In the unpredictable world of college football, the quarterback’s role is not just about throwing touchdowns and racking up yards. It’s about seizing the moment, leading under pressure and showing the kind of grit that transforms a team from a contender to a champion. The college football landscape is littered with polished passers, with different players rising to the occasion on a weekly basis.
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Week 1 may represent the first opportunity these quarterbacks have to showcase their talents, but Week 2 is when their story really begins to take shape. Last week, we witnessed a number of young signal-callers lead their respective teams to victory, as well as a few quarterbacks who shone brightly in a losing effort.
In this article from Bovada Sportsbook, we’ll recap the 10 best college quarterback performances from Week 2 of the 2023/24 season. From clutch passes to game-changing decisions, these quarterbacks represent the future of football and were able to put their elite playmaking ability on full display during the second week of the NCAAF season.
#10. Bryson Daily – Army Black Knights
It’s not often that a quarterback playing for Army will catch the attention of college football fans around the country, but that was the case following Bryson Daily’s superb performance in Week 2. The junior quarterback was incredibly efficient, going 8 of 11 passing and throwing for 193 yards and 3 touchdowns. Daily added 65 rushing yards and two more scores on the ground for good measure, leading Army to a 57-0 shutout of Delaware State.
#9. Jayden Daniels – LSU Tigers
Coming off a disappointing Week 1 loss to Florida State, LSU looked to quarterback Jayden Daniels to get the team back on track. While the Tigers are expected to destroy a lower-tier program like Grambling, you still have to give Daniels his due after the senior threw for 269 yards and 5 touchdowns on 18 of 24 passing. The five scores through the air tied Daniels with Miami’s Van Dyke for the most of any quarterback in Week 2, while the win got LSU back on track.
#8. JT Daniels – Rice Owls
Rivalry games are a great way to add some extra excitement to college football, and that fact was on full display when Rice faced off against Houston this past Saturday. In one of the more thrilling games from Week 2, Rice quarterback JT Daniels guided his team to a stunning 43-41 double-overtime victory over Houston. Daniels threw for a career-best 401 yards and three touchdowns, giving Rice their first Bayou Bucket rivalry win since 2010.
#7. Spencer Rattler – South Carolina Gamecocks
Once a Heisman Trophy contender playing for Oklahoma, Rattler is now in his second season at South Carolina and continues to show Gamecock fans what he’s capable of under center. The senior quarterback completed 25 of 27 passes in his team’s Week 2 matchup with Furman, throwing for 345 yards and accounting for 4 touchdowns (3 passing, 1 rushing) in a 47-21 victory. All eyes will be on Rattler in Week 3, as South Carolina prepares for the No. 1 ranked Georgia Bulldogs.
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#6. JJ McCarthy – Michigan Wolverines
As the second-ranked team in the nation, Michigan was a heavy betting favorite leading up to their Week 2 clash with UNLV. Even still, Wolverines quarterback JJ McCarthy deserves credit for yet another strong performance in Ann Arbor. Over 100,000 Michigan packed into the Big House and cheered on their quarterback as he threw for 278 yards and 2 touchdowns on an impressive 22 of 25 passing. The performance helped Michigan earn a 35-7 victory and maintained the school’s No. 2 ranking.
#5. Quinn Ewers – Texas Longhorns
Quinn Ewers made national headlines in Week 2 as he marched into Tuscaloosa with his Texas Longhorns teammates and handed Alabama their first home loss to a non-conference opponent since 2007. Ewers looked sharp in the upset, going 24 of 28 for 349 yards and 3 touchdowns through the air. This was a major win for Texas, boosting the football program up to No. 4 in the country and keeping their College Football Playoff hopes alive.
#4. Tyler Van Dyke – Miami Hurricanes
The 6′ 4″, 230-pound Van Dyke is in his third season as the starting quarterback for Miami, otherwise known as “The U”. The Week 2 schedule had Miami going up against a ranked program in Texas A&M, and Van Dyke still went off to the tune of 374 yards and 5 touchdowns on 21 of 30 passing. More importantly, he led the Hurricanes to a huge non-conference victory and a place in the current Top 25 rankings.
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#3. Michael Penix Jr. – Washington Huskies
Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. is off to a red-hot start this season, as evidenced by the quarterback’s incredible Week 2 performance. The Huskies leader threw for a staggering 409 yards and three scores in his team’s 43-10 thumping of Tulsa. Combined with his equally impressive performance in Week 1, Penix Jr. has now thrown for 859 yards and 8 touchdowns in just two games this season and has become an early candidate for this year’s Heisman Trophy.
#2. Shedeur Sanders – Colorado Buffaloes
The biggest story of the college football season keeps on going as Shedeur Sanders led Colorado to another huge win in Week 2. This time it was Nebraska who got to witness how potent the Buffaloes offense is with Sanders under center, with the son of NFL hall of famer Deion Sanders throwing for 393 yards and 2 touchdowns, while scoring once more on the ground. Afterwards, Sanders made it clear that the game was personal due to comments made by Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule.
#1. Caleb Williams – USC Trojans
As the best quarterback in all of college football, it’s only natural that Caleb Williams finds his way into the top spot on our list. The USC quarterback, and likely future No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, guided the Trojans to a 56-10 blowout victory over Stanford. Williams had no trouble picking apart Stanford’s defense, throwing for 281 yards and 3 scores on 19 of 21 passing to go with a 21-yard rushing touchdown. The performance earned USC a valuable conference win and showed why he’s the favorite to repeat as this year’s Heisman Trophy winner.