Predicting starting QBs for every Power 4 college football team in 2025

Transfer portal movement is continuing around college football, but the quarterback situations are already taking shape for the 2025 season.

Friday brought significant news as former Georgia quarterback Carson Beck, who last month declared for the NFL draft before entering the portal Thursday, landed at Miami. Syracuse also learned it would have a new starter going forward as Kyle McCord, the nation's passing leader (4,779 yards), declared for the draft after initially pursuing an eligibility waiver to return in 2025.

Other teams turning to new QBs include College Football Playoff finalists Ohio State and Notre Dame, while CFP participants such as Arizona State (Sam Leavitt) and Clemson (Cade Klubnik) will have continuity. As always, several quarterback competitions are coming up, including at key spots such as Alabama, Notre Dame and North Carolina, where new coach Bill Belichick will preside.

Eli Lederman, Max Olson and Adam Rittenberg examined every Power 4 quarterback situation and the candidates, and they are ready to predict the 2025 starters. Predictions are based on who will enter the season as QB1, not necessarily who will finish with the same designation.

Predictions are broken down by conference (as well as independent Notre Dame).

ACC

 Boston College Eagles

2025 starter: Grayson James, senior

Why he'll start: The former Florida International transfer started five times in his debut season with the Eagles, including the program's final four games after he replaced Thomas Castellanos under center. Castellanos is now at Florida State, and James remains as the most experienced passer on the roster at Boston College, where he totaled 1,202 yards on 63.9% passing with six touchdowns and two interceptions across six games in 2024. James hasn't eclipsed 2,000 yards in any of his four college seasons and isn't especially flashy, but he should bring stability as the Eagles seek improvement after finishing 90th nationally in total offense in Year 1 under coach Bill O'Brien.

Competition: ESPN's No. 36 overall prospect in the class of 2023, Alabama transfer Dylan Lonergan has appeared in just three college games. But the fact that O'Brien initially helped recruit Lonergan to the Crimson Tide is noteworthy, and the 6-foot-2 passer will be a part of the quarterback competition at Boston College. At the very least, Lonergan presents an intriguing backup option next to redshirt sophomore Jacobe Robinson (one college appearance) and three-star freshman Shaker Reisig.

 California Golden Bears

2025 starter: Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, freshman

Why he'll start: The Bears are expected to add a veteran transfer to their QB room this offseason, but for now, Sagapolutele has to like his chances of battling for the starting job. The prized recruit flipped to Oregon on signing day but quickly regretted his decision upon enrolling and transferred to Cal. He wants to be a Day 1 starter and knew his chances of beating out Dante Moore weren't good. He's one of the highest-profile recruits of the Justin Wilcox era and certainly intends to push for the starting job.

Competition: Cal lost Fernando Mendoza and Chandler Rogers to the portal this offseason, so there's not much in the way of proven experience left in the program. CJ Harris and EJ Caminong got opportunities to play in the Bears' 24-13 loss to UNLV in the Art of Sport LA Bowl.

Clemson Tigers

2025 starter: Cade Klubnik, senior

Why he'll start: Klubnik brings two years of starting experience after making significant strides in 2024, passing for 795 more yards (3,639) and 16 more touchdowns (36) while trimming interceptions (6) and showing a greater grasp of coordinator Garrett Riley's offense. He also led Clemson to an ACC title and the team's first CFP appearance since 2020. Few teams will have the same starting quarterback and offensive coordinator for a third straight season, and the Klubnik-Riley connection could really blossom further in 2025. Klubnik had 11 games with multiple touchdown passes and eclipsed 200 passing yards in all but two contests. He still has a higher ceiling, too, as his accuracy fluctuated during the fall.

Competition: Christopher Vizzina, ESPN's No. 42 recruit in the 2023 class, has spent two seasons backing up Klubnik and is in line for a third, but would also be a valuable option if there's an injury. Vizzina, who had 34 pass attempts in 2024, would be in line to replace Klubnik in 2026.

Duke Blue Devils

2025 starter: Darian Mensah, redshirt sophomore, Tulane transfer

Why he'll start: Duke made one of the more aggressive moves in the winter portal in adding Mensah, while essentially letting Maalik Murphy walk despite a record-setting 2024 season. Mensah has three more years of eligibility after a freshman season in which he completed 65.9% of his passes for 2,723 yards and 22 touchdowns, while adding 132 rushing yards. He helped Tulane to a 9-2 start and led an offense that averaged 40.5 points during the span before fading late. Mensah had touchdown passes in all but one game and avoided a multi-interception performance all season.

Competition: Not much. Duke had several quarterbacks join Murphy in entering the portal last month, clearing the way for Henry Belin IV to start and throw for 236 yards with two touchdowns and an interception in a 52-20 loss to Ole Miss in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl.

Florida State Seminoles

2025 starter: Thomas Castellanos, senior, Boston College transfer

Why he'll start: Despite DJ Uiagalelei's pre-injury struggles, Florida State went back to the portal for a quarterback with ACC starting experience in Castellanos, whose skills should better suit the team's new offense under coordinator Gus Malzahn. Castellanos rushed for 1,113 yards and 13 touchdowns under coach Jeff Hafley in 2023, while enduring some ups and downs as a passer. He didn't seem like a good fit for coach Bill O'Brien's scheme and was replaced midseason, although he had 18 touchdown passes and only five interceptions. Castellanos is undersized at 5-9, 196 pounds, but he's the type of quarterback who can thrive in a Malzahn offense that emphasizes the QB run.

Competition: Brock Glenn had 228 passing yards and two touchdowns in Florida State's loss at Clemson on Oct. 5, and finished the season with 114 pass attempts, four touchdowns and five interceptions. He's a former three-star recruit.

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

2025 starter: Haynes King, redshirt senior

Why he'll start: King will enter his third season as Georgia Tech's starter after arriving with starting experience from Texas A&M. He has battled injuries for much of his career but has been dynamic when healthy, rushing for 21 touchdowns and passing for 41 with the Yellow Jackets. He notably decreased his interceptions total from 16 in 2023 to just two this past season, while showing much greater accuracy with 72.9% completions. If Georgia Tech can hang on to coordinator Buster Faulkner, it will enter 2025 with one of the ACC's most stable situations on offense.

Competition: Aaron Philo emerged as the backup to King this past season as a true freshman, and will do so again in 2025. He saw extensive action in a 30-29 win against NC State, passing for 265 yards and adding 57 rushing yards and a touchdown.

Louisville Cardinals

2025 starter: Miller Moss, redshirt senior, USC transfer

Why he'll start: Coach Jeff Brohm has been partial to experienced transfer quarterbacks since he returned to Louisville, and should turn to Moss after Tyler Shough (Texas Tech) and Jack Plummer (Purdue). Moss led USC to a season-opening upset win against LSU and had 1,198 passing yards and eight touchdowns through the first four games. He was replaced after a three-interception performance at Washington but still averaged 283.9 passing yards per game and completed 64.4% of his attempts. Like Shough, Moss could really thrive under Brohm at Louisville.

Competition: None. A series of transfer portal entries thinned Louisville's quarterback room after Moss' arrival. He will have every opportunity to retain the top job throughout the 2025 season.

Miami Hurricanes

2025 starter: Carson Beck, redshirt senior, Georgia transfer

Why he'll start: The Hurricanes pulled off one of the big surprises of the portal cycle when they landed Beck after he had previously announced he'd enter the NFL draft. The sixth-year senior is the most proven passer to hit the portal this offseason with his 24-3 record as Georgia's starter. He possesses borderline elite arm talent but is recovering from elbow surgery, likely forcing him to miss spring practice. Can he get back to playing at an extremely high level like we saw in 2023? Bringing in a veteran starter in Cam Ward who provided Heisman-level production and leadership helped turn Miami into a real ACC and College Football Playoff contender and helped Ward prove he's a first-round pick. The Hurricanes are hoping they can do it again with Beck.

