2024 QB Competitions: Which battles have been decided, which remain ongoing in college football

Fall camp is over. Preseason scrimmages are in the books. 

Saturday is officially Week 0, but an intriguing Week 1 looming. Over the last 10 days, a slew of quarterback battles have been decided, while the reigning national champion Michigan Wolverines have yet to make a final decision on their 2024 starter. 

So which competitions have been announced? Which battles remain ongoing? Here’s a look across the country at notable 2024 quarterback battles. 

ACC

Cal: Fernando Mendoza and Chandler Rogers

Winner: TBD

Justin Wilcox has yet to name a starter between two options he’s praised all offseason. Mendoza, who tallied eight starts with 14 touchdowns for Cal in 2023, likely has a slight edge over the North Texas transfer but this could be a competition that isn’t truly sorted out until conference play begins in late September. 

Duke: Maalik Murphy vs. Grayson Loftis

Winner: Murphy

Loftis was serviceable as Riley Leonard’s replacement for five games in 2023, but with a new head coach in Durham, Murphy was long seen as the favorite to win the job. The Texas transfer gives Manny Diaz a high-ceiling option — albeit with boom or bust potential.

North Carolina: Max Johnson vs. Conner Harrell vs. Jacolby Criswell

Winner: TBD

The Tar Heels play at Minnesota in Week 1 (one of just eight power conference matchups), but Mack Brown has yet to officially announce a starter. Criswell has been running with the 2s and 3s for most of the preseason. Johnson is considered the odds-on favorite, but Harrell remains a factor due to his dual-threat ability. 

Big Ten

Michigan: Alex Orji vs. Jack Tuttle vs. Davis Warren

Winner: TBD

Orji was Michigan’s first-team quarterback in both preseason scrimmages, but Warren has received work with the 1s, too. While Tuttle is a seventh-year guy, he’s struggled to stay healthy throughout the spring and fall camp. Interestingly, Warren is viewed as Orji’s biggest competition. The former walk-on was the most impressive Wolverines quarterback in the spring game. Still, it would be a bit of a surprise if Michigan doesn’t initially roll with Orji — a legitimately freaky 6-3, 230-pound quarterback with a similar skill set to Jalen Milroe.

Nebraska: Heinrich Haarberg vs. Dylan Raiola

Winner: Railoa

The prince who was promised with inevitably start Week 1 for the Cornhuskers. The 5-star freshman entered camp as the heavy favorite to leapfrog Haarberg, who played in 10 games for Nebraska last season. Raiola was praised throughout the preseason for his leadership and maturity, especially for such a young, highly-touted prospect. 

Ohio State: Will Howard vs. Devin Brown vs. Julian Sayin

Winner: Howard

The most important quarterback battle of the entire county considering the rest of Ohio State’s roster played out accordingly: Howard was challenged by Ryan Day after the spring to improve his conditioning and mobility, and the Kansas State transfer showed up to fall camp in great shape and had a strong preseason. Sayin is the future in Columbus, Howard is the safest, surest option for the Buckeyes’ all-in 2024 season.

USC: Miller Moss vs. Jayden Maiava

Winner: Moss

Lincoln Riley recently named Moss his starting quarterback for Week 1 against LSU. Caleb Williams’ former backup the last two seasons had an electric bowl game in 2023 (six touchdowns) but struggled at times during the spring, giving Maiava, the Freshman of the Year in the Mountain West at UNLV, a shot at the job. But Moss, particularly with his experience with Riley’s system, did what he had to do this preseason to lockdown QB1.

Wisconsin: Tyler Van Dyke vs. Braedyn Locke

Winner: Van Dyke

It took longer than many anticipated, but Van Dyke ultimately impressed enough to be named Wisconsin’s starter this week. The Miami transfer has seen his career go in the wrong direction since his splashy redshirt freshman season in 2021, but perhaps working with Phil Longo will help reset his career. Van Dyke should at least be an upgrade over Locke, who went 1-3 as Wisconsin’s starter and averaged just 5.5 yards per attempt.

Big 12

Arizona State: Jeff Sims vs. Trenton Bourguet vs. Sam Leavitt

Winner: Leavitt

Kenny Dillingham is rolling with Michigan State transfer Sam Leavitt for ASU’s starter this fall. Leavitt beat out Sims, now at his third stop, and Bourguet, who started five games for the Sun Devils in 2023. Leavitt doesn’t have much experience (just 23 career attempts) but the redshirt freshman is a former blue-chip recruit and is an athletic playmaker at 6-3, 200 pounds. 

Baylor: Sawyer Robertson vs. Dequan Finn

Winner: Finn

In a make-or-break year, Dave Aranda is going with the former MAC Championship quarterback. Finn has the skill set (over 3,200 yards, 29 total touchdowns) to thrive in Jake Spavital’s offense and could be precisely what the Bears need to jumpstart their toothless attack.  

Cincy: Brady Lichtenberg vs. Brendan Sorsby

Winner: Sorsby

After a disastrous season of quarterback play from Emory Jones in 2023, the Bearcats have seriously upgraded at the position with Sorsby. The Indiana transfer had a promising season for the Hoosiers, throwing for 15 touchdowns with just five picks in seven starts. Sorsby beat out Lichtenberg, who was Jones’ backup last fall.

Group of 5

Boise State: Malachi Nelson vs. Maddux Madsen

Winner: Madsen

Madsen out-dueled the former 5-star USC transfer, winning Boise State’s QB1 job for the second-straight preseason. Madsen outplayed Nelson during the spring and continued to do so in fall camp. He got hurt a year ago, but during his redshirt freshman season he still threw nine touchdowns to just three picks and averaged over 9.0 yards per attempt. Now he’ll have a chance to lead the Broncos to a potential CFP spot in 2024. 

SEC

South Carolina: LaNorris Sellers vs. Robby Ashford

Winner: Sellers

Shane Beamer made the worst-kept secret public this week: LaNorris Sellers is the future and present for South Carolina. The hulking 6-4, 240-pound redshirt freshman beat out Ashford, who transferred from Auburn. Sellers barely played for the Gamecocks in 2023, but he did tease some electric ability with highlight plays against Furman and Vanderbilt.