CBS Sports shakes up Top 10 QB Power Rankings with new No. 1 ahead of Week 9

There have been some big-time quarterback performances through eight weeks of college football. The debate about the best QB in the game, though, is making CBS Sports’ power rankings interesting.

CBS Sports’ Tom Fornelli released his updated top 10 QB Power Rankings on Wednesday, and there’s a new player atop the list. Last week, it was Michael Penix Jr. at No. 1. This week, that honor goes to Jayden Daniels.

Daniels sits right in front of Heisman Trophy favorite J.J. McCarthy after sitting at No. 2 last week. The top of the list features some impressive names, though, with Week 9 quickly approaching.

1. Jayden Daniels, LSU

Through eight weeks, Jayden Daniels has proven to be arguably the top quarterback in the SEC. He leads the league in passing yards per game and passing touchdowns, which not only puts him atop CBS Sports’ top 10 QB Power Rankings, but in the mix for the Heisman Trophy.

Last week against Army, Daniels threw for 279 yards and three touchdowns on just 11 of 15 passing. He has five games of over 300 yards passing, and his performance will be critical for LSU when it heads to Alabama out of the bye week.

2. J.J. McCarthy, Michigan

J.J. McCarthy has been one of the top passers in the country this year. He sits second in the FBS in completion percentage, and his dual threat ability makes him one of the more intriguing quarterbacks in the game.

McCarthy had another monster performance against Michigan State last week. He completed 21 of 27 passes for 284 yards and four touchdowns as Michigan flew past the Spartans 49-0 in East Lansing.

3. Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma

In Year 2 of his reunion with offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby, Dillon Gabriel has taken a monster leap. His 304.4 passing yards per game and 19 passing touchdowns lead the Big 12, and his ability to make plays with his legs has been huge for Oklahoma.

Gabriel is coming off a solid performance in a game in which the Sooners struggled, throwing for 253 yards and three touchdowns. He’ll try to continue his impressive season this weekend with an intriguing matchup against Kansas in Lawrence.

4. Michael Penix Jr., Washington

Michael Penix Jr. looked like the Heisman favorite after Washington defeated Oregon, but he struggled mightily last week against Arizona State. It was the first time he failed to throw a touchdown pass all season, but the Huskies still found a way to get the 15-7 victory.

Nonetheless, Penix is still one of the top quarterbacks in the country in CBS Sports’ QB Power Rankings. Washington is still atop the Pac-12 as the lone undefeated team in conference play, and the Huskies will try to get back on track offensively this week against Stanford.

5. Bo Nix, Oregon

The most efficient quarterback in the country, Bo Nix has taken another leap in his second year at Oregon. He leads the country with a 78.4% completion percentage and is keeping the Ducks in the thick of the Pac-12 race.

Nix continued his strong season last week against Washington State, throwing for 293 yards and two touchdowns to lead Oregon to the 38-20 victory. He’ll face quite a test this week though against a gritty Utah team.

6. Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss

He wasn’t in CBS Sports’ QB Power Rankings last week, but Jaxson Dart is proving to be a legitimate threat in Lane Kiffin’s offense at Ole Miss. The Rebels are now No. 12 in the nation in the AP Top 25, and Dart’s dual-threat ability is a big reason why.

Dart ranks sixth in the SEC with 262.9 passing yards per game, but he sits third in the league in total offense behind Daniels and Carson Beck. Ole Miss has gutted out two straight one-score victories and will try to get another victory this week against Vanderbilt.

7. Jordan Travis, Florida State

Jordan Travis has seen his Heisman stock dip a bit, but he’s still one of the top quarterbacks in the country. He has Florida State rolling this year and helped the Seminoles avoid a scare last week by leading three straight touchdown drives against Duke.

Travis has been the key to FSU’s offense this year, averaging 250 passing yards per game and throwing for 15 touchdowns. Next up for the Seminoles is a road trip to Wake Forest.

8. Jalen Milroe, Alabama

This year might not have started the way Jalen Milroe and Alabama wanted, but he’s found a way to turn things around in a big way. Since a Week 2 loss to Texas, the Crimson Tide are 6-0, including a huge rivalry victory over Tennessee last week.

It seems Milroe is getting comfortable in Alabama’s offense, averaging more than 250 yards of offense per game with his arm and legs. The Crimson Tide are on a bye week this week, and Milroe will have to keep playing at a high level out of the week off with LSU looming.

9. Bryson Barnes, Utah

Utah looked like it would be Cameron Rising’s team this year, but Bryson Barnes has taken full control with Rising out for the year with a knee injury. Last week, he led the Utes to another big victory over USC, and he’s starting to gain some steam as one of the nation’s top quarterbacks.

Barnes completed 14 of 23 passes for 235 yards and three touchdowns as part of Utah’s 34-32 victory over USC. Now ranked No. 13 in the country, the Utes will try to keep the momentum going against Oregon this week to try and play spoiler in the Pac-12.

10. Thomas Castellanos, Boston College

Boston College is 4-3 this year, but Thomas Castellanos has been one of the biggest bright spots. He leads the Eagles in both passing yards and rushing yards, and he now finds himself rounding out CBS Sports’ QB Power Rankings.

Castellanos transferred to BC from UCF prior to this season, and he leads the nation in rushing yards and touchdowns by a quarterback. He’s looking like a true dual threat, and while the Eagles don’t look like much of a factor in the ACC, it’s safe to say Castellanos isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Understandably, there’s been plenty of movement in the top quarterbacks in the country through Week 8. They’ll have some time to prove themselves, too, with College Football Playoff and conference championship appearances on the line over the next few weeks.