Competition: Now that Beck is on board, we'll see if Emory Williams is willing to stick around and wait another year for a chance to be the Hurricanes' starter. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound passer earned two starts as a true freshman in 2024 and threw for 470 yards and three TDs before suffering a season-ending injury to his left (non-throwing) arm. Williams struggled in his second-half appearance against Iowa State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl, completing just 5 of 14 passes for 26 yards with an interception in the loss.

North Carolina Tar Heels

2025 starter: Bryce Baker, freshman

Why he'll start: This is one of the more unpredictable QB situations among the Power 4 as Bill Belichick's regime takes over in Chapel Hill. Jacolby Criswell's decision to re-enter the transfer portal after starting 10 games for the Tar Heels in 2024 creates more uncertainty about who new OC Freddie Kitchens will move forward with next season. Barring a late addition via the portal, North Carolina could end up rolling with a rookie. Baker, the No. 193 overall recruit in the 2024 ESPN 300, contemplated a flip to Penn State during the coaching transition but ended up staying loyal to his pledge and signing to play for Belichick. He's enrolling early and will get an opportunity to prove he's capable of playing early.

Competition: It's going to be a wait-and-see situation with sixth-year senior Max Johnson as he works to recover from the broken leg he suffered in North Carolina's season opener. The Tar Heels also picked up a young arm out of the portal in Purdue's Ryan Browne. It'll be interesting to see if they land a more experienced grad transfer to this room now that Criswell is moving on.

NC State Wolfpack

2025 starter: CJ Bailey, sophomore

Why he'll start: Grayson McCall sustaining a season-ending concussion pushed Bailey into a starting role early in his debut season. The three-star from Florida had some freshman moments as expected but made good progress while throwing for 2,413 yards on 65% passing, rushing for 279 yards and scoring 22 total TDs with 13 turnovers. A big step forward in his sophomore season should get the Wolfpack back to their winning ways after a 5-7 year.

Competition: Bailey is the clear leader going forward for this program. Lex Thomas was elevated to NC State's No. 2 QB after McCall went down and got on the field for 26 snaps over two appearances as a redshirt freshman.

Pittsburgh Panthers

Why he'll start: The Alabama transfer put together Pitt's best season by a freshman quarterback since Alex Van Pelt in 1989. He matched Van Pelt's 17 touchdown passes while completing 62% of his passes for 2,228 yards. Holstein also provided a true dual threat for coordinator Kade Bell's offense with 328 rushing yards, which ranked second on the team, and three touchdowns. He's coming off a late-season leg injury and will need to be monitored in the spring, but when healthy, he gives Pitt a real spark.

Competition: Freshman Julian Dugger finally saw the field in the GameAbove Sports Bowl and provided a spark with two passing touchdowns to complement 88 rushing yards and a score. After the strong debut, he could be good insurance behind Holstein in 2025.

SMU Mustangs

2025 starter: Kevin Jennings, redshirt junior

Why he'll start: Jennings replaced returning starter Preston Stone early in the 2024 season and went on to lead SMU to the ACC championship game and the College Football Playoff. He earned third-team all-league honors after passing for 3,245 and 23 touchdowns with 11 interceptions, while adding 354 rushing yards and five scores. Despite a bumpy ending against Penn State, Jennings will return in 2025 as one of the nation's most electric signal-callers. The twist is he will need to beat out a veteran quarterback who has had success under SMU coach Rhett Lashlee.

Competition: Jennings seemingly had a clear path to start in 2025 after Preston Stone, the team's 2023 starter, transferred to Northwestern and top recruit Keelon Russell flipped his commitment to Alabama late last spring. But he likely will be pushed by Wisconsin transfer Tyler Van Dyke, who missed almost all of the 2024 season with a torn ACL. Van Dyke had his most success at Miami in 2021 under Lashlee, then the Hurricanes' coordinator, when the quarterback won ACC Rookie of the Year honors after passing for 2,931 yards with only six interceptions. He ended the season with six straight games of at least 300 passing yards and three touchdowns.

Stanford Cardinal

2025 starter: Elijah Brown, redshirt freshman

Why he'll start: ESPN's No. 231 prospect and No. 11 pocket passer in the Class of 2024, Brown completed 58.3% of his passes for 274 yards with two touchdowns to three interceptions in three games as a freshman. Those three appearances leave Brown as Stanford's most experienced returning quarterback following the portal departures of Ashton Daniels (Auburn) and Justin Lamson (uncommitted). Brown, the highest-rated offensive signee under coach Troy Taylor, carries plenty of potential, but the Cardinal will be asking the 6-foot-2 quarterback to make a big leap in his second college season, especially around his accuracy and decision-making.

Competition: After Brown, three-star freshman Bear Bachmeier is the most promising member of the program's quarterback depth. He's the brother of former Wake Forest quarterback Hank Bachmeier and Stanford wide receiver Tiger Bachmeier, and the younger Bachmeier joins the Cardinal as ESPN's No. 11 dual-threat passer in the 2025 class following a high school career that saw him throw for 6,463 yards with 86 total touchdowns.

Syracuse Orange

2025 starter: Rickie Collins, redshirt sophomore, LSU transfer

Why he'll start: Kyle McCord was not able to get an NCAA waiver for an additional season of eligibility and declared for the NFL draft on Friday. Fran Brown landed Collins out of the portal in December, and since he has three more seasons of eligibility, he could be a quality young quarterback to build around for the future. The No. 199 recruit in the 2023 ESPN 300 played only 32 career snaps in his time as a backup to Jayden Daniels and Garrett Nussmeier. For now, he might be Syracuse's best option unless the staff goes looking for a more experienced arm.

Competition: This will be a big offseason for Jakhari Williams. The 6-foot-2, 203-pound passer was ESPN's No. 13-ranked dual-threat QB recruit in the 2024 class and did not appear in a game during his redshirt season, but he'll compete with Collins and will get the opportunity to prove he can lead the way this offseason.

Virginia Cavaliers

2025 starter: Chandler Morris, redshirt senior, North Texas transfer

Why he'll start: Morris arrives to the Cavaliers via the portal as a potential shot of energy for a Virginia offense that ranked 107th in scoring (22.7 PPG) in coach Tony Elliott's third season. The former Oklahoma and TCU passer exploded in his lone year at North Texas in 2024, hitting career highs with 3,774 passing yards and 31 touchdowns (sixth most nationally) to power a North Texas offense that finished No. 4 nationally in air yards (328.2 YPG). Morris' portal commitment to Virginia marked a statement addition for the Cavaliers, who will add experience (21 career starts) and legitimate arm talent with Morris under center in 2025.

Competition: One day before Virginia landed Morris, Nebraska transfer quarterback Daniel Kaelin announced his commitment to the Cavaliers. The former three-star prospect from Elkhorn, Nebraska, did not appear in a game during his freshman season with the Huskers and joined Virginia with four years of remaining eligibility.

Virginia Tech Hokies

2025 starter: Kyron Drones, redshirt senior

Why he'll start: Drones didn't have the 2024 season that he or Virginia Tech expected. His passing and rushing numbers dropped, his interceptions doubled and he missed all but one game in November because of injury. But Virginia Tech made it clear in bringing him back that Drones will open as QB1 for his final season. The potential he displayed late in 2023 is still there, and he once again will be working under offensive coordinator Tyler Bowen.

Competition: In announcing Drones' return for 2025, Virginia Tech also revealed that backup William Watson III will be back. Watson started two games in 2024 and helped the Hokies to a win against Virginia in the Commonwealth Cup with 254 passing yards and a touchdown, and 48 rushing yards and a touchdown.

