RADIO
RotoBaller's top 25 college football quarterback rankings for Week 10 of the 2025 season, featuring Fernando Mendoza, Dante Moore, Byrum Brown, and more.
Top 25 College Football Quarterback Rankings For Week 10
The media is so desperate to give the Heisman Trophy to a quarterback that there is a lot of discourse over who the best quarterback is in a season where none is standing well above the rest. What makes a better quarterback? Is it passing stats? Rushing stats? Wins? I know that the quarterback is the face and the leader of the team, but he is only one of 22 starters, and one of probably 40 players who see regular playing time. Wins seem like a stat that shouldn’t fall completely on the quarterback, good or bad. I don’t consider wins heavily in my rankings. Decision-making and taking care of the ball are factored, and that feels like enough.
25, Taylen Green, Arkansas
Last week: 7 (⇓18)
Result: 14-22, 268 yards, TD, 3 INT; 7 carries, 14 yards
Season totals: 152-243, 2,178 yards, 18 TD, 8 INT; 90 carries, 603 yards, 5 TD
Green is a hard guy to rank. The 603 rushing yards are outstanding. The eight interceptions? Not so much. We value ball security around here. The Auburn defense got after Green and forced him into some bad decisions. Green will likely rebound, but those interceptions tanked his ranking for the time being.
24. Sawyer Robertson, Baylor
Last week: 18 (⇓6)
Result: 18-26, 137 yards, 2 TD; 8 carries, 6 yards, TD
Season totals: 201-326, 2,513 yards, 23 TD, 7 INT; 35 carries, 5 yards, 2 TD
The pedestrian day from Robertson still didn’t unseat him from the FBS passing yards leader. That’s how far ahead of the field he was. The single touchdown pass moved him down to third in FBS. It has still been a strong season for Robertson, but the interception total is a drawback.
23. Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt
Last week: 19 (⇓4)
Result: 10-19, 129 yards, INT; 17 carries, 86 yards, 2 TD
Season totals: 129-183, 1,569 yards, 15 TD, 4 INT; 85 carries, 458 yards, 5 TD
Missouri’s defense was stingy against Pavia and the Vandy offense all day. Pundits are only talking up Pavia as a Heisman candidate because he plays in the SEC. Pavia’s story is a great one and should be celebrated, but I want the Heisman winner to deserve it. Pavia is one of the 20 best quarterbacks in college, but he’s not the best. Maybe by the end of the season, but not now.
22. Avery Johnson, Kansas State
Last week: 24 (⇑2)
Result: 11-17, 231 yards, 2 TD; 6 carries, 17 yards, 2 TD
Season totals: 151-240, 1,792 yards, 15 TD, 2 INT; 66 carries, 255 yards, 5 TD
A lot has been said about Johnson making bad decisions, but those criticisms have quieted lately. Johnson has only thrown one interception since the loss to Army on September 6 and still has only thrown two on the season. That’s a huge improvement over last year, when Johnson threw 10 interceptions. Big plays were the name of the game in the Sunflower Showdown. Four touchdowns from Johnson shot him back up the list in a hurry.
21. Noah Fifita, Arizona
Last week: 13 (⇓8)
Result: BYE
Season totals: 155-235, 1,829 yards, 17 TD, 4 INT; 58 carries, 78 yards, 3 TD
Fifita has grown up a lot this year. The absence of Tetairoa McMillan has forced him to trust his other receivers. He and McMillan were a great duo, but it felt like Fifita used that as a crutch at times in the last two years. This year, Fifita is coming into his own as a passer. He’s only eight touchdown passes off his career high. At the rate he’s going, he should get there in the middle of November.
20. Joey Aguilar, Tennessee
Last week: 21 (⇑1)
Result: 20-26, 396 yards, 3 TD
Season totals: 166-252, 2,344 yards, 18 TD, 6 INT; 37 carries, 91 yards, 2 TD
Aguilar had a huge game in the Bring Back The Beer Barrel Bowl. The 396 passing yards were the most for Aguilar since he threw for 424 in Week 3 last season while with Appalachian State. Coming into the season, I thought that Aguilar would be perfect for this offense. It feels like I was right.
19. Josh Hoover, TCU
Last week: 17 (⇓2)
Result: 24-39, 247 yards, TD
Season totals: 185-285, 2,371 yards, 22 TD, 6 INT; 35 carries, 4 yards, 2 TD
This was a disappointing stat line against a team like West Virginia, especially for a quarterback who has lived in the top 20 since the inception of this list. That just tells you how bad a week some of the other quarterbacks on this list had. Hoover is still second in FBS in passing yards and second in passing touchdowns. That counts for something.
