USA TODAY International Edition
Three Group of Five passers rise on radar
As a number of preseason Heisman Trophy contenders struggle with effectiveness or injury – including Clemson’s DJ Uiagalelei, Georgia’s JT Daniels and North Carolina’s Sam Howell – two stars from the Southeastern Conference have surged to the front of the line of Football Bowl Subdivision quarterbacks.
Alabama’s Bryce Young has lived up to expectations with seven touchdown passes and no interceptions in two easy wins to open the season. Ole Miss junior Matt Corral has extended his interception- free streak to three games and more than 100 attempts.
They top a list of college football’s best quarterbacks after Week 2. Among those chasing Young and Corral are Oklahoma’s Spencer Rattler, UCLA’s Dorian Thompson- Robinson and three standouts from the Group of Five.
1. Bryce Young, Alabama
Young threw for 227 yards and three touchdowns in Alabama’s 48- 14 win against Mercer before the Crimson Tide’s second- team offense entered the game with five minutes left in the third quarter. He’s attempted four passes in the fourth quarter through two games one year after Mac Jones made just 26 fourth- quarter throws in 13 games.
2. Matt Corral, Ole Miss
The Tide will host Ole Miss on Oct. 2 in a matchup with Heisman and SEC West Division implications. Corral’s been terrific in the Rebels’ 2- 0 start, following up his 381 yards passing in the opener against Louisville with five touchdowns in Saturday’s easy win against overmatched Austin Peay.
3. Spencer Rattler, Oklahoma
Rattler rebounded from a spotty performance in the opener against Tulane with 243 passing yards and a careerhigh five touchdowns against Western Carolina. His year is about to heat up: OU’s next four games come against Nebraska, West Virginia, Kansas State and Texas.
4. Dorian Thompson- Robinson, UCLA
A second- team pick last season, Thompson- Robinson has the potential to be the first UCLA quarterback to earn first- team all- conference honors since Cade McNown in 1998. Only two Bruins quarterbacks have finished in the top five of the Heisman voting in the more than 50 years since Gary Beban became the only winner in program history: McNown ( third in 1998) and Troy Aikman ( third in 1988).
5. Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati
Ridder’s been as polished as expected in Cincinnati’s two easy wins against Miami ( Ohio) and Murray State, averaging 11.4 yards per attempt with six touchdowns in 47 throws. The next two games, against Indiana and Notre Dame, will tell the story of his season and decide how far the Bearcats go in 2021.
6. Will Levis, Kentucky
Levis will make an impact even when he doesn’t throw for 367 yards, as he did in Kentucky’s season opener against Louisiana- Monroe. The Penn State transfer continued to impress in the Wildcats’ 35- 28 win against Missouri, accounting for more than 200 yards of offense and two scores while showing the sort of physical style that will play well in the SEC. He’s helped make UK a solid contender to end this year in the Top 25.
7. Carson Strong, Nevada
Strong hit on 79.1% of his attempts for 381 yards and four touchdowns without an interception in Nevada’s 49- 10 win against Idaho State, giving a glimpse into what sort of numbers to expect from a trendy NFL prospect once the Wolf Pack move into the meat of the Mountain West schedule in the second half of October and November. Like Ridder, his next two games will decide whether Strong remains on the national map. Nevada takes on Kansas State on the road before heading to Boise State on Oct. 2.
8. Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina
McCall has only seven incompletions in two games as Coastal Carolina aims to build off last season’s breakthrough and reach the New Year’s Six bowl games. The second- year starter was 17 of 21 for 245 yards and two scores as the Chanticleers beat Kansas for the third year in a row. McCall is completing an FBS- best 82.5% of his passes on 12.7 yards per attempt.
9. Will Rogers, Mississippi State
Rogers is showing signs of a secondyear bump under coach Mike Leach, continuing a trend of returning starters making a big leap as they become more comfortable in the Air Raid system. He’s hit on 75% of his throws with five touchdowns and an FBS- leading 72 completions in the Bulldogs’ 2- 0 start after posting 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions across 346 attempts in 2020.
10. Sam Howell, North Carolina
Howell returns to the list after bouncing back against Georgia State to the tune of 352 yards and three scores on 12.1 yards per pass. That comes after a hugely disappointing opener against Virginia Tech that saw the preseason Heisman contender toss three picks in a 17- 10 loss.