Just like in the NFL, the quarterback position is also the most important in the college ranks. It can be the difference between landing a spot in the top 25 or being a conference bottom-feeder. So, who are the best of the best as we head into Saturday's matchups? We aim to answer that for you with our latest top 20 college football QB rankings heading into Week 11 of the 2025 season.
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Hawaii Freshman Micah Alejado has been impressive during his first season for the Rainbow Warriors. Since a pair of rough days against Arizona and Fresno State, he has thrown for over 300 yards in four straight games, including a pair of 400-plus yard days. While there are parts of his game that need work, the teenager has shown he is a player to watch the rest of 2025 and beyond.
Micah Alejado stats: 7 games, 2,124 passing yards, 16 total TDs, 78 rushing yards, 137.4 rating
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Former Minnesota recruit Athan Kaliakmanis is having a career year in his second season at Rutgers. The senior is top 10 in the nation for throwing yards and is, arguably, the lone bright spot for a 4-5 Scarlet Knights team this season.
While the team has struggled against a higher level of competition, the senior has played well in most of those games, including a 386-yard showing against Washington.
Athan Kaliakmanis stats:9 games, 2, 476 passing yards, 16 total TDs, -14 rushing yards, 140.8 rating
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While this has not been the season that Illinois expected, senior Luke Altmyer has remained a rock-solid anchor of their offense all year. After notable growth in 2024, he has been better this year and is on pace for career highs across the board. Heading into Week 11, he has the 15th most passing yards in the country and is ranked in the top 10 for passer rating.
Luke Altmyer stats:9 games, 2,255 passing yards, 22 total TDs, 108 rushing yards, 165.0 rating
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Vanderbilt senior Diego Pavia has taken a big step forward in his second season leading the Commodores' offense. He is set to have career highs across the board in 2025 and has helped get his team to a 7-2 record and a top 20 ranking heading into Week 11. While he could not lead his team to a Week 10 win against Texas, it was not from a lack of trying. He was fantastic in defeat as he tossed for 365 yards and 3 TDs while completing 71.1 percent of his passes.
Diego Pavia stats:9 games, 2,063 passing yards, 18 total TDs, 501 rushing yards, 162.0 rating
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To replace first-round pick Jaxson Dart , Ole Miss brought in Ferris State transfer Trinidad Chambliss. Under the guidance of head coach Lane Kiffin, Chambliss has helped maintain the standard set last season and pushed them even further. The Rebels are 8-1 and are ranked in the top-10 heading into Week 11 because of how well Chambliss has played in some big games, including a pair of 300-plus yard throwing days against LSU and Oklahoma.
Trinidad Chambliss stats: 9 games, 2,023 passing yards, 16 total TDs, 435 rushing yards, 146.7 rating
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SMU has developed junior Kevin Jennings over the last four years, and he has turned into a pretty darn good QB for the Mustangs. After a breakout season in 2024, Jennings is playing well again in 2025, with 2,484 passing yards and 20 total touchdowns after nine games. He hit a career peak in Week 10 when he threw for 365 yards in a huge overtime win over No. 10 Miami.
Kevin Jennings stats: 9 games, 2,484 passing yards, 20 total TDs, 54 rushing yards, 145.8 rating
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Baylor's Sawyer Robertson showed a lot of potential in his first season as a starter in 2024, and he has grown even more in 2025. The senior is No. 1 in the nation in both passing yards and touchdowns heading into Week 11. He is the main reason the Bears have one of the best passing attacks in the country. The Texas native has done a very good job of putting his name on the radar of NFL draft evaluators.
Sawyer Robertson stats:9 games, 2,780 passing yards, 28 total TDs, 39 rushing yards, 146.3 rating
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Oregon has national title hopes this year, partially due to the strong play of QB Dante Moore. He has been a machine running their offense; however, recent bumps in the road — including throwing for just 86 yards against Wisconsin is why he has slipped in our latest college football QB rankings. Nevertheless, his team heads into Week 11 ranked in the top 10 in the nation.
Dante Moore stats:8 games, 1,772 passing yards, 19 total TDs, 131 rushing yards, 171.7 rating
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Duke will always be known for its basketball team, but sophomore Darian Mensah is making the football program worth watching each week. While they've lost three games this season, it isn't the fault of the player rising on many draft boards around the NFL. Heading into Week 11, the California native is fifth in the nation in passing yards and TDs, with just two INTs after eight games. While his team fell to Georgia Tech in Week 8, the star QB threw for 373 and a pair of TDs in the loss.
Darian Mensah stats:8 games, 2,572 passing yards, 21 total TDs, -67 rushing yards, 166.7 rating
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After losing two of their first three, Connecticut got on a roll and won four straight because of some very strong play from senior QB Joe Fagnano. The Maine Black Bears transfer is having a career year in his third season with the Huskies, as he sits sixth in the nation for passing yards, is fourth in TDs, and still has no INTs after nine games. UConn is a team to watch in the final weeks of the season because of the Pennsylvania native.
