Week 10 of the college football season has once again treated fans to an incredible display of athletic prowess from the quarterback position. This NCAA schedule has already delivered a number of thrilling moments from under center and the quarterback play should only get better from here as teams take aim at their respective conference championships.
Most of the top programs in college football held their ground in Week 10 and the quarterbacks were a big reason for that. As a result, the top 9 spots in the ‘AP Top 25 College Football Poll’ remain unchanged. There were a number of exciting games to watch on Saturday, including a wild back-and-forth affair between No. 5 Washington and No. 20 USC. With star quarterbacks Michael Penix Jr. and Caleb Williams going head-to-head, it was the Huskies who ultimately prevailed, 52-42.
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As is often the case in college football, Week 10 also featured several eye-opening upsets. From Arizona’s surprising win over UCLA to Oklahoma State’s big upset over Oklahoma, anything is possible when you get exceptional play at the quarterback position. With so many great performances, Bovada Sportsbook has put together this list of the 10 best NCAA quarterbacks of Week 10.
10. Jaxson Dart – Ole Miss Rebels
In one of the more exciting games of Week 10, Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart looked incredibly sharp under center as the Rebels outlasted Texas A&M, 38-35. Dart played mistake-free football, going 24 of 33 throwing the ball for 387 yards and 2 scores. It was an impressive display from the junior and we could see more of that to come down the stretch from this underrated college quarterback.
9. Jayden Daniels – LSU Tigers
Week 10 provided another strong outing from LSU senior Jayden Daniels, as the gifted quarterback was able to once again move the chains with both his arm and his legs against a talented Alabama team. Daniels managed to throw for 219 with two touchdowns, while also rushing for 163 yards and picking up another score on the ground. These numbers would have been even higher but Daniels was forced to leave the game following a hard hit early in the fourth quarter and LSU eventually lost, 42-28.
8. Noah Fifita – Arizona Wildcats
As mentioned earlier, Arizona had one of the more impressive upsets of Week 10 as they defeated 19th-ranked UCLA, 27-10. Noah Fifita was a huge part of that win, as the freshman quarterback threw for 300 yards and 3 touchdowns on 25 of 32 passing for the Wildcats. In addition to securing a massive conference win for the Pac-12 program, Fifita showed Arizona fans what they can look forward to seeing over the next few college football seasons.
7. Caleb Williams – USC Trojans
In the most hyped up game of the NCAA’s Week 10 schedule, USC quarterback Caleb Williams delivered another excellent performance in a losing effort versus Washington. While he may not have been pleased with the final outcome, last year’s Heisman Trophy winner was nearly perfect, going 27 of 35 passing for 312 yards and 4 total touchdowns (3 passing, 1 rushing). USC may have some issues on defense, but there’s clearly nothing wrong with their quarterback.
6. Michael Penix Jr. – Washington Huskies
As the current betting favorite to win this year’s Heisman Trophy (-140), Michael Penix Jr’s spot on this list should come as no surprise. Penix was at his best in Week 10, facing off against USC and the presumed No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, Caleb Williams. The Huskies quarterback went 23 of 30 throwing the football, picking up 256 yards and two scores, along with another rushing touchdown. Most importantly, Penix Jr. led Washington to a huge win and has his team sitting atop the Pac-12 at 9-0 on the season.
5. Jalen Milroe – Alabama Crimson Tide
In one of the better performances of his young college career, Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe imposed his will on LSU in a 42-28 victory over the SEC opponent. The athletic sophomore threw for 219 yards on just 15 of 23 passing, controlling the pace of the game all afternoon. While he didn’t throw for any touchdowns, he did manage to pick up 4 rushing scores along with 155 yards on 20 carries for a healthy 7.8 YPC.
4. Byrum Brown – South Florida Bulls
We had another great freshman performance in Week 10 with South Florida quarterback Byrum Brown laying it all out on the field in a remarkable 59-50 loss to Memphis. The first-year starter was 31 of 38 passing (81.6%) for 357 yards and 5 touchdowns. As if that wasn’t enough, Brown also had his third 100-yard rushing game of the season, finishing with exactly 100 yards on the ground.
3. Seth Henigan – Memphis Tigers
On the other side of that epic offensive clash, between USF and Memphis, was Tigers quarterback Seth Henigan. He’s remained under the radar for much of the season, but that was no longer the case following his role in the team’s 59-point output in Week 10. The junior threw for 349 yards and 4 touchdowns, while also rushing for another 42 yards and an additional score. More importantly, Henigan guided Memphis to the win and improved their record to 7-2 on the season.
2. Bo Nix – Oregon Ducks
Making his regular appearance on our list of the best quarterbacks in college football, Bo Nix continues to lead the way for the Pac-12’s Oregon Ducks. In last week’s matchup with Cal, the fifth-year senior was 29 of 38 passing for 386 yards and 4 touchdowns, along with another 2 scores on the ground. Nix guided Oregon to a 63-19 blowout over their conference foe and is currently +175 to win this year’s Heisman Trophy.
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1. Jacob Zeno – UAB Blazers
You’ve likely never heard of UAB quarterback Jacob Zeno, but that could soon change after the first-year starter led the Dragons in a thrilling 45-42 win over Florida Atlantic last week. Zeno was in control the entire game and calmly led the Blazers on a 7-play, 66-yard game-winning drive right at the end of regulation. In total, the quarterback aired it out to the tune of 484 yards and 5 touchdowns, both of which were career-highs.
