Week 3 of the 2024 college football season saw several quarterbacks deliver in high-profile matchups. With Quinn Ewers sidelined due to injury, Arch Manning accounted for 276 total yards and five overall touchdowns in Texas' blowout victory against UTSA. Oklahoma State's Alan Bowman led all signal-callers with 396 passing yards in Week 3, while LSU's Garrett Nussmeier tossed 285 yards and two scores in a road win at South Carolina.
Each week, Athlon Sports will rank the top 25 quarterbacks in college football. And after Week 3, there are several changes to the top 25 signal-callers. Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart takes over the No. 1 spot, while last week's top-ranked quarterback Carson Beck slips to No. 5.
Our rankings take into account preseason projection and results through the first three weeks of the season. The quality or difficulty of the competition (or standout defenses) is also accounted for in this ranking. Consider this a season-long power poll that is adjusted every week with more data and performances to evaluate. A strong one-week performance will help a quarterback move up this list, but it's also not the only metric used.
College Football's Top 25 Quarterbacks After Week 3
1. Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss
Last Week: 3
Dart continued his hot start to the 2024 season with another big-time performance in a 40-6 win by Ole Miss at Wake Forest. The senior completed 26 of 34 throws for 377 yards and two scores and added another touchdown on the ground. Dart is tied for first nationally in connections of 60-plus yards (three) and is second in completion rate (83 percent).
2. Cam Ward, Miami
Last Week: 4
A struggling Ball State team and a rebuilt defense were no match for Ward in Week 3. The senior was once again on point with his accuracy (67.9 percent on 28 attempts) and threw for 346 yards and five scores. Through three games, Ward has passed for 1,035 yards and 11 scores to just one pick. With 11 touchdown passes in three games, Ward has tossed nearly half of the team's total (23) from the entire '23 campaign.
3. Dillon Gabriel, Oregon
Last Week: 5
Oregon's offensive line played its best game of the '24 season in Saturday's win over Oregon State, and coach Dan Lanning's group seems to be rounding into form as Big Ten play opens on Sept. 28 at UCLA. In the win over the rival Beavers, Gabriel completed 20 of 24 throws for 291 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 64 yards and a score. The senior leads the nation in completion rate (84 percent) through three games.
4. Jalen Milroe, Alabama
Last Week: 6
A tough road environment in Madison against Wisconsin did little to slow Milroe's strong start under new coach Kalen DeBoer. The Texas native was efficient (12 of 17 for 196 yards and three touchdowns) and added 75 yards and two scores on the ground. Milroe already looks comfortable in DeBoer's offense, with his completion rate, yards per attempt, and quarterback rating all on pace to exceed his '23 totals.
5. Carson Beck, Georgia
Last Week: 1
Kentucky's defense gave Beck and Georgia all it could handle on Saturday night. Beck's numbers weren't overwhelming (15 of 24 for 160 yards), and the offense never seemed to find its rhythm against the Wildcats' active front. With a bye week for coordinator Mike Bobo to work out some of the bugs in this group, Beck's play should rebound against Alabama in Week 5.
6. Quinn Ewers, Texas
Last Week: 2
Ewers jumped to the top of the Heisman watchlist after a standout performance in Texas' Week 2 road win at Michigan. However, after a solid start against UTSA (14 of 16 for 185 yards and two touchdowns), Ewers suffered an abdominal and oblique injury and did not return to action. A return to play this week against ULM is unlikely, but Ewers won't miss a significant chunk of time. Until Ewers is able to go, Arch Manning will handle the bulk of the snaps, allowing the talented redshirt freshman to get valuable experience for '25.
7. Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
Last Week: 7
Sanders guided Colorado to a rivalry win over Colorado State with another strong day through the air. The senior completed 36 of 49 throws for 310 yards and four touchdowns in a 28-9 victory for the Buffaloes. Sanders leads all Big 12 quarterbacks with 41 completions of 10-plus yards and has connected on four throws of 40-plus yards in '24.
8. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
Last Week: 11
Nussmeier and LSU's offense overcame a slow start and a relentless pass rush by South Carolina to escape Columbia with a 36-33 victory. Against a much-improved Gamecocks' defense, Nussmeier completed 24 of 40 throws for 285 yards and two touchdowns.
9. Cameron Rising, Utah
Last Week: 8
Rising did not play in Utah's Week 3 win over Utah State due to injury. The senior is expected to return to action in Week 4 at Oklahoma State.
10. Miller Moss, USC
Last Week: 9
USC had an off week last Saturday, but the Trojans have a huge Week 4 showdown at Michigan. The Wolverines have one of the nation's top defenses, giving Moss an excellent chance to shine and move up these rankings next week.
11. Kyle McCord, Syracuse (Last Week: 10)
12. Nico Iamaleava, Tennessee (Last Week: 13)
13. Dylan Raiola, Nebraska (Last Week: 16)
14. Drew Allar, Penn State (Last Week: 14)
15. Will Howard, Ohio State (Last Week: 15)
16. Brady Cook, Missouri (Last Week: 17)
17. Noah Fifita, Arizona (Last Week: 12)
18. Jordan McCloud, Texas State (Last Week: 19)
19. Avery Johnson, Kansas State (Last Week: NR)
20. Haynes King, Georgia Tech (Last Week: NR)
21. Josh Hoover, TCU (Last Week: NR)
22. John Mateer, Washington State (Last Week: NR)
23. Taylen Green, Arkansas (Last Week: 18)
24. Thomas Castellanos, Boston College (Last Week: 21)
25. Seth Henigan, Memphis (Last Week: 22)
On the Radar: Kurtis Rourke, Indiana; Ethan Hampton, Northern Illinois; Chandler Morris, North Texas; Darian Mensah, Tulane; Will Rogers, Washington; Rocco Becht, Iowa State; Tyler Shough, Louisville; Kaidon Salter, Liberty; Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt; Arch Manning, Texas; Eli Holstein, Pitt; Cade Klubnik, Clemson
Related: College Football Top 134 Team Rankings for 2024
Related: College Football Group of 5 Coaches Poll: Week 3
Related: College Football Bowl Projections for 2024-25
Local News
Comments / 0