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Matt Leinart ranks top five college quarterbacks from Week 2 action

Barkley-Truaxby:Barkley Truax09/09/24

BarkleyTruax

DJ Lagway
USA Today Sports

Week 2’s college football slate saw no shortage of exciting quarterback performances.

From true freshman living up to their rankings, to one of college football’s best talents downing the reigning national champions in their Big House, several quarterbacks proved their worth on a national stage over the weekend.

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With Week 2 in the books, former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Matt Leinart provided his picks for top five quarterback performances in Week 2.

1. Quinn Ewers

Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Michigan didn’t have an answer for Quinn Ewers and the Texas Longhorns on either side of the ball during their Week 2 win over the Wolverines on the road.

Ewers finished the 31-12 win against the reigning national campions throwing three touchdowns on 24 of 36 passes for 246 yards to solidift the Longhorns as legitimate College Football Playoff contenders in the early portion of the season.

2. Kyle McCord

Kyle McCord
© Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

Syracuse head coach Fran Brown thanked Ohio State coach Ryan Day for allowing Kyle McCord to transfer into his program after defeating Ohio 38-22 in the season opener.

He lived up to that high praise in Week 2 having defeated a ranked Georgia Tech squad 31-28 at home behind McCord’s 381 passing yards (32 of 46 completions) and four touchdown passes to improve to 2-0 on the young season. McCord’s 735 passing yards this season rank third nationally behind Ole MissJaxson Dart (795) and North TexasChandler Morris (737)

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3. DJ Lagway

Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) throws the ball against the Samford Bulldogs during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. (Matt Pendleton/USA TODAY Sports)
Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) throws the ball against the Samford Bulldogs during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. (Matt Pendleton/USA TODAY Sports)

DJ Lagway completed 18 of 25 for 436 passing yards and three touchdowns during Florida‘s 45-7 win over Samford on Saturday. Living up to his five-star ranking, the true freshman proved that he belongs on the field for the Gators early and often this season.

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With head coach Billy Napier stating on Monday that he plans to play both Lagway and Graham Mertz, who suffered a concussion after starting in the season opener, throughout the season.

4. Cade Klubnik

Cade Klubnik - Clemson
(© Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY Sports)

Critics were ready to write Cade Klubnik and the Clemson Tigers off after losing to Georgia in Week 1. Many were silent after completing 24 of 26 passes for 378 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions in a 66-20 win over Appalachian State.

He added two additional scores on the ground to finish at seven touchdowns on the day. The Tigers totaled 712 yards of offense on the day behind Klubnik’s near perfect perfomance.

5. Thomas Castellanos

Thomas Castellanos-Boston College
Thomas Castellanos (Danny Wild-USA TODAY Sports)

Boston College shocked Florida State 28-13 in Tallahassee during Week 1. They turned that around with a 56-0 win over Duquesne at home in Week 2 behind Thomas Castellanos‘ 234 yards and four touchdowns on a 90% completion percentage (9 of 10) in the first half before sitting for the rest of the game.

It’s a promising start to the Bill O’Brien era for the Eagles, and it appears he’s got the right guy under center in Castellanos.