18. Jayden Maiava, USC
Last week: 6 (⇓12)
Result: BYE
Season totals: 145-213, 2,180 yards, 15 TD, 4 INT; 23 carries, 41 yards, 4 TD
Three ranked teams in three weeks, then a bye, has tanked Maiava’s stock recently. It won’t last forever, but in a world where most quarterbacks throw for over 200 yards per week, it’s easy to slide.
17. Walker Eget, San Jose State
Last week: 11 (⇓6)
Result: BYE
Season totals: 170-280, 2,149 yards, 15 TD, 3 INT; 18 carries, 17 yards
Eget is about as mobile as Peyton Manning, but he’s not here to run. He’s here to throw, and he throws a lot. Even after a bye week, Eget is still 12th in FBS in passing yards. He’s limiting turnovers and handling the offense well. Just wait until Danny Scudero is back at full strength!
16. Bryson Barnes, Utah State
Last week: 15 (⇓1)
Result: 13-23, 164 yards, TD, INT; 7 carries, 4 yards
Season totals: 134-209, 1,808 yards, 14 TD, 3 INT; 104 carries, 367 yards, 7 TD
New Mexico was able to hold Barnes in check. He didn’t even break off any of those big runs that he has become relatively famous for. It was a pedestrian outing for Barnes, but byes and those driving the struggle bus allowed him to keep his current ranking.
15. Dante Moore, Oregon
Last week: 10 (⇓5)
Result: 9-15, 86 yards
Season totals: 145-203, 1,772 yards, 19 TD, 4 INT; 40 carries, 131 yards
Moore was knocked out of the game in the second quarter, but is expected to be okay going forward. This was about as bad as a bye week for Moore in the rankings, but we’ll see him back in the top 10 soon enough.
14. Braylon Braxton, Southern Mississippi
Last week: NR
Result: 18-23, 248 yards, 4 TD; 11 carries, 20 yards
Season totals: 159-237, 1,959 yards, 18 TD, 4 INT; 75 carries, 215 yards, TD
Braxton threw four touchdowns in the win over Monroe, setting a new career high. Braxton showed last year at Marshall that he can limit the turnovers that plagued him a bit at Tulsa. He is using his arm more this year under coach Charles Huff and thriving in his new approach.
13. Jalon Daniels, Kansas
Last week: 8 (⇓5)
Result: 17-35, 129 yards, INT; 17 carries, 44 yards, TD
Season totals: 147-221, 1,881 yards, 18 TD, 3 INT; 82 carries, 243 yards, 2 TD
It was a rough game against rival K-State for Daniels, as he is oh-for-the-Wildcats like so many of his recent predecessors. Daniels picked up a rushing touchdown to help keep the stats up, but this was one of the worst passing days of his career.
12. Trinidad Chambliss, Mississippi
Last week: 20 (⇑8)
Result: 24-44, 315 yards, TD; 12 carries, 53 yards
Season totals: 128-210, 1,864 yards, 9 TD, INT; 82 carries, 376 yards, 5 TD
It wasn’t an eye-popping stat line against Oklahoma, but it was better than many expected. The Oklahoma defense did a good job of making Chambliss uncomfortable, but he did better at making plays on the run. It’s easy to forget that Chambliss has accumulated these stats in just six games. He was 4-for-6 with 59 yards and a touchdown before he took the starting job.
11. Marcel Reed, Texas A&M
Last week: 14 (⇑3)
Result: 12-21, 202 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT; 13 carries, 108 yards, 2 TD
Season totals: 137-223, 1,972 yards, 17 TD, 6 INT; 64 carries, 349 yards, 6 TD
LSU was able to limit Reed with that secondary, but he changed the game with his rushing ability. Reed has been huge with Le’Veon Moss out for the Aggies. Reed has scored five rushing touchdowns in the last four games, picking up 230 rushing yards in that span. He can beat teams with his arm or his legs. It’s hard to defend that.
10. Demond Williams Jr., Washington
Last week: NR
Result: 26-33, 280 yards, 4 TD; 10 carries, 66 yards
Season totals: 163-223, 2,117 yards, 14 TD, 4 INT; 89 carries, 429 yards, 4 TD
Williams is just now coming upon one year of starting experience. To see him perform as he did against a team like Illinois highlights what we could see from Williams going forward. His confidence got a much-needed boost after Michigan really got after him. Washington’s schedule is favorable for the next few weeks. How high can Williams climb?
9. Evan Simon, Temple
Last week: NR
Result: 24-35, 267 yards, 5 TD; 5 carries, 17 yards
Season totals: 132-209, 1,610 yards, 21 TD; 57 carries, 190 yards, 2 TD
Simon has eight touchdown passes in the last two games and still has not thrown an interception this season. You can blame it on the competition, but Simon has played Navy, Oklahoma, and Georgia Tech this year. They haven’t all been cupcakes. Coming into the season, Simon had 21 career touchdowns to 16 interceptions. Something has clicked in his senior season.
