Mission accomplished!
In last week's QB Power Rankings, I put Arch Manning at No. 1 as a replacement for Quinn Ewers to mimic real life. I did this for a couple of reasons. The first was that Arch played well, and the entire college football universe was constantly talking about him. The other was that we like to have fun around here, and I figured the responses I saw on social media to the rankings from people who hadn't read this story and had no context of what was happening would be entertaining.
And were they ever!
Unfortunately, Arch Manning did not put together the kind of performance against ULM that warrants keeping him on the list this week. So we have a new No. 1 in the rankings. Who is it? We'll get to that in a moment, but first, a reminder of what we're doing here.
This is not a draft board ranking, nor is it based on any kind of statistical formula. Your numbers matter, sure, but overall, I'm ranking quarterbacks based on the "juice" they have at the current moment in time. It's a combination of how well you're playing, what you have accomplished and what you might accomplish in the near future. If you believe a QB I haven't listed should be listed, I only kept them off the list because I don't like you. Or, perhaps it's this second part.
I don't rank any QB the week after a loss. You could be the greatest QB of all time, but if you lose on Saturday, you won't be here. I don't care if you think your offensive line stinks, OK? That's the burden the QB must carry. If you win, it's because your teammates did their jobs. If you lose, it's on you. Embrace it.
And now, the new No. 1 quarterback in all the land is...
| 1 | 
Cam Ward
Miami (FL) Hurricanes QB
|
| Cam Ward deserves to be No. 1 this week because he's played well every week, but it's also due to players ahead of him getting hurt, having bad games or a bye week. Still, Ward has yet to throw for fewer than 300 yards or 3 touchdowns in a game this season. He tore South Florida apart for 404 last week. He'll also get a chance to shine for a larger audience this week as the Canes host Virginia Tech on Friday night. (Last Week: 3) | |
| 2 | 
Jalen Milroe
Alabama Crimson Tide QB
|
| Jalen Milroe and the Crimson Tide had last week off, which is why he remains at No. 2. It's not a written rule, but barring crazy circumstances, you're not inheriting the top spot from your couch. Now, if Milroe goes out and plays a great game against Georgia to lead Alabama to a win, there's a pretty good chance he'll take it next week! (2) | |
| 3 | 
Jaxson Dart
Ole Miss Rebels QB
|
| Ole Miss hasn't played a credible threat yet this season, which has worked against Dart in the rankings. But, man, he has been killing it all season long. He's thrown for at least 377 yards in every game and had 418 total yards and 4 touchdowns in a win over Georgia Southern. It's the kind of performance that usually draws more Heisman hype, but we may have to wait until early November before Ole Miss plays a notable game. (5) | |
| 4 | 
Eli Holstein
Pittsburgh Panthers QB
|
| Holstein had another strong performance, throwing for 349 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 73-17 win over Youngstown State. However, his climb is due to Arch Manning and Nico Iamaleava dropping more than anything. Don't get me wrong, he's playing very well, but Youngstown State is Youngstown State. (6) | |
| 5 | 
Shedeur Sanders
Colorado Buffaloes QB
|
| Welcome back, Mr. Sanders! He fell out of our rankings following a loss to Nebraska, but he's followed it up with 651 yards passing and 6 touchdowns in the last two games. Not to mention, he threw a sick Hail Mary to force overtime against Baylor Saturday night. Around here, sick throws are often worth more than consistently solid throws. (Not Ranked) | |
| 6 | 
Nico Iamaleava
Tennessee Volunteers QB
|
| It wasn't surprising to see Nico have an average night on the road against Oklahoma. That's a very good defense he was facing, and in a tough place to play. He finished with only 209 total yards and 1 touchdown, but he did fire some absolute lasers out there. Tennessee is in an enviable spot of not needing their young QB to be incredible but knowing he has incredible in the bag when needed. (4) | |
| 7 | 
Drew Allar
Penn State Nittany Lions QB
|
| Efficient and explosive. Those are the two words that describe the work Drew Allar's done so far this season, and I'm happy to see it. However, he's had difficulty cracking these rankings because of who Penn State has played. The Nittany Lions beat the brakes off Kent State last week, but everybody is doing that these days. It's the hottest new trend on TikTok! How many points could you score against the Golden Flashes!? Allar will have a more difficult test this weekend against Illinois, and speaking of the Illini... (NR) | |
| 8 | 
Luke Altmyer
Illinois Fighting Illini QB
|
| Luke Altmyer is showing the country the value of landing a talented transfer QB with multiple years of eligibility remaining. After an up-and-down season that saw Altmyer lose his starting gig following an injury, he's taken a tremendous leap forward in 2024. He threw for 236 yards and 4 touchdowns to lead the Illini to an upset win on the road against Nebraska, and he's currently the only QB in the country to throw for at least 10 touchdowns without an interception. If he goes on the road and beats another ranked team this week, he'll be ranked much higher next Wednesday. (NR) | |
| 9 | 
Tyler Shough
Louisville Cardinals QB
|
| Louisville fans have been on me for weeks for repeatedly putting Shough in the Honorable Mentions, but it wasn't my fault you started the season with Austin Peay and Jacksonville State, alright!? After averaging a ridiculous 14.2 yards per attempt with 2 touchdowns in a win over Georgia Tech, it's out of the Honorable Mentions and into the top 10. A tougher test awaits this week with a road trip to South Bend to face Notre Dame. (NR) | |
| 10 | 
Alonza Barnett III
James Madison Dukes QB
|
| Last week, North Carolina QB Jacolby Criswell threw for 475 yards and 3 touchdowns, as his team scored 50 points, but he wasn't the best QB on the field. Nope, that was Alonza Barnett, who threw for 388, rushed for 99, and had 7 (seven) total touchdowns as James Madison put up 70 on the Heels! It was a beating so bad Mack Brown asked his team if they wanted him to retire afterward! If you beat a team so bad the opposing coach starts wondering what they're doing with their life, you're going to end up in these rankings. (NR) | |
Honorable Mention: Carson Beck, Georgia; Dillon Gabriel, Oregon; Blake Horvath, Navy; John Mateer, Washington State; Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