Wake Forest Demon Deacons

2025 starter: Robby Ashford, redshirt senior, South Carolina transfer

Why he'll start: Ashford is walking into a rather ideal situation as far as starting opportunities go, joining a Wake Forest squad under new coach Jake Dickert that has no returning starting experience in its QB room. Ashford has produced 2,082 career passing yards, 1,154 rushing yards and 25 total TDs over his stints at Oregon, Auburn and South Carolina and had 10 starts at Auburn before backing up LaNorris Sellers this fall.

Competition: Backups Jeremy Hecklinski and Tyler Mizzell are set to return for 2025, and it's worth noting Dickert did bring three-star QB signee Steele Pizzella with him from Washington State.

Big 12

 Arizona State Sun Devils

2025 starter: Sam Leavitt, redshirt sophomore

Why he'll start: Leavitt was one of the most impressive young quarterbacks in college football this season, a breakout star for the Sun Devils who transferred in from Michigan State and immediately took over as a program leader. The Big 12's Offensive Freshman of the Year produced 2,885 passing yards, 443 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns with just six interceptions and played with incredible poise in Arizona State's biggest games, leading a Big 12 title game blowout win over Iowa State and taking Texas to overtime in the CFP quarterfinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. Kenny Dillingham has consistently praised Leavitt as one of the most competitive players he has ever been around and a future NFL player. He'll be among the most exciting returning quarterbacks in the game next season.

Competition: Former Georgia Tech and Nebraska starter Jeff Sims was able to redshirt during his first season at Arizona State while backing up Leavitt. He's planning to return as a seventh-year senior in 2025 rather than chase starting opportunities in the portal.

 Arizona Wildcats

2025 starter: Noah Fifita, redshirt junior

Why he'll start: The Wildcats have endured a lot of roster attrition after a rough 4-8 season, but Brent Brennan and his staff still have Fifita. The 21-game starter reupped for another season in Tucson with the hopes he can lead a big turnaround and get back to playing like the extremely efficient playmaker who won 10 games in 2023. Fifita finished 13th among Big 12 starters in QBR (54.5) while throwing for 2,958 yards on 60.5% passing with 19 total TDs and 14 turnovers in an offense that could always rely on All-American receiver Tetairoa McMillan but not much else. But a new OC in Seth Doege and a lot of newcomers in the supporting cast create optimism for better days ahead.

Competition: Doege needed to add proven depth after three reserves opted to hit the portal and picked up Wisconsin transfer Braedyn Locke. He started nine games for the Badgers this season and put up 1,940 total yards with 15 TDs and 11 turnovers.

BYU Cougars

2025 starter: Jake Retzlaff, redshirt senior

Why he'll start: Retzlaff started the Cougars' final four games in 2023 before cementing himself as the program's full-time starter this past fall, when he totaled 2,947 passing yards with 20 touchdowns to 12 interceptions and another six scores on the ground in 13 games. The 6-foot-1 passer was one of the motors to BYU's second 11-win season since 2009 as he helped the Cougars climb as high as No. 6 in the College Football Playoff rankings. Retzlaff has to improve his ball security -- 21 turnovers in 17 starts -- but should present a dangerous proposition for Big 12 defenses next fall with another year of experience and BYU's top three receivers expected to return.

Competition: Former transfers Treyson Bourguet (Western Michigan) and McCae Hillstead (Utah State) will battle for the backup job after neither appeared in a game during their respective debut seasons with the Cougars. BYU also signed three-star quarterback Nolan Keeney in the 2025 cycle.

Baylor Bears

2025 starter: Sawyer Robertson, redshirt senior

Why he'll start: Baylor was one of the hottest teams in the country over the second half of the season, and that's in large part thanks to the emergence of Robertson. The Mississippi State transfer proved to be a perfect fit in Jake Spavital's offense and put up 3,071 passing yards, 230 rushing yards, 32 total TDs and eight interceptions after taking over starting duties. Robertson led the Bears on a six-game win streak to close out the regular season and finished No. 7 in QBR (82.9) among FBS starters.

Competition: Nobody will threaten Robertson for the job in 2025, but the Bears did potentially find their quarterback of the future in the portal in Auburn transfer Walker White. The No. 161 recruit in the ESPN 300 for 2024 appeared in one game during a redshirt season with the Tigers.

 Cincinnati Bearcats

2025 starter: Brendan Sorsby, redshirt senior

Why he'll start: The Indiana transfer carried Cincinnati to a promising 5-2 start, and Sorsby recorded 2,813 passing yards with 18 touchdowns and seven interceptions to go with 447 rushing yards and nine rushing scores in his first campaign with the program. However, both Sorsby and the Bearcats' offense sputtered in five consecutive losses to close the regular season during which Sorsby completed 59.2% of his passes, committed six turnovers and threw for more than 200 yards only once. Cincinnati is betting on Sorsby to return to his first-half form in 2025, and help is on the way with three transfer wide receivers set to join the program this offseason.

Competition: The Bearcats have experience in redshirt senior Brady Lichtenberg, but coach Scott Satterfield has a much more intriguing backup option in sophomore quarterback Samaj Jones. The 6-foot-1 passer was ESPN's No. 256 prospect in the 2024 cycle, and Jones' dual-threat ability makes him a logical eventual successor to Sorsby at Cincinnati.

Colorado Buffaloes

2025 starter: Kaidon Salter, redshirt senior, Liberty transfer

Why he'll start: Transferring to Colorado for his final season of eligibility, Salter gives the Buffaloes a seasoned veteran to succeed Shedeur Sanders and a bridge to the program's future at quarterback. Salter thrived in two seasons in Liberty coach Jamey Chadwell's offense, where he accounted for 6,438 yards of offense and 66 total touchdowns in 29 games with the Flames. With 1,676 rushing yards that rank second among FBS quarterbacks since the start of the 2023 season, Salter is a dual-threat weapon with the potential to power a retooled Colorado offense next fall.

Competition: Coach Deion Sanders made his biggest recruiting splash since he arrived in Boulder when he flipped five-star USC quarterback commit Julian Lewis in November. Lewis, ESPN's No. 2 prospect in 2025, reclassified from the 2026 cycle and won't turn 18 until Sept. 21, meaning he'll likely need time to settle in at the college level. But Lewis represents the Buffaloes' quarterback future and could push Salter immediately.

 Houston Cougars

2025 starter: Conner Weigman, redshirt junior, Texas A&M transfer

Why he'll start: Weigman is back home in Houston with two years of remaining eligibility after three seasons at Texas A&M. He led the Aggies to a 9-4 record in 13 starts, but a season-ending injury in 2023 and a midseason benching this past fall kept Weigman from ever fully taking off in College Station. Coach Willie Fritz has a new offensive coordinator in longtime Tulane assistant Slade Nagle, and if Weigman can stay healthy, he'll represent a significant upgrade for a Cougars offense that was 126th nationally in passing yards (152.7 YPG) on the way to a 4-8 finish in 2024.

Competition: Junior Zeon Chriss started Houston's final seven games and will be back for a fourth season with the program. Chriss underwent offseason surgery after recording 824 passing yards with four touchdowns to eight interceptions with four rushing scores last fall.

 Iowa State Cyclones

2025 starter: Rocco Becht, redshirt junior

Why he'll start: Becht raised his game as a sophomore and led the best season in program history. He finished third in the Big 12 in total offense (3,823 yards) and scored 33 total TDs (second most in a season in Cyclones history) while guiding an 11-win squad that got back to the Big 12 championship game. His poise in big moments and dual-threat playmaking ability helped Iowa State finally break through and win a bunch of close games in 2024.

