Week 3 of the college football season featured plenty of good quarterback play, along with the same thrilling upsets and close games that made Week 2 so intriguing.
One of the biggest headliners was Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning, who stepped up in potential Heisman Trophy candidate Quinn Ewers’ spot after he went down with an abdominal injury, leading Texas to victory in a way that immediately caught the attention of the college football landscape.
Here’s a look into his performance, including the rest of the top five quarterback performers of the week.
Related: 4 takeaways from Notre Dame’s 66-7 domination of Purdue: What it means about the Fighting Irish
1. Arch Manning, Texas
Texas seems to have the strongest tandem between starting quarterback and backup quarterback in the nation, given Manning’s effortless help carrying the Longhorns to victory (and the No. 1 spot in the AP Poll) in a 56-7 win over UTSA.
He completed 9-of-12 passing attempts for 223 yards and four touchdowns, also adding one more score on the ground. Manning showed the same mental fortitude that a lot of other quarterbacks in his family tree have but also brings a sense of mobility and improvisation ability that was never a part of their game. That was plenty evident with the 20.7 mph speed he clocked on a long touchdown run.
“When the adrenaline kicks in, it helps you run a bit faster,” Manning said of the 67-yarder.
How he continues to build off of this will be something to keep an eye on, though it still appears this is Ewers’ job to lose for the time being.
2. Jalen Milroe, Alabama
Kalen DeBoer knows how to bring out the best in Milroe. It’s been evident in the way he’s tailored the Alabama offense to the quarterback’s strengths in a way that has allowed him to pick up from where he left off last season, despite the rough start he had.
Milroe had a resume game in the 42-10 win over Wisconsin, connecting on 12 of his 17 passing attempts for 196 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for a team-high 75 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries. Now he’ll look to carry that on against Georgia with an open date upcoming first.
“This week is a great week to reflect on the games that we’ve had. Narrow it down to pillars that we need to work on, so that we can go out on fire when it comes to now playing for an opponent. No matter who we play after the by, this week’s all about cleaning up, falling back to our level of training, dialing in on the details.”
Jalen Milroe
Related: Takeaways from College Football Week 3, including Arch Manning’s showcase and Billy Napier’s future
3. Marcel Reed, Texas A&M
It’s not too early to ask the question of if Conner Weigman’s job is fully secure. Weigman may have been viewed as one of the top quarterback prospects in the country ahead of the season, but he has not backed it up with his performance.
In just his first start, Reed looked like a quarterback capable of taking the helm for the Aggies not just in the absence of an injured Weigman, but perhaps even permanently. The redshirt freshman was an instant factor, completing 11 of his 17 passing attempts for 178 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 83 yards and one score on the ground.
Based on his postgame comments, Reed surprised even himself with the level of play he put out on the field.
“I wouldn’t say I expected it. But things happen. I had to be ready. I prepared like I was going to start this week. I got the green light, and I did what I had to do.”
Marcel Reed
Related: Heisman Watch 2024
4. Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss
Dart continues to turn heads in the third week of action with the outrageous numbers he’s putting up, in addition to building off of the strides he’s made as a quarterback who looks like he could be a legitimate first-rounder.
Dart and his Ole Miss Rebels demolished Wake Forest, 40-6, in the third game of the season. Dart completed 26 of his 34 passing attempts for 377 yards, two touchdowns, one interception, and one rushing score.
Even so, Dart remains critical of himself and the necessary tweaks the team needs to make that he feels were somehow revealed in a game won by more than five scores.
“I talked to Coach Kiffin before the game ended and I was like ‘I feel like this is what we needed’ as a team. I feel like that was the ugliest 600-yard game that you could play. We did a lot of really good things, and then just didn’t finish,” Dart said after the game. “You saw how explosive we are, but at the same time, we just hurt ourselves. I think it’s a good wake up call and it’s definitely something that is going to light a fire underneath us. I know definitely for me.”
Jaxson Dart
Related: Winners, losers from College Football Week 3
5. John Mateer, Washington State
Mateer isn’t a household name like a lot of other quarterbacks on this list, but he’s been quietly one of the most important players to his team in all of college football this season.
He was a big part of bringing the Apple Cup home to Pullman, Washington, in the 24-19 win over the Washington Huskies. Mateer completed 17-of-34 passing attempts for 245 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
This comes after a 37-16 victory over Texas Tech last week. Mateer had some throws he may have liked to have had back in that game as he completed 9-of-19 passing attempts for 115 yards with one touchdown and one interception. But the numbers he accomplished on the ground are enough to make you double-check the stat line.
Mateer completely gashed the Red Raiders’ defense on the ground with his mobility and improvisation ability, carrying the ball 21 times for some 197 yards with one touchdown. He was also impressive in the season-opening victory over Portland State, going 11-for-17 passing while tossing for 352 yards and five touchdowns. He also tallied 55 rushing yards and one touchdown.
Related: Week 4 college football rankings