The NCAA football season continues to deliver plenty of excitement on college campuses around the country and the gridiron action doesn’t appear to be slowing down any time soon. Last week featured incredible performances by some of the nation’s best quarterbacks, including an epic Pac-12 battle between Oregon’s Bo Nix and Washington’s Michel Penix Jr.
In a college football season that has already provided its fair share of heart-pounding moments, Week 7 proved that the surprises and thrills just keep on coming. A remarkable group of quarterbacks, hailing from various corners of the country, stepped onto the gridiron and delivered performances that left fans on the edge of their seats.
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In this weekly article from Bovada Sportsbook, we’ll give you the lay of the land by recapping the 10 best NCAA quarterback performances from Week 7. From video game-like stat lines to awe-inspiring comebacks, the following college quarterbacks made headlines last week with their outstanding play on the field of play.
10. JJ McCarthy – Michigan Wolverines
While he may be the starting quarterback for the No. 2 tanked team in the nation, McCarthy hasn’t received much fanfare this season. The Michigan junior quietly had another efficient performance in Week 7, putting up 222 passing yards and 3 touchdowns on 14 of 17 passing in a 52-7 blowout win over Indiana. McCarthy quarterback rating for the season now stands at 195.9, which is the second-best mark in all of college football.
9. Kyle McCord – Ohio State Buckeyes
Former Buckeye CJ Stroud may be off lighting it up for the Houston Texans in the NFL, but junior Kyle McCord has had no trouble taking over for under center for Ohio State. This was very apparent in the team’s 41-7 win over Purdue in Week 7, with the young quarterback throwing for 276 yards and 3 touchdowns on 16 of 28 passing. The victory kept the Buckeyes at No. 3 in the rankings and still undefeated at 6-0 on the season.
8. Alan Bowman – Oklahoma State Cowboys
It’s been an up-and-down start to the year for Oklahoma State quarterback Alan Bowman, with the senior struggling to get going over the first few weeks. None of that seemed to matter in Week 7, however, as Bowman led the Cowboys to a huge win over a top-25 program in Kansas. Bowman threw for 336 yards and 2 touchdowns on 28 of 41 passing as he guided Oklahoma State to a fourth quarter comeback over the Jayhawks, 39-32.
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7. Tyler Van Dyke – Miami Hurricanes
Miami may have lost in Week 7 to North Carolina, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t still acknowledge an excellent game by Hurricanes quarterback Tyler Van Dyke. His team clearly had their hands full with the Tar Heels, but Van Dyke wouldn’t let the opponent pull away as he amassed 391 yards and 4 touchdowns on 31 of 48 passing. While he did throw a pair of interceptions, it was an impressive performance nonetheless.
6. Noah Fifita – Arizona Wildcats
In one of the more surprising outcomes of Week 7, freshman quarterback Noah Fifita guided Arizona to a 44-6 upset over Washington State. Coming off a triple-overtime loss to USC, Fifita was able to bounce back and torch Washington State to the tune of 342 yards on 34 of 43 passing. He may not have thrown for any touchdowns, instead he let his running backs break the plane on five separate occasions in just his third career start under center for Arizona.
5. Jason Bean – Kansas Jayhawks
Filling in for the injured Jalon Daniels, Kansas senior Jason Bean looked great under center for the Jayhawks in Week 7. Despite seeing limited action up to this point, Bean jumped in seamlessly as the team’s starter versus Oklahoma State and threw for an incredible 410 yards and 5 touchdowns on 23 of 24 passing. While he did throw a couple of interceptions and ultimately lost to OSU 39-32, you can’t help but applaud the effort from the senior quarterback.
4. Drake Maye – North Carolina Tar Heels
We’ve already touched on the Week 7 ACC battle between Miami and North Carolina, but we haven’t gotten into the brilliant play of Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye. The talented sophomore was excellent in this matchup between top-25 programs, throwing for 391 yards and 4 scores on 31 of 48 passing. Maye was especially on point to start the second half, helping UNC jump out to an 18-point lead and hanging on for the 41-31 victory.
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3. Bo Nix – Oregon Ducks
Oregon may have lost their highly-anticipated Pac-12 showdown with Washington in Week 7, but you can’t really hang that loss on Bo Nix. The Ducks quarterback was outstanding in defeat, going 33 of 44 for 337 yards and 2 touchdowns through the air. The senior led Oregon on a 10-play, 50-yard potential game-tying drive in the final minute of the fourth quarter, only for the kicker to miss a 43-yard field goal just as time expired. It may not have been the result the Ducks was looking for, but Nix’s play at quarterback certainly wasn’t to blame.
2. Jayden Daniels – LSU Tigers
Another week goes by and another epic performance was delivered by LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels. Hosting Auburn in an SEC conference game, Daniels dominated his opponents from start to finish and cruised to a comfortable 48-18 win. His stat line reads like something you might see on Madden – The 6’4” senior signal caller throwing for 325 yards and 3 touchdowns on just 20 of 27 passing, along with 93 yards rushing. The former Arizona State quarterback has looked great in his second season under center for LSU and his +1200 Heisman Trophy odds offer some excellent betting value.
1. Michael Penix Jr. – Washington Huskies
All eyes were on Michael Penix Jr. in Week 7 as his 5-0 Washington Huskies were hosting the 5-0 Oregon Ducks in a battle for West Coast supremacy. The game did not disappoint, and while Bo Nix had a solid day under center for the Ducks, it was Penix Jr. who really stepped up his game when it mattered most. The senior quarterback and new Heisman Trophy favorite threw for 302 yards and 4 touchdowns on 22 of 27 passing, while leading the Huskies to victory with a clutch touchdown in the final minutes of the fourth quarter.