Competition: Cyclones coaches are very high on freshman backup Connor Moberly and his future after he surpassed JJ Kohl as their No. 2 QB. The three-star in-state signee made four appearances during his redshirt season, and Kohl is now heading to App State.

 Kansas Jayhawks

2025 starter: Jalon Daniels, redshirt senior

Why he'll start: Daniels was able to stay healthy and play all 12 games for the Jayhawks in 2024, but his production and efficiency dipped after losing offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki to Penn State. Daniels threw for 2,454 yards, rushed for 439 yards and scored 20 touchdowns but had a career-high 15 turnovers. He was a 68.5% passer in Kotelnicki's system but completed just 57% of his throws in 2024. Daniels opted to come back for one more year, knowing he can be so much better for a team that got hot late but finished 5-7.

Competition: None. Daniels is the team's brightest star and should benefit from quarterbacks coach Jim Zebrowski taking over the Jayhawks' offense in 2025. Cole Ballard saw snaps in three games as Daniels' backup this season.

Kansas State Wildcats

2025 starter: Avery Johnson, junior

Why he'll start: Johnson flashed his dual-threat promise in his first year as a starter and earned bowl season plaudits from coach Chris Klieman for helping keep the bulk of the Wildcats' core out of the transfer portal this offseason. Johnson set a single-season program record with 25 touchdowns while finishing with 2,712 passing yards and another 605 yards on the ground with seven rushing scores. While his production dipped as the Wildcats dropped three of their final four regular-season games, Johnson should be more polished in his second season as a starter, and Kansas State can be a Big 12 contender again with a handful of offensive starters returning around him.

Competition: Ta'Quan Roberson's move to the transfer portal opens the door for former Minnesota transfer Jacob Knuth to become the Wildcats' top reserve. Knuth appeared in his first two college games in his second season at Kansas State.

 Oklahoma State Cowboys

2025 starter: Hauss Hejny, redshirt freshman, TCU transfer

Why he'll start: Hejny was a four-star recruit in the 2024 cycle (No. 269 in the ESPN 300) and enters the Cowboys' quarterback room with four years of eligibility. He did not attempt a pass in four appearances at TCU, but Hejny showed his running ability with a season-best 48 yards on eight carries in the Horned Frogs' regular-season finale. Hejny's relationship with former TCU assistant and first-year Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Doug Meacham dates back to high school, and he'll be looked upon to help spark a turnaround for the Cowboys, who closed 3-9 in the worst finish of coach Mike Gundy's tenure.

Competition: Gundy hasn't been afraid to take his quarterback battles into the regular season in recent years, and he could do the same in 2025. Behind Hejny, Oklahoma State is currently slated to return junior Garret Rangel and sophomores Maealiuaki Smith and Zane Flores, leaving Gundy with options to play with as long as he decides to keep his quarterback competition open.

TCU Horned Frogs

2025 starter: Josh Hoover, redshirt junior

Why he'll start: The 6-foot-2 Texan set the Horned Frogs' single-season passing record with 3,949 yards in his first full season as a starter. Hoover's passing yards total trailed only Colorado's Shedeur Sanders among Big 12 quarterbacks, and he finished the season with 27 passing scores (16th nationally) after leading TCU to wins in six of its last seven games. The Horned Frogs would like to see Hoover cut down his turnovers (17 in 2024), but a TCU offense that ranked No. 8 in passing yards (312.9 YPG) promises to get even better with Hoover returning as a starter.

Competition: Hejny's move to Oklahoma State leaves senior Ken Seals as an experienced No. 2 option for the Horned Frogs. The former Vanderbilt quarterback completed 10 of his 13 passes while appearing in five games in 2024. TCU also added four-star passer Adam Schobel in the 2025 recruiting cycle.

 Texas Tech Red Raiders

2025 starter: Behren Morton, redshirt senior

Why he'll start: Morton got lots of opportunities to start early in his career due to Tyler Shough's injuries, but 2024 was his first chance to be QB1 for a full season. He finished fourth in the Big 12 in passing with 3,335 yards on 63% passing, throwing for 27 touchdowns and eight picks and leading some big wins, including victories over Arizona State and Iowa State, over an eight-win season. Now the Red Raiders are going all-in for 2025 with arguably the No. 1 portal class in the country. They're hoping Morton can stay healthy and put together his best season yet to make them a Big 12 title and College Football Playoff contender.

Competition: Freshman Will Hammond earned valuable reps while redshirting, playing 49 snaps against TCU when Morton went down with an injury and earning the start in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl against Arkansas. Hammond threw for 280 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions in a 39-26 loss to Arkansas.

 UCF Knights

2025 starter: Tayven Jackson, redshirt junior, Indiana transfer

Why he'll start: Coach Scott Frost is back in Orlando and must find a true No. 1 quarterback to build around after the Knights struggled with four different starting quarterbacks in 2024. Jackson comes in with intriguing potential after one year at Tennessee and two at Indiana. He played well in some high-pressure moments this season when Kurtis Rourke was injured, leading the then-undefeated Hoosiers to wins over Nebraska and Washington and finishing with 422 total yards and seven TDs with one interception over 152 snaps. He's ready to prove he can be a full-time starter.

Competition: UCF added another transfer this offseason in Cam Fancher, who comes in with 26 career starts from his stints at FAU and Marshall. Dylan Rizk and Jacurri Brown also got opportunities to start in 2024 and will try to push Jackson for the job.

Utah Utes

2025 starter: Devon Dampier, junior, New Mexico transfer

Why he'll start: Dampier was one of the most exciting playmakers at the Group of 5 level in 2024 and earned first-team All-Mountain West honors after leading the conference in total offense with 3,934 yards. The 5-foot-10, 198-pound sophomore rushed for 1,166 yards, fourth most among all FBS quarterbacks, on a ridiculous 7.5 yards per rush and scored 19 rushing touchdowns. He followed his coordinator Jason Beck to Salt Lake City this offseason and is sure to be a big problem for Big 12 defenses in 2025.

Competition: The Utes dealt with a lot of attrition in their quarterbacks room this offseason but did get Isaac Wilson to withdraw from the portal and return for another season after he started seven games as a true freshman. They also brought back speedy backup Nate Johnson, who rejoined the program after one season at Vanderbilt.

West Virginia Mountaineers

2025 starter: Nicco Marchiol, redshirt junior

Why he'll start: Rich Rodriguez is inheriting a talented lefty he can build his offense around in his return to Morgantown. Marchiol has stepped in to make four starts over the past two seasons when Garrett Greene dealt with injuries and went 4-0 in those opportunities. After putting up 1,027 total yards and 11 TDs with six turnovers over 19 career games, he's looking forward to his chance to shine in 2025.

Competition: Rodriguez hasn't seemed interested in supplanting Marchiol with a portal pickup for Year 1 but has brought in two backups who possess starting experience in Jaylen Henderson (Texas A&M) and Max Brown (Charlotte).

Big Ten

Illinois Fighting Illini

2025 starter: Luke Altmyer, redshirt senior

Why he'll start: Altmyer already has started two years for Illinois and comes off a strong 2024 season, where he passed for 2,717 yards and 22 touchdowns with only six interceptions, while adding four rushing scores. He led Illinois to its first 10-win season since 2001 and a possible AP top-15 finish, while throwing a touchdown pass in all but two games. Altmyer will be throwing to a new group of primary receivers in 2025, and his experience should pay off.

Competition: The Illini added some insurance at quarterback in Northern Illinois transfer Ethan Hampton, a junior, who helped the Huskies upset Notre Dame in South Bend and started 11 games this past season, throwing 12 touchdown passes and six interceptions.

