Week 6 brought a little clarity to the 2027 quarterback race, and it also brought a headache for Arch Manning.
The Texas star took a hit in the Red River Rivalry loss to Oklahoma, and it wasn’t subtle. Manning threw two costly interceptions in the fourth quarter of the upset, a finish that reopened the conversation about whether he was pushed to the front of the draft picture too soon.
He did make some plays along the way, but the turnovers ended up defining the day. That’s the problem now: he hasn’t been nearly as dynamic with his legs this season, and he has thrown at least one interception in four of his five starts while operating in a passing game that hasn’t exactly been asked to carry the whole load.
Texas will try to clean that up Saturday against a Florida team that’s been reeling.
While Manning slipped, several other quarterbacks used the weekend to move the conversation in their direction.
LaNorris Sellers is one of the biggest names making noise again. South Carolina’s quarterback followed up a strong outing against Kentucky with an even better performance in Gainesville, going 23-of-35 for 279 yards and five total touchdowns in a win over Florida.
He didn’t do the damage on the ground the way he did the week before, but he showed he can win with his arm. After a bye, he’s set up to keep climbing if this keeps going.
USC’s Jayden Maiava also got the kind of road win that NFL teams remember. He was steady against Penn State, throwing for 301 yards and three touchdowns without a pick in a tough environment. That followed a quieter showing against Washington, but the Penn State performance keeps him firmly in the mix as the season moves on.
At the top, Dante Moore stays in the No. 1 spot, even though he missed the UCLA game with a concussion. Oregon’s ugly loss to the Bruins may have helped his standing a bit, especially with Dylan Raiola getting benched after going 6-of-19 for 43 yards and two interceptions.
That kind of day makes it easier to separate Moore’s uneven start from what his offense looked like without him. The catch is that his return timeline is still unclear, according to coach Dan Lanning.
Notre Dame’s CJ Carr keeps stacking clean weeks, and he moved up a spot after another efficient outing. In a 58-7 win over Stanford, Carr completed 14 of 20 passes for 181 yards and three touchdowns.
He now has 16 touchdowns against just one interception, and the next real test comes on the road against BYU. The Irish schedule has not exactly been brutal so far, so that trip will matter.
Darian Mensah stays right in the thick of the Heisman and draft conversation at No. 4.
Miami was off in Week 6, but Mensah’s first five games have been remarkably clean, with no interceptions and top-tier efficiency. Florida State comes next, and the matchup doesn’t appear to present much danger for the Hurricanes.
Ohio State’s Julian Sayin keeps making the Buckeyes’ passing game look easy. Jeremiah Smith may get most of the attention, but Sayin has thrown 11 touchdowns and just one interception over his last three starts. Indiana is next, and that one carries extra weight less than a year after Sayin saw his Heisman hopes go sideways against the Hoosiers in the Big Ten championship game.
Drew Mestemaker also stayed on the rise with another productive day for Oklahoma State. Against UCF, he went 19-of-28 for 304 yards and two touchdowns in a win. With a decision looming about whether to return to school next season, the rest of his year has a little extra intrigue baked in.
Trinidad Chambliss helped Ole Miss bounce back in a big way. The Rebels put 52 on Vanderbilt after the Florida loss, and Chambliss finished 20-of-30 for 213 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. The size and age questions aren’t going anywhere, but he keeps looking the part of a quarterback whose stock stays healthy if he keeps performing like a potential Heisman finalist.
Sam Leavitt remains a tough read at No. 10.
LSU’s upset loss to Kentucky wasn’t really pinned on him, and he still produced three touchdowns with only nine incompletions. But he also keeps giving away one interception per game, and that’s the sort of thing that makes it harder to separate from the pack.
Drake Lindsey lands at No. 11 after a rough team result for Minnesota. The Gophers were blown out by Purdue following their win over Michigan, and Lindsey had some accuracy issues while still throwing for 248 yards as Minnesota tried to chase the game.
The lone newcomer in the rankings is Austin Simmons, who checks in at No. 12.
He didn’t have his best outing against Texas A&M, going 14-of-28 while the running game carried more of the load, but the NFL buzz around him is starting to build. Through six games, the former Ole Miss quarterback has 14 touchdowns and one interception, and he still has plenty of chances left to make his case.
In Other News...
Miami Is Building Real Momentum In A Massive WR Recruiting Battle
Miamis pursuit of five-star wide receiver Brysen Wright has quietly become one of the more important recruiting battles on its 2028 board. The Hurricanes are viewed as a leading contender, and that standing comes with some real weight given the crowd of national powers also chasing him, including Florida, Ohio State and Texas. Wright has already made multiple trips to campus, which gives Miami a chance to keep building on familiarity instead of starting from scratch.
Hard Rock Stadium is set to be part of the next step in that relationship when Wright comes in for a game visit, a chance for the Hurricanes to lean on atmosphere, staff connection and the kind of in-person experience that can matter in a long recruiting fight. For Miami, the broader appeal is obvious: landing a player with this level of profile would be a major statement, especially in a race where the margin between contender and favorite can change quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Faces Several Must Win Recruiting Battles After Key Setback
Jatori Williams decommitment has put Miami back on its heels, but it has not changed the way the staff is approaching the rest of the class. The Hurricanes are still pushing to keep Williams in the fold while also staying engaged with other priority targets such as Mark Matthews, DJ Jacobs and Brysen Wright, a reminder that recruiting here rarely stands still for long.
The staff is spending these weeks watching senior tape and expecting movement as the cycle keeps unfolding, with an emphasis on defensive players and wide receivers. Miami is also looking beyond the immediate board, keeping an eye on future prospects that could include the kind of NFL-type defensive tackles that fit the programs bigger picture. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Faces A Telling Rivalry Test At Miami
Miami comes out of its bye week with a prime-time ACC matchup at home, and the timing gives the Hurricanes a chance to reset before another rivalry game with real weight. Florida State arrives with some baggage after a rough stretch and a recent roster move that adds another layer of uncertainty, while both teams bring rushing attacks that can tilt a game quickly if one side starts dictating the line of scrimmage.
For Miami, the biggest development is on defense, where the extra time off is expected to help get key pieces back in healthier shape. That matters in a game like this, where discipline and physicality usually decide more than style points, and where the Hurricanes will try to protect home field against a rival that badly needs a response. [Read more 🡒]