Joe Fagnano stats:9 games, 2,529 passing yards, 24 total TDs, 91 rushing yards, 162.5 rating
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Texas A&M would not be ranked third in the nation if not for the strong play of sophomore Marcel Reed. He has been steady all season and avoided mistakes that could cost his team wins. In Week 3, he had his best showing of the season when he dropped 360 passing yards and 2 TDs against No. 8 Notre Dame. Although he struggled at times versus No. 20 LSU in Week 10, he still posted 310 total yards and 4 total TDs in their eighth straight win.
Marcel Reed stats:8 games, 1,972 passing yards, 23 total TDs, 349 rushing yards, 155.5 rating
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North Texas Freshman Drew Mestemaker has quietly had a fantastic season for the Green Mean. The team heads into Week 11 with an 8-1 record, and the Austin, TX native is a huge reason why. He is third in the nation in passing yards and fifth in TDs. In Week 9, he had a performance that won't be topped by anyone this year when he threw for 608 yards against Charlotte.
Drew Mestemaker stats:9 games, 2,702 passing yards, 25 total TDs, 51 rushing yards, 162.0 rating
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TCU heads into Week 11 with a 6-2 record because of the strong play of Josh Hoover. The senior sits third in TDs and passing yards in the country. The four-year veteran is on pace to have his best year yet and is getting the attention of NFL scouts this fall.
Josh Hoover stats:8 games, 2,371 passing yards, 24 total TDs, 4 rushing yards, 156.1 rating
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Arkansas QB Taylen Green is one of the very best dual-threat signal callers in the league. After nine games, he has an impressive 649 yards on the ground. It's a big part of what makes him a serious problem for opposing defenses each week. While the Razorbacks have lost seven straight — four to ranked teams — Green has done the best he can to keep his team competitive against elite competition throughout the season.
Taylen Green stats:9 games, 2,372 passing yards, 25 total TDs, 649 rushing yards, 152.2 rating
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Although Tennessee came up short against Georgia, Alabama, and Oklahoma this season, Joey Aguilar and the Volunteers' offense have been outstanding for the majority of 2025. They have scored over 40 in six of their eight games (72 in Week 2 and 56 in Weeks 4 and 9), and the starting QB is a huge part of why. The senior is having his best campaign yet and is second in the nation for passing yards and top 10 in TDs heading into Week 11.
Joey Aguilar stats:9 games, 2,737 passing yards, 23 total TDs, 85 rushing yards, 161.0 rating
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Washington 's Demond Williams is having a breakout season in year two with the Huskies. He is top three in the nation for completion percentage, top 15 for yards, and has also racked up 429 yards on the ground. The Arizona native is a major reason why Washington is 6-2 heading into Week 11 and has a chance to make the playoffs if it can get some big wins later in the season.
Demond Williams stats:8 games, 2,117 passing yards, 18 total TDs, 429 rushing yards, 170.0 passer rating
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Ohio State 's Julian Sayin has the unenviable task of being a first-time starter for a defending champion. Yet, despite the immense pressure, he has been amazing in the Buckeyes' first eight games. He is No.1 in the nation in both passer rating and completion percentage heading into Week 11 for the No. 1 team in the country. "Super Saiyan" is becoming a very real Heisman contender.
Julian Sayin stats:8 games, 2,188 passing yards, 23 total TDs, 30 rushing yards, 197.1 rating
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There was a ton of pressure on Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer heading into the season, and things got worse after their Week 1 loss to FSU. However, quarterback Ty Simpson has alleviated all of it with some outstanding play this year because he and the offense have caught fire since that setback, and they've been a key part of big victories over four ranked teams this season. After 10 weeks, he has 22 total TDs and has helped his team land a top-five spot in the rankings .
Ty Simposn stats:8 games, 2,184 passing yards, 22 total TDs, 79 rushing yards, 162.6 rating
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One-time UNLV talent Jayden Maiava has been outstanding for USC all season long. The Trojans are in the top 20 due to the exploits of the junior and big-time performances in games against ranked teams, Illinois, and Michigan. While he was unable to lead them to a pivotal Week 8 win against Notre Dame, USC has had a far more competitive year because of how good the junior has played.
Jayden Maiava stats:8 games, 2,315 passing yards, 20 total TDs, 103 rushing yards, 164.4 rating
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Cal transfer Fernando Mendoza has been the biggest breakout star in college football this season. Indiana isn't close to being No. 1 in the nation or in the discussion as a serious National Championship contender without the junior. He is second in the nation for touchdowns and third in passer rating. Mendoza has been fantastic over the first 10 weeks of the season and has played very well in huge matchups against Illinois and Oregon.
Fernando Mendoza stats:9 games, 2,124 passing yards, 29 total TDs, 220 rushing yards, 185.2 passer rating
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