Indiana Hoosiers

2025 starter: Fernando Mendoza, redshirt junior, Cal transfer

Why he'll start: Mendoza was one of the biggest prizes in the quarterback transfer market and a natural successor to Kurtis Rourke, the Ohio transfer who earned second-team All-Big Ten honors and led Indiana to its first 10-0 start and a CFP appearance. A Miami native, Mendoza helped Cal to consecutive bowl appearances and showed significant improvement this past season, when he eclipsed 3,000 passing yards and improved his completion percentage from 63% in 2023 to 68.7%. Mendoza connected on at least 64.7% of his passes in all but two games for the Bears. He also has two years of experience and could lead IU's offense through 2026.

Competition: Indiana added a second transfer quarterback in Grant Wilson, who started 14 games at Old Dominion and had his 2024 season cut short by injury. Mendoza also joins his younger brother, Alberto, a second-year quarterback for the Hoosiers.

Iowa Hawkeyes

2025 starter: Mark Gronowski, redshirt senior, South Dakota State transfer

Why he'll start: Iowa is bringing in one of the most prolific quarterbacks at the FCS level for his final season of eligibility. Gronowski was a four-year starter for the Jackrabbits with a 49-6 career record and earned two national championship rings. He won the Walter Payton Award as the top offensive player in FCS in 2023 and has thrown for more than 10,000 yards in his career. An offseason surgery will force Gronowski to miss spring practice with the Hawkeyes, but Iowa is hoping he'll be cleared by June and will continue to be highly productive in Tim Lester's offense.

Competition: Northwestern transfer Brendan Sullivan earned three starts late in the season for the Hawkeyes and is set to return for 2025. Iowa also landed Auburn redshirt freshman transfer Hank Brown in December.

Maryland Terrapins

2025 starter: Justyn Martin, redshirt junior, UCLA transfer

Why he'll start: The Terrapins, looking to replace Billy Edwards Jr. (Wisconsin transfer), made Martin a priority in the transfer portal and beat Florida for the 6-foot-4, 220-pound quarterback. Martin appeared in just five games across three seasons at UCLA. He made his first career start and went 22-for-30 with 167 yards and a touchdown in a 27-11 loss to Penn State on Oct. 5. Edwards emerged as a breakout star in his first season as a starter in 2024, and Maryland will hope Martin can make a similar leap working with offensive coordinator Josh Gattis.

Competition: The Terrapins landed a key in-state addition with the signing of four-star 2025 quarterback Malik Washington. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Washington, ESPN's No. 217 prospect in 2025, is viewed as a future Power 4 starter and could be called upon early if Martin struggles in the starting job.

 Michigan State Spartans

2025 starter: Aidan Chiles, junior

Why he'll start: Chiles, who came with coach Jonathan Smith and offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren from Oregon State, should get the first opportunity to start despite a turbulent 2024 season. He played well in a home win against Iowa and limited his interceptions during the second half of the season after throwing nine in the first seven games. The 6-3, 217-pound Chiles understands the offense and has growth potential. He could become one of the Big Ten's better quarterbacks in 2025 with a bit more consistency.

Competition: Tommy Schuster, who backed up Chiles in 2024, returns after completing 20 of 29 passes in limited action last fall.

Michigan Wolverines

2025 starter: Mikey Keene, redshirt senior, Fresno State transfer

Why he'll start: Michigan added Keene, who started the past two seasons at Fresno State and went 8-3 as a starter at UCF, as a short-term buffer before No. 1 recruit Bryce Underwood can take over. Keene threw for 5,868 yards and 42 touchdowns at Fresno State, earning honorable mention All-Mountain West honors in each season. He's a career 67.8% passer who should fit well into Michigan's offense under new coordinator Chip Lindsey. Keene's tenure as Michigan's QB1 hinges on his own performance and Underwood's development, but his experience gives him an edge.

Competition: Underwood, Michigan's highest-rated quarterback recruit ever and the first No. 1 prospect to sign with the Wolverines since defensive lineman Rashan Gary, will be the team's future quarterback. The key is how quickly he develops after joining the team for some bowl practices in December. Michigan also brings back Davis Warren, who started most of 2024 and had a few good moments but also is coming off an ACL injury.

 Minnesota Golden Gophers

2025 starter: Drake Lindsey, redshirt freshman

Why he'll start: Minnesota went to the portal and plucked a veteran quarterback for 2024 in Max Brosmer, but the team remained high on Lindsey, an ESPN three-star recruit with impressive size at 6-5 and 230 pounds. Lindsey will need to earn the job in the offseason but is familiar with offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh Jr.'s offense. He had only five pass attempts in 2024, completing an 8-yard touchdown pass in a rout of Rhode Island and a 15-yard pass in the Duke's Mayo Bowl win against Virginia Tech.

Competition: Georgia Tech transfer Zach Pyron should push Lindsey, as he started five games with the Yellow Jackets and helped the team to a win over Virginia Tech in 2022. Pyron also has mobility, averaging 3.4 yards per carry with six rushing touchdowns at Georgia Tech. Dylan Wittke, a transfer from Virginia Tech, will be in his second season with the Gophers and third overall in college.

Nebraska Cornhuskers

2025 starter: Dylan Raiola, sophomore

Why he'll start: Raiola, ESPN's top pocket passer and No. 11 recruit in the 2024 class, arrived amid a ton of buzz and handled things fairly well as a true freshman starter. Raiola completed 67.1% of his passes and eclipsed 220 passing yards seven times, helping Nebraska to its first bowl appearance since 2016. He finished with only 13 passing touchdowns, though, and just five in the final nine games, so improvement is needed. Nebraska accelerated its plan for the future by hiring offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen during the season and ensuring his return for 2025 to mentor Raiola.

Competition: None. After a bit of buzz about Raiola entering the portal, Nebraska secured him for 2025 while watching fellow freshman Daniel Kaelin transfer to Virginia. Former reserve QB Heinrich Haarberg is likely switching positions, so Raiola will have every chance to keep the job while Purdue transfer Marcos Davila and incoming ESPN 300 recruit T.J. Lateef develop.

 Northwestern Wildcats

2025 starter: Preston Stone, redshirt senior, SMU transfer

Why he'll start: Northwestern needed an experienced quarterback to upgrade an offense that finished 111th nationally in passing and 128th in total QBR in 2023. Stone is a former top-125 national recruit who passed for 3,197 yards and 28 touchdowns as SMU's starter in 2023 before sustaining a broken leg in the regular-season finale. He started 2024 as the Mustangs' QB1 but was replaced by Kevin Jennings. Stone's arm talent will be a massive upgrade for Northwestern, which was more aggressive in the winter portal, especially on the offensive side.

Competition: Northwestern returns both quarterbacks who started games in 2024, but Mike Wright could be headed for a position change and Jack Lausch, who started the final 10 games, likely will be in a reserve role behind Stone. The coaching staff is high on Ryan Boe, who saw action in the season finale and could emerge as the guy following Stone.

Ohio State Buckeyes

2025 starter: Julian Sayin, redshirt freshman

Why he'll start: The former five-star prospect landed at Ohio State only after enrolling at Alabama and entering the transfer portal after Nick Saban's retirement last January. Now, with Will Howard (NFL draft) and Air Noland (South Carolina) all elsewhere, the path is clear for Sayin to step into the Buckeyes' starting role. Sayin got into only four games during his freshman season, but he impressed Ohio State's coaching staff with his development behind the scenes. In 2025, the pressure of the Buckeyes' quarterback job will fall on Sayin's shoulders as Ohio State turns to its youngest starter since C.J. Stroud took the reins in 2021.