8. Byrum Brown, South Florida
Last week: 9 (⇑1)
Result: 26-43, 269 yards, TD, INT; 21 carries, 121 yards, 2 TD
Season totals: 154-245, 1,964 yards, 17 TD, 6 INT; 120 carries, 596 yards, 8 TD
Brown didn’t do a lot through the air this week, but he ran for more than 100 yards for the third time in four games. Six of Brown’s eight rushing touchdowns have come in the last four games. The six interceptions are a little bit disappointing, but you can’t argue with how much Brown can change a game through his rushing ability.
7. Julian Sayin, Ohio State
Last week: 4 (⇓3)
Result: BYE
Season totals: 156-195, 1,872 yards, 19 TD, 3 INT; 19 carries, 17 yards
Sayin has completed 80% of his passes this year. He is incredibly efficient and hasn’t made a lot of mistakes in his first year as a starter. Having Jeremiah Smith to throw to helps his cause, as does a line that can keep him upright. However, there are plenty of other quarterbacks who have good receivers behind a good line that aren’t producing like Sayin is. He hasn’t thrown an interception since Week 3 against Ohio.
6. Darian Mensah, Duke
Last week: 1 (⇓5)
Result: BYE
Season totals: 175-249, 2,211 yards, 17 TD, 2 INT; 27 carries, -61 yards
Even after the bye, Mensah is still eighth in FBS in passing yards. Only Joe Fagnano has thrown fewer interceptions among passers in the top eight in yardage. Duke will be back in action against Clemson this week.
5. Joe Fagnano, Connecticut
Last week: 16 (⇑11)
Result: 32-48, 344 yards, 3 TD; 3 carries, 10 yards
Season totals: 186-274, 2,262 yards, 18 TD; 30 carries, 104 yards, 2 TD
If you read his stat line, you’ll notice the conspicuous absence of one thing: interceptions. It’s not a typo. Fagnano hasn’t thrown an interception in 274 pass attempts this year. He has three straight games over 300 passing yards with 11 touchdowns in that span. That’s why Fagnano is flying up my rankings. Fagnano already has a career high in passing yards and completion percentage (67.9%). He’ll topple his career high in touchdowns, likely in the next game at the rate he’s going.
4. Drew Mestemaker, North Texas
Last week: 22 (⇑8)
Result: 37-49, 608 yards, 4 TD, INT
Season totals: 195-286, 2,468 yards, 21 TD, 4 INT; 37 carries, 65 yards, 4 TD
The 608 passing yards are by far the most in FBS this season, and are a new North Texas school record. Not bad for a guy who didn’t start a single football game in high school. He sat behind Brayden Bohanon and Deuce Adams in his four years at Vandegrift High School. Now Bohanon is playing baseball for Baylor, and Deuce Adams is backing up Miller Moss at Louisville. Mestemaker is the household name. He’s second in FBS in passing yards!
3. Ty Simpson, Alabama
Last week: 2 (⇓1)
Result: 24-43, 253 yards, 2 TD; 6 carries, 13 yards
Season totals: 177-261, 2,184 yards, 20 TD, INT; 51 carries, 79 yards, 2 TD
It was another workmanlike performance out of Simpson. Nothing flashy, just good, consistent stats. Simpson’s lone interception was thrown in the Vanderbilt game. He has at least two touchdown passes in every game. His accuracy against South Carolina was the worst it has been since the opener against Florida State. When Simpson struggles with his accuracy, Alabama struggles as a whole.
2. Brendan Sorsby, Cincinnati
Last week: 5 (⇑3)
Result: 13-21, 111 yards, 2 TD; 11 carries, 85 yards, TD
Season totals: 133-204, 1,843 yards, 20 TD, INT; 69 carries, 425 yards, 7 TD
The 27 total touchdowns tie Mendoza for the FBS lead. He has come a long way since the Nebraska game, right? Especially as a passer. Sorsby’s only interception on the season was thrown in that Week 1 game. Since then, Sorsby has had 179 pass attempts without an interception and all 20 of his passing touchdowns. Sorsby did most of his work on the ground against Baylor. He does what is needed in the current situation.
1. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
Last week: 3 (⇑2)
Result: 15-22, 168 yards, 3 TD, INT; 5 carries, 45 yards, TD
Season totals: 148-203, 1,923 yards, 24 TD, 3 INT; 46 carries, 196 yards, 3 TD
Mendoza’s three touchdown passes give him 24 on the season, which now leads FBS. The 27 total touchdowns also tie for the FBS lead. Mendoza is doing this without making mistakes. The three interceptions on the season show growth from his time at Cal. The 72.9% completion percentage is by far a career high, and trails only Sayin, Carson Beck, and Demond Williams Jr. among qualified passers. Fernando mania, indeed.
