CBS Sports shakes up Top 10 QB Power Rankings with new No. 1 ahead of Week 8

There was plenty of pivotal action in college football last weekend, with USC upset by Notre Dame and a handful of other interesting results. As far as the quarterback power rankings go, there were significant shakeups thanks to that aforementioned result.

Caleb Williams has disappeared from CBS Sports’ list of quarterback power rankings, replaced by some others who have had more recent success.

Without giving away too much, let’s dive into CBS Sports’ weekly quarterback power rankings this week to find out what has shifted.

1. Michael Penix Jr., Washington

The Washington quarterback was excellent in leading his team to a key win in a vital Pac-12 showdown with Oregon. He made all the plays he needed to when the game was on the line, keeping his program in the ranks of the unbeaten.

On the season Penix has put up numbers as good as anyone, recording 2,301 passing yards with 20 touchdowns against three interceptions. He’s not much of a rushing threat, but he really hasn’t needed to be given what he’s doing with his arm.

2. Jayden Daniels, LSU

Speaking of rushing threats, Daniels might be the best dual-threat quarterback in the country right now. He had made a living out of keeping opposing defenses off-balance with timely running, and the threat of run opens up plenty in the passing game.

Daniels has thrown for 2,294 yards and 22 touchdowns, against just three interceptions. He’s also rushed for 515 yards and four touchdowns, good for the fifth-highest rushing total in the SEC.

3. JJ McCarthy, Michigan

McCarthy just keeps winning, which appears to be one of the biggest factors in the CBS Sports quarterback power rankings each week. McCarthy was near his best in a win over Indiana, managing to go 14-of-17 passing for 222 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.

On the season McCarthy’s numbers aren’t going to immediately turn heads, but he’s keeping the Wolverines winning. He has thrown for 1,512 yards and 14 touchdowns (with three interceptions), while also rushing for 160 yards and three scores.

4. Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma

The Sooners had a bye this past weekend, a well-earned one after handing rival Texas a loss in the Red River Rivalry. That victory by Gabriel and company was enough to vault Gabriel way up this last last week, and he maintains a lofty spot despite being off for a weekend.

Gabriel has thrown for 1,878 yards in six games, doing so with 16 touchdowns and two interceptions. He has also run for 208 yards and five touchdowns, one of the better dual-threat prospects outs there.

5. Drake Maye, North Carolina

Another excellent dual-threat quarterback is Maye, who seems to really be settling into a groove the past two weeks. After throwing for 442 yards against Syracuse, Maye threw for 273 and four touchdowns in a win over Miami. He has seven touchdown passes the last two weeks without an interception.

Maye is also beginning to open it up on the ground a little bit. He has run for touchdowns in three of his last five games and has 184 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. Maye is heating up at the right time.

6. Noah Fifita, Arizona

Fifita has been quite good since taking over as the Arizona starting quarterback, most notably nearly leading an upset of USC in a triple-overtime game. He didn’t throw for any touchdowns in a 44-6 win over Washington State, but he did rack up 342 yards passing in the win.

In three weeks and some mop-up duty beforehand, Fifita has thrown for 946 yards, with eight touchdowns and two interceptions. Arizona looks like a team you don’t want to mess with in the Pac-12, too.

7. Graham Mertz, Florida

A new entry into the quarterback power rankings, the Florida quarterback is coming off a duel with South Carolina‘s Spencer Rattler in a thrilling 41-39 shootout. Mertz threw for 423 yards and three touchdowns in the win, all without throwing an interception.

On the season Mertz has thrown for 1,897 yards with an impressive 76.2% completion percentage. He has thrown for 12 touchdowns and two interceptions in that time, guiding the Gators to a 5-2 start to the season.

8. Jordan Travis, Florida State

The Florida State quarterback continues to put up impressive numbers, both as a runner and as a passer. It was the former that did the damage in a win over Syracuse, as Travis racked up two rushing touchdowns. He finished with 284 yards passing with one touchdown and no interceptions.

Travis has been an elite dual-threat prospect but isn’t piling up the sheer rushing totals the way a guy like Daniels is. Still, it makes him extremely difficult to defend. Travis has thrown for 13 touchdowns this season while being picked off only once.

9. Kyle McCord, Ohio State

McCord has settled in nicely as the starting quarterback at Ohio State, protecting the football and making smart decisions for the Buckeyes. He’s coming off one of his best games of the year, a three-touchdown outing against Purdue in which he threw for 276 yards.

McCord has now thrown for 1,651 yards this season, to go along with 11 touchdown passes and one interception. He isn’t much of a rushing threat, but Ohio State has gotten by perfectly fine without that thanks to his passing ability.

10. Donovan Smith, Houston

The last guy on this week’s quarterback power rankings is definitely a rushing threat, with Smith managing to score one of his five touchdowns in his most recent outing with his legs. Houston put together a thrilling 41-39 win as Smith threw for 253 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 34 yards and a score.

Houston itself has been a little up and down this season, at 3-3. Smith wasn’t at his best in two of the three losses, throwing interceptions. Still, he’s thrown only three all year against 1,601 yards passing and 13 touchdowns. He’s also run for 196 yards and four scores.

Honorable Mention

Carson Beck, Georgia
Brady Cook, Missouri
Ashton Daniels, Stanford
Josh Hoover, TCU
DJ Uiagalelei, Oregon State

The honorable mention crowd contains a pair of SEC standouts whose teams just keep winning each week, with Beck captaining the two-time defending national champs and Cook piloting an upstart Missouri team. Meanwhile, Uiagalelei, the former Clemson transfer, continues to hang in the quarterback power rankings in the honorable mention category as his strong year continues.