Competition: Five-star freshman Tavien St. Clair trailed only top overall prospects Bryce Underwood (Michigan) and Julian Lewis (Colorado) as ESPN's No. 3 quarterback in the 2025 class. St. Clair will need time to develop, but with arm talent, a sturdy build and impressive mobility, he projects as a promising quarterback for the future who could eventually challenge Sayin for the top job.

Oregon Ducks

2025 starter: Dante Moore, redshirt sophomore

Why he'll start: Moore was thrown into the deep end as a true freshman starter at UCLA in 2023 and greatly benefited from a year behind an experienced starter in Dillon Gabriel this fall. Moore thoroughly impressed Ducks coaches in practice, enough so that they didn't look to the portal for another veteran arm. Expectations will once again be extremely high for the former No. 2 overall recruit as he looks to lead the program to another Big Ten title and College Football Playoff appearance.

Competition: Keeping backup Austin Novosad on the roster for 2025 was important to Oregon's coaching staff. The former ESPN 300 recruit hasn't played much, attempting just 13 passes over his first two seasons, but he's the clear favorite to be QB2, especially after Sagapolutele's quick exit.

Penn State Nittany Lions

2025 starter: Drew Allar, senior

Why he'll start: Allar started the past two seasons for Penn State and showed tangible improvement in 2024, helping the Nittany Lions to the Big Ten title game and their first CFP appearance. Despite a relatively thin NFL draft quarterback class, Allar indicated last month that he would return for a fourth season at Penn State. There's still some buzz about him entering the draft, given a thin QB class, but Allar's shaky postseason, culminating in last week's loss to Notre Dame, suggests additional development is needed. He's set to work again with innovative offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki and should have an improved wide receiver group. Allar completed 71.6% of his passes during the regular season and reached 65% in all but two games. He also has generally been very strong at limiting major mistakes, including interceptions.

Competition: Backup Beau Pribula's transfer to Missouri further cements Allar's starter status. Ethan Grunkemeyer, an ESPN top-80 recruit in 2024, saw his first action in the CFP first-round game against SMU and could be in line to replace Allar in 2026.

Purdue Boilermakers

2025 starter: Malachi Singleton, redshirt sophomore, Arkansas transfer

Why he'll start: The dual-threat passer from Kennesaw, Georgia, is one of a handful of new faces in a new-look Purdue quarterback room under first-year coach Barry Odom. Singleton earned his most significant playing time in 2024 during a 63-31 loss to Ole Miss where he was 11-of-14 for 207 passing yards with 44 yards on the ground and two total touchdowns. Altogether, Singleton's five total college appearances make him the most experienced quarterback on the Boilermakers' roster.

Competition: Offseason transfers EJ Colson (UCF), Evans Chuba (Washington State) and former Arizona State transfer Bennett Meredith make up Purdue's depth behind Singleton with five games of college football experience between the trio. The Boilermakers' lack of proven production at the position could make for an interesting quarterback situation in the fall.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights

2025 starter: Athan Kaliakmanis, redshirt senior

Why he'll start: Kaliakmanis transferred in from Minnesota with starting experience and familiarity with offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca, but he also needed to establish himself at Rutgers, which he did. The Illinois native won the starting job in spring practice and helped Rutgers to seven wins, while passing for 2,696 yards with 18 touchdowns, seven interceptions and three rushing touchdowns. He's a career 53.6% passer who certainly could improve his accuracy, but Kaliakmanis will enter 2025 as one of the more experienced quarterbacks in the Power 4.

Competition: None. No other Rutgers quarterbacks attempted a pass in 2024, and the team has not added a quarterback transfer in the winter. Rutgers has added several three-star quarterback recruits, including Ajani Sheppard, who will enter his third season in 2025.

UCLA Bruins

2025 starter: Joey Aguilar, senior, Appalachian State transfer

Why he'll start: Aguilar was granted an extra year of eligibility under the NCAA's blanket waiver for former junior college athletes for the 2025-26 season, and the 6-foot-3 passer will spend his final college season with the Bruins. Aguilar began his career at Diablo Valley (California) Junior College and threw for 6,760 yards and 56 touchdowns in two seasons at Appalachian State. At UCLA, he'll link up with first-year offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri as the Bruins seek to overhaul an offense that finished No. 126 in scoring in coach DeShaun Foster's first season last fall.

Competition: UCLA's quarterback rotation includes sophomore's Dermaricus Davis, Karson Gordon, Henry Hasselbeck along with three-star freshman Robert McDaniel, ESPN's No. 51 pocket passer in the 2025 class. Deep in numbers, the Bruins will be thin on experience behind Aguilar.

USC Trojans

2025 starter: Jayden Maiava, redshirt junior

Why he'll start: The former UNLV transfer seemingly earned coach Lincoln Riley's trust in the starting role over the back half of his first season with the Trojans. Maiava replaced starter Miller Moss for USC's final four games and totaled 1,201 yards with 11 touchdowns and six interceptions, throwing for a season-high 360 yards in a loss to Notre Dame before leading touchdown drives on three of the Trojans' final four possessions in a comeback win over Texas A&M in the Las Vegas Bowl. Maiava's mobility in the pocket makes him a true fit for Riley's offense, and as with most Riley-era teams at USC, the talent around Maiava next fall will factor heavily into both his success and the Trojans' overall ceiling in Riley's fourth season in charge.

Competition: Moss transferred to Louisville and USC used the portal to add a veteran in Utah's Sam Huard, a former Washington and Cal Poly transfer with 13 career starts. More intriguing for the future is four-star 2025 signee Husan Longstreet, ESPN's No. 47 prospect who flipped to the Trojans from Texas A&M.

Washington Huskies

2025 starter: Demond Williams Jr., sophomore

Why he'll start: Coach Jedd Fisch brought Williams with him from Arizona and began preparing the gifted quarterback to be a starter late in the 2024 season. He completed 17 of 20 passes for 201 yards and a touchdown against No. 1 Oregon and then showed off his talent, even in defeat, during a 35-34 loss to Louisville in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl. Williams completed 26 of 32 passes for 374 yards and four touchdowns, while also rushing for 48 yards and a touchdown. He's set up to be one of the nation's most exciting first-year starters at quarterback in 2025.

Competition: Not much. Washington doesn't have another experienced quarterback on the roster, although the team adds ESPN three-star prospects Dash Beierly and Treston McMillan in the 2025 class.

Wisconsin Badgers

2025 starter: Billy Edwards Jr., redshirt senior, Maryland transfer

Why he'll start: The Big Ten's fifth-leading passer in 2024, Edwards brings new energy to a Badgers offense that finished 101st nationally in passing yards (196.7 YPG) last fall. Edwards finished his first season as a starter with 2,881 yards with 15 touchdowns, and while his production didn't lead to a winning record -- Maryland went 4-8 -- Edwards has the tools to help reinvigorate the Wisconsin offense under first-year coordinator Jeff Grimes, especially if he can cut down on turnovers next fall.

Competition: The final weeks of 2024 saw a mass exodus among Badgers quarterbacks with Tyler Van Dyke (SMU), Braedyn Locke (Arizona), Mabrey Mettauer (Sam Houston) and Cole LaCrue (uncommitted) all hitting the portal. San Diego State transfer Danny O'Neil holds three years of eligibility and could be a long-term successor under center for the Badgers with ESPN 300 signee Carter Smith also set to join the program in 2025.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

2025 starter: CJ Carr, redshirt freshman

Why he'll start: Notre Dame's situation could go a few different ways, but if Carr is healthy, he should get a chance to end the team's run of transfers and lead the offense for multiple seasons. Carr looked like the team's most talented quarterback in April's spring game, and the grandson of former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr came to Notre Dame as ESPN's No. 2 pocket passer and No. 36 overall recruit in the 2024 class. Although backup Steve Angeli has waited patiently and been effective when given opportunities, Carr is seen as having a higher talent ceiling. The question is whether Carr's throwing elbow injury, which surfaced during practice in September, is fully healed.

