The quarterback carousel is spinning at some of college football’s biggest names, and a few of these decisions could shape the 2026 season before it even gets rolling.
Bleacher Report recently pointed to unsettled quarterback jobs as one of the biggest X-factors heading into the year, and that list includes five battles worth watching closely. Some of these rooms are loaded with talent.
Others are searching for stability. All of them matter.
In Tuscaloosa, the Alabama Crimson Tide are set for their third different starting quarterback in the Kalen DeBoer era, and the competition is between Austin Mack and former five-star Keelon Russell. Mack came with DeBoer from Washington, and he has the edge in experience, but only barely - he’s thrown 35 career passes for 228 yards and three scores.
Russell has even less game action, appearing in just two games last year and finishing with 143 passing yards and two touchdowns. Mack knows the system longer, while Russell is viewed as the more talented option.
Clemson has a battle of its own, with Christopher Vizzina currently the favorite over Tait Reynolds. Vizzina has already logged 105 career passes for 596 yards, four touchdowns and one interception.
That competition carries extra weight because of the pressure on Dabo Swinney. After a dominant run in the mid- to late-2010s, Swinney is coming off his worst season since 2010, with Clemson finishing 7-6 in 2025 despite College Football Playoff expectations.
The quarterback choice could either ease that pressure or make it worse.
Iowa’s situation looks different, but the stakes are just as obvious. Jeremy Hecklinski and Hank Brown are in the mix for the Hawkeyes, and Brown brings the more established résumé.
Hecklinski has thrown only two passes in his career for eight yards, while Brown has attempted 73 passes for 642 yards and seven touchdowns. Iowa’s offense has been stuck in the mud for years, routinely landing in the 100s nationally in total offense.
Last season, the Hawkeyes were No. 119 in total offense, and quarterback play has been a major reason why. Whoever wins the job will be tasked with trying to change that.
The SEC has two more battles worth tracking. Tennessee is sorting through George MacIntyre and five-star Faizon Brandon for the starting role. MacIntyre saw action in just two games last season and completed 7-of-9 passes for 69 yards.
Florida, meanwhile, has a competition under new head coach Jon Sumrall between Georgia Tech transfer Aaron Philo and Tramell Jones Jr. Philo has the more extensive body of work, with 102 career passes for 938 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.
He may also have the inside track because of his familiarity with offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner, who also came from Georgia Tech. Jones has thrown 35 passes for 191 yards and two touchdowns.
Quarterback play has always been one of the biggest drivers of success in college football, and that won’t change in 2026. Alabama, Tennessee and Florida are all dealing with major questions under center, while Clemson and Iowa are looking for answers that can bring some much-needed stability.
Get it right, and the season can take off. Get it wrong, and the problems can start early.
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Kalen DeBoer Just Faced A Brutal Alabama Standard Test
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That is why ESPN analyst Paul Finebaums reaction carried so much weight. He suggested DeBoers remarks could cost him support from players, former players, fans, and the people who bankroll the program, while also questioning whether the coach can really win a title at Alabama. The scrutiny is familiar territory for anyone in that chair, but it arrives fast here, and DeBoer is already finding out how little room there is for anything short of championship language. [Read more 🡒]