This season, two-thirds of FBS quarterbacks who started as QB1 continued in that role for their teams in the latest games. However, there have been notable changes that have altered the dynamics for some teams.
Texas A&M, currently ranked 10th and holding a record of 7-1, is the only team in the expanded SEC still perfect in conference play as they enter November. This follows a game in which redshirt freshman Marcel Reed stepped in for an underperforming starter during the second half on Saturday night, significantly contributing to a remarkable 31-point comeback victory against LSU.
In another impressive display earlier in the day, Tulsa managed to pull off an extraordinary comeback from a 28-point deficit against UTSA, with backup quarterback Cooper Legas at the helm. This comeback marked the second-largest in the history of the program and earned Legas the title of the Associated Press national player of the week.
In the Atlantic Coast Conference, newcomer SMU is maintaining its success with a record of 7-1, all thanks to Kevin Jennings, who became the starter in the fourth game of the season, just prior to the Mustangs entering conference play. Jennings, a dual-threat sophomore with three years of experience, replaced Preston Stone after he struggled in a narrow 18-15 loss to undefeated No. 9 BYU, where all three of his possessions ended in three-and-outs.
“Making a switch like that usually means there’s no turning back,” stated SMU coach Rhett Lashlee. “We weren’t in a position of uncertainty looking for a quarterback; we knew what we were capable of. Once you make that choice, you’re committed—not just for the current season but also for the future.”
Jennings is familiar with success, having guided SMU to victory in the American Athletic Conference championship last December after Stone suffered a broken leg in the regular-season finale.
Neither Texas A&M’s coach Mike Elko nor Tulsa’s coach Kevin Wilson disclosed their quarterback plans for the upcoming week. Of the 134 teams participating at the FBS level this season, 69 have utilized the same starting quarterback throughout, and another 20 have reintegrated their original starters after injury absences.
Ranked teams are also seeing variations in their starting lineups. Indiana and SMU are the only Top 25 teams that did not have the same starter in their most recent game that they began the season with. Kurtis Rourke, a sixth-year player, took the helm for the undefeated Hoosiers (8-0) in the first seven games but had to undergo surgery for a thumb injury. Coach Curt Cignetti remains hopeful for Rourke’s return against Michigan State this Saturday.
A total of 21 ranked teams have maintained the same starting quarterback throughout the season, including No. 3 Penn State. However, the Nittany Lions are uncertain about Drew Allar’s potential availability for their significant match against No. 4 Ohio State, as he suffered a knee injury in last week’s contest against Wisconsin.
A notable quarterback change unrelated to performance or injury occurred at UNLV, where Matthew Sluka decided to sit out the remainder of the season over an unfulfilled $100,000 NIL payment promised to him after transferring from Holy Cross last winter. Since then, Hajj-Malik Williams has stepped in, proving to be a dual threat for the Rebels (6-2). The Campbell transfer has excelled as a passer during his five starts, completing 74 of 109 passes for 1,017 yards, with 12 touchdowns and three interceptions, alongside 407 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns.
In the pivotal game where Reed made his mark, Texas A&M was trailing 17-7 when he took over for Conner Weigman midway through the third quarter, right after the Aggies secured an interception. Reed ran for a touchdown on his very first play and added two more rushing touchdowns, propelling the Aggies ahead by the start of the fourth quarter.
Reed had previously won three games in September while Weigman was sidelined due to injury. Weigman had just returned for his third game when Reed jumped in, showing his versatility by running nine times for 62 yards and completing both of his passes for 70 yards. Elko mentioned he had not finalized the quarterback situation moving forward, but he remains open to the possibility of rotating quarterbacks depending on the game circumstances. “We have enough flexibility within our scheme to adapt to the quarterback’s strengths,” he noted.
At Tulsa, Legas was the starter in the previous game against Temple, but he was replaced in that loss by the regular starter Kirk Francis, who exited the UTSA game due to an ankle injury in the second quarter. Facing a 20-0 deficit, Legas exploded onto the scene, throwing for five touchdowns, with the last two coming in the closing minutes of an exhilarating 46-45 victory. He completed the game with 333 passing yards.
“Cooper’s a fantastic leader,” remarked tight end Luke McGary. “He brought a commanding presence when he came in, and really set the standard for what we needed to accomplish.”