task of replacing Fernando Mendoza with impressive efficiency. Of the seven FBS quarterbacks with at least 100 attempts and no interceptions, none threw more touchdowns than Hoover with 17. Last week: 8
7. Keelon Russell, Alabama
In Alabama’s 20-17 loss to Georgia in Week 7, Russell had an impressive touchdown drive in the final two minutes of the first half. Georgia’s fumble on Russell on the first possession of the game loomed large in the end, but the sophomore otherwise focused on the ball and didn’t give it the greatest attention. Last week: 2
8. Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State
Mestemaker is third in passing yards per game at 315 after turning in his fourth straight 300+ yard performance in Oklahoma State’s 42-28 win over UCF. The North Texas transfer dropped to +4000 (DraftKings) to win the Heisman after coming in at +4500 last week. There’s still some value there as Mestemaker is quarterbacking a top-20 program with Big 12 title aspirations. Last week: 7
9. Julian Sayin, Ohio State
11 of Sayi’s 17 touchdown passes went to Jeremiah Smith. It would be interesting to take Smith away from Ohio State’s offense and see how good Sayi – or any other player – would look. After Smith’s 916 receiving yards, the next most prolific receiver for the Buckeyes is Devin McCuin with 245 yards. The second-year starter ranks 4th in passing efficiency and is third in passing touchdowns. Last week: 6
10. Devon Dampier, Utah
Dampier accounted for four touchdowns and more than 300 combined yards as a runner and passer in Utah’s 41-24 win over Kansas in Week 6. Now in his second season with the Utes, Dampier has really improved during the coaching transition from Kyle Whittingham to Morgan Scully. New offensive coordinator Kevin McGiven is implementing a creative system and Dampier is thriving. Last week: 13
11. Gio Lopez, Wake Forest
Lopez passed for 300 yards for the third time this season as Wake Forest pulled away from NC State with a 38-14 win. The North Carolina transfer had four touchdowns in the win — three passing and one rushing. His 1,680 passing yards are second in the ACC and he ranks 15th nationally in EPA. Last week: 16
12. Jayden Maiava, USC
Maiava completed 21 of 33 passes for 301 yards and three touchdowns in USC’s win at Penn State. He ranks 10th nationally in EPA as the Trojans enter their bye week. With Ohio State, Indiana and UCLA top-15 foes still ahead of USC’s schedule, Maiava will have an opportunity to make a Heisman push with some strong performances against quality opposition. Last week: 15
13. Austin Simmons, Missouri
Simmons returns to Ole Miss to play against Trinidad Chambliss, who usurped him on the Rebels’ depth chart last season. Although the Ole Miss head coach and offensive coordinator jobs have changed hands since last season, this is still Simmons’ chance to make a statement. Simmons is less mobile than Chambliss, but is ahead of him in pass efficiency and TD/INT ratio. Last week: 9
14. Kamario Taylor, Mississippi State
Taylor’s status for this week’s game at LSU is uncertain due to the injury he suffered in Week 5 against Alabama. Even after a shaky showing against the Crimson Tide, the talented sophomore ranks 8th nationally in passing yards per game (290) and 5th in total offense (321.8). He has the ball, is a great runner and plays in a system that maximizes his potential. Last week: 10
15. Anthony Colandrea, Nebraska
When Colandrea tore through Indiana for a 39-yard touchdown run to give Nebraska a 17-6 lead early in the fourth quarter, he seemed on the precipice of superstardom. Then Indiana made a comeback that took the wind out of its sails. But his mobility and playmaking have certainly improved Nebraska’s offense. Last week: 14
16. Conner Weigman, Houston
One way or another, Weigman will get the job done. In Week 5, he ran for three touchdowns in a win over UCF. Then, in a Week 6 win at Kansas State, he threw four. With 15 touchdowns and just one interception on the season, the former Texas A&M transfer is playing the best football of his career as the No. 20 Cougars head into key two-week matchups against Oklahoma State and Utah. Last week: 17
17. Aidan Chiles, Northwestern
Chili ranks No. 7 nationally in passing efficiency and yards per attempt (10.5) after throwing for 272 yards and three touchdowns in Northwestern’s easy win over Ball State. Joining forces with first-year Wildcats offensive coordinator Chip Kelly is doing wonders to revive the former four-star prospect’s career. He faces his former team this week when Northwestern travels to Michigan State. Last week: 18
18. Noah Fifita, Arizona
Fifita threw for a season-high 341 yards on a season-low 16 completions in Arizona’s 52-31 Week 6 win at West Virginia. Fifita averaged 14.8 yards per attempt while throwing three touchdowns. He now leads the Big 12 in passer rating, touchdowns (16) and passing yards (1,756). Last week: 20
19. Bear Bachmeier, BYU
Bachmeyer threw for 329 yards on the season and rushed for a career-high 109 yards in BYU’s 24-10 win over Iowa State in Week 6. This made him the first BYU player since Taysom Hill to score 300/100 points in a game. Top 10 with Notre Dame. Last week: 21
20. Kevin Jennings, SMU
Jennings ranks No. 2 nationally in passing yards at 317.6 per game as he continues to dominate the SMU record books. As the Mustangs quietly sneak into the ACC title race, the fifth-year star has some legacy-defining moments ahead of him. Productivity has never been an issue for Jennings, but protecting the football has always been. Last week: 19
21. Kenny Minchey, Kentucky
Last week: 24
22. Lincoln Kienholz, Louisville
Last week: 22
23. Maddux Madsen, Boise State
Last week: 42
24. Marcus Stokes, Memphis
Last week: 28
25. Jeremy Heklinski, Iowa
Last week: unranked
26. Ethan Grunkemeyer, Virginia Tech
Last week: 23
27. Ryan Browne, Purdue
Last week: 43
28. Tyven Jackson, North Texas
Last week: 34
29. Michael Hawkins Jr., West Virginia
Last week: 26
30. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
Last week: unranked
31. Katin Houser, Illinois
Last week: 27
32. Arch Manning, Texas
Last week: 11
33. Aaron Philo, Florida
Last week: 25
34. Avery Johnson, Kansas State
Last week: 29
35. Sam Leavitt, LSU
Last week: 30
36. Caden Creel, Jacksonville State
Last week: 38
37. William “Pop” Watson, UMass
Last week: 31
38. Camden Coleman, James Madison
Last week: 32
39. John Alan Richter, Toledo
Last week: 35
40. Beau Pribula, Virginia
Last week: 40
41. Cameran Brown, Georgia State
Last week: 41
42. Kalieb Osborne, UConn
Last week: unranked
43. JC French IV, Cincinnati
Last week: 44
44. Brad Jackson, Texas State
Last week: 45
45. Caden Veltkamp, FAU
Last week: 46
46. Ashton Daniels, Florida State
Last week: 47
47. Lunch in Winfield, Louisiana
Last week: 48
48. CJ Bailey, NC State
Last week: 49
49. Colton Joseph, Wisconsin
Last week: 50
50. DeShawn Purdie, Liberty
Last week: unranked