Week 7 took a bite out of the quarterback hierarchy, and the fallout showed up fast in the latest national rankings. Injuries, shaky performances and a couple of ugly losses reshuffled the board, leaving only one familiar face untouched at the top.
Darian Mensah remains No. 1 for Miami after surviving a tight one against rival Florida State. Even in a game that nearly slipped away, he delivered a clean volume performance: 23 completions on 34 attempts for 326 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. His 15% CPOE on the season still stands as the best figure in the country heading into Week 8.
The biggest mover near the top is Trinidad Chambliss, who jumps into the No. 2 spot for Ole Miss. The move comes as much by attrition as anything else, with nearly everyone above him in last week’s order either losing, getting hurt or both. Chambliss has kept his game tidy, avoiding sacks and ugly interceptions while posting a 5.7% CPOE and an ADOT a little over 9 yards.
CJ Carr slides to No. 3 after Notre Dame’s loss to BYU. Carr’s night was uneven - 261 yards on 49 attempts is a lot of work for not enough payoff - but he still had the Fighting Irish within striking distance of a game-winning touchdown late before the controversial ending.
He did push the ball downfield, with a 31% deep-throw rate, but the results on those throws weren’t there, as reflected in his -24% CPOE on deep passes. With Miami coming in a couple of weeks, Carr will need a sharper showing.
Gunner Stockton lands at No. 4 after turning it over three times in Georgia’s stunning loss to Auburn. In most weeks, that kind of game would push him even lower.
This time, the shakeup above him keeps the drop to one spot. Stockton is still running a CPOE north of 10%, and his 40% dead-end play rate keeps him in the conversation as one of the least wasteful passers in the country.
Jayden Maiava returns to the rankings at No. 5 after back-to-back USC wins. He had dropped out a few weeks ago, but the production is back in view now.
Maiava’s season line is strong: 9 yards per attempt and a 6-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. The underlying numbers support it too, with a CPOE around 7% and very few negative plays.
Josh Hoover checks in at No. 6 for Indiana despite a less-than-perfect outing against Ohio State. It wasn’t a disaster, even if the -3% CPOE doesn’t sparkle.
He was close to hitting some major throws, including a possible game-winner if Nick Marsh’s footwork had been cleaner on Indiana’s final play from scrimmage. On the season, Hoover sits above 7% in CPOE with an ADOT north of 11, while also avoiding sacks and turnovers.
His 60% rushing success rate adds another layer to an interesting profile, especially if he sharpens up in big moments.
Noah Fifita breaks into the rankings at No. 7 for the first time this year. He’s been quietly excellent for Arizona, which sits at 5-1.
Fifita’s CPOE is close to 12%, and that is elite territory - Mensah is the only qualified P4 quarterback with a better mark through seven weeks. He does take too many sacks, with a 7.3% sack rate, but he also brings a strong 63% rushing success rate.
A few other quarterbacks are still on the radar, even if they’re not in the top seven right now.
Julian Sayin drops out entirely because of his injury, and reports suggest he may be out for the year. If healthy, he likely would have landed at No. 2 this week.
Keelon Russell has now strung together two rough games, and the Tennessee performance was especially troubling. His deep-ball CPOE against the Vols was -32%, a major issue considering how much he has leaned on deep accuracy so far this season. He also continued to take too many sacks, posting a 9.4% sack rate in that game.
Aidan Chiles has the statistical case to crack the rankings, with a CPOE north of 9%. Still, two things keep him out for now: a long college track record of mediocrity and an 8% sack rate that is hard to ignore.
In Other News...
Georgia Gets An Early Road Test Mike White Needed To See
The next step in Georgias preseason tune-up arrives with a much different feel, as the Bulldogs head into an exhibition matchup against Clemson at 6:30 p.m. ET. After Georgias 87-67 win over Charlotte in its first exhibition, coach Mike White has been treating these October games as a chance to sort through personnel, learn about combinations and get a clearer read on what this roster can handle before the games count.
Facing Clemson brings a different level of urgency than a typical preseason outing, especially with the Tigers bringing back key pieces from last season. For Georgia, that makes this more than just another exhibition on the calendar. It is the kind of early road test White wanted to see, one that should reveal a lot about how the Bulldogs respond when the opponent looks more like the teams they will have to navigate once the schedule starts for real. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Fans Now Have To Watch A Brutal New SEC Reality
Week 7 was a reminder that the SEC race can flip fast, and Georgia was right in the middle of it. A weekend that saw the Bulldogs, Florida, Tennessee and Ole Miss all go down sent a fresh jolt through the AP poll and tightened the margins at the top, where every loss now feels like it carries more weight than it did a month ago.
The bigger problem for Georgia fans is that the schedule is not offering much breathing room. Week 8 brings another slate of games that could shuffle the conference picture again, with LSU at Auburn, Oklahoma at Mississippi State, Tennessee at South Carolina and Ole Miss at Texas all carrying real stakes for the standings and the College Football Playoff conversation. Even for a program used to living under pressure, the margin for error in the SEC is starting to look brutal. [Read more 🡒]
Milton Faces A Huge Region Test With Playoff Buzz Rising
Milton heads to City Park on Friday night for a Class 6A Region 7 matchup that carries plenty of early postseason weight, with both the Eagles and Gainesville entering the game with six wins. It also has the feel of a showcase, with Milton leaning on senior quarterback Derrick Baker and a roster that includes several college commits, while Gainesville brings its own punch behind quarterback Kharim Hughley and multiple college signees.
The setting only adds to the intrigue, with the game set in Gainesville and streamed live on the NFHS Network for fans following along from afar. For both programs, this is the kind of October test that can sharpen playoff hopes and say plenty about where each side stands once the games start to tighten. [Read more 🡒]