2023 Quarterback Battles: Which competitions have been decided, which derbies remain ongoing

Fall camp is over. Preseason scrimmages are in the books. With Week 1 looming, more and more quarterback battles are being decided by the day. 

And then there’s Alabama and Ohio State — two Top 5 teams that look likely to take their QB derbies into the 2023 season. 

So which competitions have been decided? Which battles remain ongoing? Here’s a look across the country at notable 2023 quarterback battles.

Alabama: Jalen Milroe vs. Ty Simpson vs. Tyler Buchner

Winner: TBD

Milroe continues to take the most first-team reps, and reportedly, has been the best QB in Alabama’s scrimmages. But Nick Saban isn’t ready to name Milroe the starter, with both Simpson and Buchner projected to play in the opener against Chattanooga. With a monster matchup against Texas in Week 2, Saban will likely settle on a starter coming out of Week 1 — but that doesn’t mean whoever does take the initial snaps against the Longhorns will be the Tide’s QB1 all season. 

Arizona State: Drew Pyne vs. Jaden Rashada vs. Trenton Bourguet

Winner: Rashada

Through no fault of his own, Rashada’s name was in headlines for all the wrong reasons in the last eight months, but the 4-star freshman made his own news this week when he beat out Bourguet for ASU’s starting job. Pyne, the Notre Dame transfer, was the favorite entering camp but he injured his hamstring and could be out several weeks. Kenny Dillingham opted to go with Rashada, and if the freshman can showcase enough upside, the job may be his moving forward.

Auburn: Robby Ashford vs. Harold Geriner vs. Payton Thorne 

Winner: Thorne

The most interesting development with the Tigers was Geriner’s emergence in the competition. While most believed Auburn’s battle was solely between Ashford and Throne, the Michigan State transfer, Geriner threw his hat in the ring with a strong camp. Hugh Freeze opted to go with Throne, who has two years of starting experience and helped the Spartans win 11 games in 2021, but if he falters, Geriner looks like the next man up. Ashford will be involved in some sort of Wild Tiger package.

Florida: Graham Mertz vs. Jack Miller

Winner: Mertz

Florida’s quarterback battle was decided early in camp, as Billy Napier went with the guy he dubbed the best QB in the transfer portal this last cycle. Mertz is seeking a fresh start after a stalled career at Wisconsin, but there’s optimism in Gainesville that he can finally live up to his blue-chip billing operating in a more QB-friendly scheme. The Gators will be tested out of the gate in Week 1 with a road game at Utah next Thursday.

Georgia: Carson Beck vs. Brock Vandagriff

Winner: Beck

After missing on his initial opportunity to earn Kirby Smart’s trust two years ago, Beck locked down Georgia’s job this offseason. He entered fall camp in the cat-bird seat and he never relinquished his frontrunner status. He passed the first test, and now he has to keep the job and lead the Bulldogs on their quest for a historic three-peat.

Georgia Tech: Zach Pyron vs. Haynes King vs. Zach Gibson

Winner: King

Coming out of the Yellow Jackets’ second scrimmage, head coach Brent Key said he wasn’t ready to even pair down Tech’s competition, yet days later, the former Texas A&M transfer was named QB1. King started five games for the Aggies in 2022, and Key said he won’t have “short leash” despite the tight competition with Pyron.

Illinois: Luke Altmyer vs. John Paddock

Winner: Altmyer

The Ole Miss transfer beat out Paddock, who started at Ball State last season and had 18 touchdowns to 14 interceptions. Altmyer arrived at Illinois in January and quickly won over Bret Bielema and the Illini staff. He doesn’t have a ton of experience (one-career start) and he’ll be tested early with games against Toledo (reigning MAC Champs) and a road game at Kansas. 

Missouri: Brady Cook vs. Jake Garcia vs. Sam Horn

Winner: Cook?

There’s a question mark here because Eli Drinkwitz still hasn’t technically named an outright starter, and yet Missouri’s QB1 from last season was recently named a team captain. Reading between the lines a bit, Drinkwitz wants to see more consistency from Cook and give Horn, a former 4-star recruit, or Garcia, a transfer from Miami, some actual live snaps early in the season. But with a Week 2 matchup against No. 18 Kansas State looming, Cook looks like the guy for the Tigers. 

Ohio State: Kyle McCord vs. Devin Brown

Winner: TBD

McCord entered training camp with every advantage to become Ohio State’s starter in 2023: He had multiple years of experience in Ryan Day’s system, was CJ Stroud’s backup for two seasons, he started a game in 2021 and was former high school teammates with all-world wideout Marvin Harrison. There’s also the fact that Brown was injured for half of spring practice. And yet, Brown has seemingly performed so well in camp to give Day pause, with the Buckeyes now in position to take their competition into the season even though their head coach is on record earlier this month saying he preferred otherwise. They open at Indiana and have several audition opportunities before a late September date with Notre Dame.

Ole Miss: Jaxson Dart vs. Spencer Sanders vs. Walker Howard

Winner: TBD

All signs continue to point to Dart holding onto his starting job with the Rebels. Both in the spring and fall camp, the former USC transfer responded well to the added competition to Ole Miss’ QB room. But the longer this goes, the more Sanders becomes a viable option for Lane Kiffin. He’s healthy now (he wasn’t in the spring) and is among the most experienced quarterbacks in the country. Both could play early in the season before Kiffin lands on a long-term option. 

Oregon State: Ben Gulbranson vs. DJ Uiagalelei vs. Aiden Chiles

Winner: Uiagalelei

The Clemson transfer wasn’t just handed Oregon State’s starting job. He had to earn it, and he did, per all reports. Uiagalelei held off a strong push from Chiles, who looks like the future QB1 for the Beavers, and Gulbranson, who went 7-1 as their starter in 2022. With the competition between the three so close, Uiagalelei will need to show more consistency than he did the last two years with the Tigers, as Jonathan Smith clearly has multiple options he likes. 

Texas A&M: Conner Weigman vs. Max Johnson

Winner: TBD

On Tuesday, Jimbo Fisher said Texas A&M’s battle “is still going, and we haven’t announced anything yet.” Is he playing coy or is the Aggies’ truly undecided? Most everyone around the program believes Weigman, who started the final four games in 2022 and threw eight touchdowns and zero interceptions, will be QB1 this fall. Still, Fisher clearly likes the veteran presence Johnson provides. 

UCLA: Ethan Garbers vs. Collin Schlee vs. Dante Moore

Winner: TBD

The latest intel out of Westwood has Garbers on track to start Week 1 against Coastal Carolina, but Chip Kelly has yet to make a decision. Garbers has been in Kelly’s system for three seasons and served as Dorian Thompson-Robinson’s backup the last two years. Moore is the ballyhooed 5-star recruit, while Schlee was Kent State’s stater in 2022. Kelly could opt to go with the star freshman, but most think Garbers will get the nod.