College Football QB Power Rankings: Michael Penix Jr. returns to No. 1, Carson Beck enters top five

Stellar QB play across the country has led to more shuffling in the weekly QB Power Rankings

By Tom Fornelli

Nov 8, 2023 at 11:14 am ET • 5 min read

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I was in my home office on Saturday with multiple games going on awash in excellence. On one screen, LSU's Jayden Daniels and Alabama's Jalen Milroe were trading blows. On another, Washington's Michael Penix Jr. and USC's Caleb Williams were doing the same. On the third screen, Michigan's J.J. McCarthy was tearing Purdue to shreds the same way he and the Wolverines had done to countless other teams before.

Every time I changed my focus to another screen, there was a great quarterback doing something worth watching. Whether it was launching a 45-yard laser while spinning out of a defensive lineman's grasp or sprinting through the secondary to pick up a huge gain with his legs, the best QBs in the country were balling out.

These performances have been one of the high points of the 2023 season. We've grown accustomed to the best teams in the nation being led by No. 1-pick type QBs in recent years. Whether it's been Deshaun Watson, Trevor Lawrence, Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, C.J. Stroud, Justin Fields and others, we've been lucky to have a run of No. 1 Pick Prototype QBs in the sport over the last decade.

We don't have that this season. Sure, teams are fawning over guys like Williams and Drake Maye, but for the most part, college football has great college football QBs this year. NFL evaluators might not be thrilled about it, but college football fans should be. It's a big reason why it feels as if several different teams are serious national title contenders this year and also why we have no idea who will win the Heisman Trophy.

It's also made these weekly QB Power Rankings a lot more fun. Every week it's somebody new stepping up to take control. Or, in this week's case, somebody returning to the top.

QB Power Rankings

1	Michael Penix Jr. Washington Huskies QB
We've gotten our Michael Penix Jr. back. Whatever it was that dogged him in the Arizona State game, he bounced back against Stanford by throwing for 369 yards and four touchdowns, even if it wasn't a perfect performance. His game against USC, however, was nearly perfect. Penix finished with only 256 yards passing but completed 73% of his passes and did what all intelligent QBs do when the run game is cooking: hand off and get the hell out the way. (Last Week: 4)
2	Bo Nix Oregon Ducks QB
Nix did something against Cal that he hadn't done in six weeks: threw an interception. The pick made it seem like the Ducks would be in hot water early, but those fears evaporated quickly. Nix finished with 389 total yards and six total touchdowns as Oregon trounced Cal 63-19. (1)
3	J.J. McCarthy Michigan Wolverines QB
McCarthy didn't throw or run for a touchdown in Michigan's 41-13 win over Purdue, but he didn't have to. He did still throw for 335 yards, though. While McCarthy hasn't had a chance to showcase his skills in a Big Game this season, he'll get his chance this weekend when Michigan travels to face Penn State. (3)
4	Carson Beck Georgia Bulldogs QB
Georgia had a chance to pick up its first Resume Win against Missouri, and while Beck wasn't brilliant, the Bulldogs still picked up a win behind his performance. Beck finished with 263 total yards and two touchdowns as Georgia is now one SEC win away from wrapping up the SEC East. (7)
5	Jalen Milroe Alabama Crimson Tide QB
I wrote about it in The Monday After, but the most impressive thing about Milroe's performance in Alabama's 42-28 win over LSU was how it happened. LSU game-planned to take away Milroe's greatest strength as a passer -- the deep ball -- and succeeded in doing so. Jalen beat them anyway. He didn't try to force anything. Instead, he assessed what the Tigers were doing and adapted accordingly, using his legs instead of his arm to win the game. He's a better player every week. (Not Ranked)
6	Noah Fifita Arizona Wildcats QB
If I were to come across Fifita in person, he'd probably need a security guard to drag me off him. I love everything about this kid. He's been incredible since taking over the starting role for the Wildcats and led the team to another upset over a ranked team Saturday night. This week, it was an outstanding UCLA defense against whom Fifita threw for 300 yards. He finished with three total touchdowns, and now it's the Wildcats who are ranked. (8)
7	Jaxson Dart Ole Miss Rebels QB
Ole Miss fans think I hate their team when, in reality, I think the Rebels are good. I just don't think they're quite as good as their record indicates. However, no matter what I think of the team or Rebels fans think of me, I'm very high on Dart. Both for his performance on the field (395 total yards, two touchdowns) and at the podium afterward. (NR)
8	Jordan Travis Florida State Seminoles QB
It probably isn't fair for Travis to drop three spots this week because Saturday may have been his most impressive performance of the season. The Seminoles were without star wide receivers Johnny Wilson and Keon Coleman against Pitt, yet Travis still threw for 360 yards and had two touchdowns. At the same time, the crazy fun stuff he did all last year is missing from his game. That's probably good for Florida State, but it sucks for the rest of us. (5)
9	Drake Maye North Carolina Tar Heels QB
Maye is finally out of detention following two straight losses, though as you can see by his placement, it's just barely. Maye played very well in North Carolina's win over Georgia Tech, but he has to shoulder a healthy portion of the blame for the loss to Virginia. But, hey, North Carolina beat Campbell, so everything is better now! Or, at a minimum, Maye has regained QB Power Rankings eligibility. (In Detention)
10	Jacob Zeno UAB Blazers QB
There's a good chance you didn't catch UAB's 45-42 win over Florida Atlantic. While that's understandable, you missed a helluva performance from the Blazers QB. Zeno threw for 484 yards and five touchdowns, and his team needed every single dang one of 'em. It was his best game of the season, by far, and while one game won't be enough to keep him here every week, it's good enough to grab the No. 10 spot this week. (NR)