Competition: Angeli certainly could push for and win the job. He once again showed his value in last week's CFP semifinal win against Penn State, completing 6 of 7 passes to lead Notre Dame's first scoring drive while starter Riley Leonard was being evaluated for a possible concussion. Angeli has great numbers in limited opportunities -- 10 touchdowns, 1 interception, 73.4% completions -- but also has been passed over multiple times. Kenny Minchey also has been in the program, and Notre Dame recently signed ESPN 300 recruit Blake Hebert. Another transfer is never truly out of the question despite coach Marcus Freeman saying last month that Notre Dame wouldn't go back to the portal. Could the Irish take a big swing at someone like Quinn Ewers?

SEC

Alabama Crimson Tide

2025 starter: Ty Simpson, redshirt junior

Why he'll start: Of the four quarterbacks the Crimson Tide signed across three recruiting classes from 2022 to 2024, Simpson is the only one remaining on the roster, and Jalen Milroe's move to the NFL draft offers him a clear shot at the starting job in 2025. Simpson has appeared in parts of 16 college games, with his most significant college action coming when he replaced Milroe and led the Crimson Tide to 17 unanswered points in a September 2023 win at USF. With pressure on coach Kalen DeBoer after a 9-4 finish in 2024, Simpson is Alabama's most experienced quarterback, and he should be given an opportunity to claim QB1 duties in the fall if the Crimson Tide don't add through the portal before then.

Competition: All of the Crimson Tide's other recent quarterback signees -- Pitt's Eli Holstein, Ohio State's Julian Sayin and Boston College's Dylan Lonergan -- play elsewhere now, but five-star 2025 recruit Keelon Russell has a promising future under center at Alabama. A two-time state champion in Texas' top high school classification, Russell is an elite playmaker who will be pushing for starting snaps sooner or later in Tuscaloosa.

Arkansas Razorbacks

2025 starter: Taylen Green, redshirt senior

Why he'll start: Green transferred in from Boise State and became the motor to a Razorbacks offense that ranked second in yards per game (459.2) and third in rushing (184.5 YPG). His 3,154 passing yards and 15 touchdowns through the air in 2024 each marked a career high, as did Green's 602 rushing yards, which ranked fourth among SEC quarterbacks. He averaged just over a turnover per game last fall, so Green will have to improve his ball security in 2025, but he remains a dynamic weapon and an important constant for a much-changed Razorbacks offense that had added 12 transfer newcomers as of the third week in January.

Competition: Backups KJ Jackson and Blake Boda have each appeared in one game over the course of their college careers. Behind them, Arkansas has a pair of freshman newcomers at quarterback in ESPN 300 signees Madden Iamaleava (No. 143) and Grayson Wilson (No. 280).

Auburn Tigers

2025 starter: Jackson Arnold, junior, Oklahoma transfer

Why he'll start: Auburn's active winter transfer period, which included adding two quarterbacks, was done in part to upgrade an offense that showed some improvement in coach Hugh Freeze's second year but still finished 78th nationally in scoring. Arnold, ESPN's No. 3 recruit in the 2024 class, had a bumpy tenure at Oklahoma, where he started 10 games during two seasons but was benched in late September, only to return in October. Arnold finished with 1,421 passing yards, 12 touchdowns and 3 interceptions this past season, adding 444 rushing yards and three scores. He's the type of quarterback who has had success before under Freeze and should get the first opportunity in a critical season at Auburn.

Competition: Four-star signee Deuce Knight is the highest-ranked offensive recruit in Auburn's 2025 class. The team also added Stanford transfer Ashton Daniels, who had 3,986 passing yards, 21 touchdowns and 20 interceptions, as well as 1,117 rushing yards and nine touchdowns, in three seasons with the Cardinal.

Florida Gators

2025 starter: DJ Lagway, sophomore

Why he'll start: Lagway, ESPN's No. 8 recruit in the 2024 class, became Florida's starter after Graham Mertz's ACL injury and helped lead a late-season renaissance for coach Billy Napier. The 6-3, 239-pound Lagway displayed big-play passing ability, averaging 16.7 yards per completion, and improved his accuracy in wins against Ole Miss, Florida State and Tulane to close the season. Lagway's game needs some refinement, though, and Napier will have the chance to maximize the young quarterback's ability in 2025.

Competition: The Gators looked for insurance behind Lagway and seemingly got some in Charlotte transfer Deshawn Purdie, a part-time starter who had 1,802 pass yards with 10 touchdowns and six interceptions last fall. But Purdie asked for and was granted his release, opening up a need for a veteran backup. The Gators also signed four-star QB recruit Tramell Jones Jr. in December.

Georgia Bulldogs

2025 starter: Gunner Stockton, redshirt junior

Why he'll start: Beck's elbow injury gave Kirby Smart and his staff a chance to find out what they have in Stockton in the biggest games of the season. Stockton got the job done in the SEC title game and pulled off an overtime win over Texas. He then threw for 234 yards on 20-of-32 passing against an excellent Notre Dame defense in the Sugar Bowl. The Bulldogs were in the mix for Fernando Mendoza but appear to be moving forward with Stockton as their QB1 for 2025.

Competition: Could Georgia still end up bringing in a transfer this offseason to compete with Stockton? We shall see. None of the Bulldogs' other scholarship quarterbacks on the roster for next season -- Ryan Puglisi, Hezekiah Millender and Ryan Montgomery -- has game experience at the college level.

Kentucky Wildcats

2025 starter: Zach Calzada, redshirt senior, Incarnate Word transfer

Why he'll start: What a journey it has been for Calzada. The former four-star recruit started 10 games at Texas A&M, including an epic upset of No. 1 Alabama in 2021, and had a brief stint as a backup at Auburn before moving down to the FCS level and thriving at Incarnate Word. After throwing for 6,144 yards and 53 TDs over two seasons and earning Southland Conference Player of the Year in 2024, Calzada is now back in the SEC as a seventh-year senior.

Competition: Calzada's experience will be hard to beat, but Cutter Boley will challenge him for the job. The former four-star recruit played significant snaps in three games as a true freshman and earned his first start in the Wildcats' 41-14 loss to rival Louisville.

LSU Tigers

2025 starter: Garrett Nussmeier, redshirt senior

Why he'll start: After waiting patiently behind Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels and others, Nussmeier took advantage of his first season as LSU's starter and will be back for another. He's one of only five FBS quarterbacks to eclipse 4,000 passing yards and finished third nationally in completions with 337. Nussmeier overcame a tough start to rally LSU past Ole Miss in overtime. His next step is limiting interceptions against the best teams on the schedule, but the fifth-year senior will get that opportunity in 2025.

Competition: LSU added an intriguing transfer in Michael Van Buren Jr., who started the final eight games of the 2024 season for Mississippi State and had eight touchdown passes during a three-game stretch against Georgia, Texas A&M and Arkansas. After losing top QB recruit Bryce Underwood, LSU could turn to Van Buren, who has three years of eligibility left.

Mississippi State Bulldogs

2025 starter: Blake Shapen, redshirt senior

Why he'll start: MSU coach Jeff Lebby has faith in Shapen, a former Baylor transfer. He suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in his fourth game with the Bulldogs in September, but Shapen was third in the SEC with 974 passing yards and eight passing TDs when he went down. The 27-game starter should be the front-runner entering spring practice, especially after Michael Van Buren Jr. moved on to LSU.

Competition: Mississippi State has a bright future at the quarterback position and should have good competition between Florida State freshman transfer Luke Kromenhoek and incoming signee KaMario Taylor, two former ESPN 300 recruits around whom Lebby can build.

Missouri Tigers

2025 starter: Beau Pribula, redshirt junior, Penn State transfer

Why he'll start: Pribula entered the portal upon Drew Allar's decision to return for another season at Penn State and joins Missouri after the Tigers wrapped up back-to-back 10-win seasons for only the third time in program history. Pribula was more than just a backup for the Nittany Lions in 2024, scoring nine total touchdowns as a feature runner and red zone specialist who totaled 242 rushing yards on 38 carries. His predecessor at Mizzou, Brady Cook, was a model of consistency in three years as a starter, and Pribula will have to prove himself as a passer in a full-time role with the Tigers after spending the past three years as Allar's backup at Penn State.

Competition: Drew Pyne, a former Notre Dame and Arizona State quarterback, proved a reliable No. 2 for Missouri in 2024 and remarkably still holds multiple years of eligibility despite having started his college career in 2020. The Tigers have potential upside in redshirt junior Sam Horn -- who also plays baseball at Missouri -- depending on his recovery from Tommy John surgery, while four-star quarterback Matt Zollers (No. 93 in the 2025 ESPN 300) is expected to need time to develop.

Oklahoma Sooners

2025 starter: John Mateer, redshirt junior, Washington State transfer

Why he'll start: Mateer was considered the top quarterback on this year's transfer market, and he came to Oklahoma as a package deal alongside offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle. The two thrived together in 2024 at Washington State, where Mateer had 3,139 passing yards and 29 touchdowns with seven interceptions, and added 826 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns. Mateer was a Manning Award finalist and set WSU single-season records for rushing yards and rushing touchdowns by a quarterback. He knows Arbuckle's system better than any other Oklahoma player and could lead the offense through 2026.

Competition: The Sooners return Michael Hawkins Jr., who started three games as a true freshman in 2024 and completed 65% of his passes with two touchdowns in a Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl loss to Navy. Oklahoma also added a second quarterback transfer in veteran FCS signal-caller Cole Gonzales, who had 6,682 career passing yards and 51 touchdowns at Western Carolina.

Ole Miss Rebels

2025 starter: Austin Simmons, redshirt sophomore

Why he'll start: Lane Kiffin has not been looking to the transfer portal to find a successor for three-year starter Jaxson Dart. He trusts his next man up is going to be the real deal. Simmons, a talented two-sport athlete as a quarterback and left-handed pitcher, has played just 79 snaps but impressed with a 75-yard touchdown drive in the Rebels' upset win over Georgia and threw for 282 yards on 19-of-32 passing in 2024. He has three more seasons of eligibility and a ton of upside.

Competition: If the Rebels don't add a veteran arm for depth, then the only real competition for Simmons this offseason will be redshirt freshman AJ Maddox, a former ESPN 300 recruit, and Louisville transfer Pierce Clarkson, who'll be a redshirt sophomore.

South Carolina Gamecocks

2025 starter: LaNorris Sellers, redshirt sophomore

Why he'll start: Sellers was one of the breakout stars for a South Carolina team that reached nine wins for the first time since 2017 and knocked on the door of the College Football Playoff in 2024. An impressive athlete at 6-3, 242 pounds, Sellers used his size and mobility to record 3,208 total yards and 25 total touchdowns while leading the Gamecocks to three ranked wins in his first season as a starter. With another year of development, Sellers will return in 2025 as one of the SEC's most dynamic and intriguing quarterbacks at the helm of a promising roster that exceeded expectations last fall.

Competition: The Gamecocks added a former four-star recruit behind Sellers with the December portal signing of Ohio State transfer Air Noland. ESPN's No. 52 prospect in the 2024 class, Noland is a lefty who counts top-end accuracy and strong decision-making among his strongest traits, and he could be next in line at South Carolina if Sellers does enough to declare for the NFL draft after the 2025 season.

Tennessee Volunteers

2025 starter: Nico Iamaleava, redshirt sophomore

Why he'll start: Iamaleava became the first true or redshirt freshman to lead the Vols to 10 wins and powered the program to its first playoff appearance in his debut season as Tennessee's starter. He threw for 2,616 yards and 19 touchdowns, and, just as importantly, Iamaleava held on to the football, finishing with the fourth-fewest interceptions -- five -- among starting quarterbacks in the SEC. The Vols struggled at times to protect Iamaleava, who was sacked 28 times last fall, but if Tennessee can keep its quarterback upright, Iamaleava should only continue to grow in 2025.

Competition: The Vols' quarterback depth got young in a hurry with upperclassman Gaston Moore's decision to enter the transfer portal. His exit leaves sophomore Jake Merklinger (two games in 2025) and 2025 signee George MacIntyre (No. 103 in 2025 ESPN 300) as the primary competitors to claim the backup job behind Iamaleava.

Texas Longhorns

2025 starter: Arch Manning, redshirt sophomore

Why he'll start: Manning has backed up Quinn Ewers for two seasons and now should get his chance to headline what will be one of the most anticipated quarterback situations in recent memory. The nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning and grandson of Archie Manning came to Texas as ESPN's No. 5 recruit in the 2023 class. Arch Manning saw more playing time this season as Ewers dealt with injury, and he completed 61 of 90 passes for 939 yards and nine touchdowns. He also showcased big-play ability as a runner, breaking off a 67-yard scamper against UTSA and averaging 4.2 yards per carry.

Competition: With Ewers off to the NFL, Manning's path to start is pretty clear. ESPN four-star recruit Trey Owens will be entering his second year with the program, and Texas signed top-120 recruit K.J. Lacey in December.

Texas A&M Aggies

2025 starter: Marcel Reed, redshirt sophomore

Why he'll start: Reed won each of his first three starts and was the shot of adrenaline Texas A&M needed when he replaced Connor Weigman to lead a ferocious Aggies comeback against LSU in late October. The freshman quarterback never relinquished starting duties from there, and Reed's promising dual-threat ability was a silver lining through Texas A&M's 1-4 finish to the 2024 season. Transfer wide receivers KC Concepcion (NC State), Micah Hudson (Texas Tech) and Mario Craver (Mississippi State) make up an impressively rebuilt pass-catching unit for the Aggies as the program looks to build around Reed's talent in 2025.

Competition: Texas A&M will have experience behind Reed in seventh-year transfer Jacob Zeno, who spent three years each at Baylor and UAB before landing with the Aggies. Four-star signee Brady Hart, who flipped from Michigan and reclassified into the 2025 cycle, joined the program in January as a 16-year-old freshman.

 Vanderbilt Commodores

2025 starter: Diego Pavia, senior

Why he'll start: Pavia's decision to sue the NCAA over its eligibility standards and the eligibility waiver that lawsuit prompted will impact thousands of former junior college athletes. Those two developments are important for the Commodores and coach Clark Lea, too, as Vanderbilt will have its star quarterback on campus for another season in 2025. Pavia, a former New Mexico State transfer, helped charge Vanderbilt's winningest campaign since 2013 with 2,293 passing yards, 800 rushing yards and 28 total touchdowns in his debut season with the Commodores, which included a historic upset over No. 1 Alabama and the program's first bowl win in more than a decade. As Vanderbilt looks to build on a 7-6 finish, there has been no offseason development bigger than Pavia's return.

Competition: With Nate Johnson's transfer back to Utah, remaining backups Blaze Berlowitz and Drew Dickey have yet to appear in a game for the Commodores. Dickey spent the 2024 season ahead of Berlowitz on the depth chart, but Berlowitz's experience under coordinator Tim Beck at New Mexico State could give him the edge in a battle to back up Pavia in 2025.