College Football: QB Questions and Answers in Week One

By: Jonathan Howard, Staff Writer
August 29, 2025

Anytime someone has attempted to talk about the upcoming college football season with me, I’ve responded in one way – a shrug of the shoulders and saying ‘I don’t know.’ With the transfer portal and NIL reshaping rosters more than ever, I think it’s a fool’s errand to predict wins, losses, rankings and betting lines outside of a small handful of teams that will always be unaffected (i.e., Ohio State, Georgia, Alabama, etc.). With that said, I’ve got nothing to add from a betting standpoint for college football’s week one – but I think we’ve got something really solid to track here as the season begins: quarterback performance. We’ve got lots of highlight games in week one that will feature quarterbacks stepping into the spotlight. Here are a few of my favorites to watch:

No. 1 Texas at No. 3 Ohio State

Kickoff time: Noon (EST) TV: FOX FanDuel line: Ohio State -1.5 VSS line: Ohio State -3.64

The old adage goes that the most popular player on a team for fans is the backup quarterback. Over the past couple years, that might have actually been true at Texas, where Arch Manning backed up three-year starter Quinn Ewers. Now the nephew of Peyton and Eli gets his shot to show Longhorns fans – and the entire nation – what he can do against the best competition in the country. Manning saw action in 10 games a season ago, including two starts while Ewers recovered from an injury suffered in the second-quarter of an early-season matchup against UTSA. He finished the season with 939 passing yards and 9 touchdowns and two interceptions and added another four scores on the ground. He’s been hyped by many as a potential Heisman Trophy candidate and early 2026 draft pick. What better way to prove everyone right – or wrong – against last year’s defending national champion in their own house?

On the flip side, Ohio State is breaking in a new quarterback of its own. Julian Sayin steps in to replace Will Howard, who threw for 4,010 yards and 35 touchdowns while adding seven more scores on the ground for the national champions. While Sayin’s experience is limited (just 12 passes a year ago), his reputation is large. He ranked as the top quarterback in the 2024 high school class by the 247Sports Composite rankings. Outdueling Manning on opening day would be a feather in his cap going forward.

New Mexico at No. 14 Michigan

Kickoff time: 7:30 (EST) TV: NBC FanDuel line: Michigan -34.5 VSS line: Michigan -35.69

Don’t get me wrong, this game won’t be competitive. But Bryce Underwood, the top-ranked quarterback in the class of 2025, making his first start just a few short months after stepping foot on campus is noteworthy. Underwood’s rise to the top of the Michigan depth chart wasn’t exactly difficult as injuries took out his primary veteran competition. But the Wolverines’ coaching staff has already placed their faith in Underwood taking them back to the College Football Playoff, and he’ll start the train at home. Heading into the game, the real question isn’t about a win or a loss, but how much of the offense Underwood will be expected to run. With Oklahoma waiting in week two, Michigan could try to keep the playbook tight against New Mexico. On the other hand, head coach Sherrone Moore will surely want Underwood to get plenty of live looks before visiting the Sooners.

Virginia Tech vs No. 13 South Carolina (in Atlanta)

Kickoff time: 3:00 (EST), Sunday TV: ESPN FanDuel line: SC -7.5 VSS line: SC -8.17

The quarterbacks in this matchup, Virginia Tech’s Kyron Drones and South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers have plenty of experience and plenty of potential. Drones threw for 2085 yards, rushed for 818 more and accounted for 22 touchdowns and just two interceptions in 2023, where his play helped turn around what seemed destined to be Virginia Tech’s fourth losing season in as many years. However, injuries limited him to just nine games a year ago and he struggled to find the same spark when on the field. At 6’3, 240 pounds, Sellers is similar in physique to Drones, as well as in production. He accounted for over 3,000 yards of total offense a year ago and produced 25 total touchdowns while leading Shane Beamer’s team to a 9-4 record and an appearance in the Citrus Bowl. The goal for both quarterbacks is the same, albeit on a different level – get their teams over the hump. For Drones and Virginia Tech the hump is more like a rut.

The Hokies haven’t appeared in the year’s final AP poll since 2017, which is also the last time they won nine games. With a 16-21 record through three seasons, Brent Pry is squarely on the hotseat in Blacksburg and will need Drones to return to form if Virginia Tech is going to have a chance to reclaim its spot atop the ACC. On the other hand, Sellers and the Gamecocks have a chance to push their way into the CFP conversation. After finishing the 2024 season ranked 19th by the AP and 15th in the CFP rankings, South Carolina has a solid foundation to take another step forward as part of the expanded 12-team playoffs.

No. 6 Notre Dame at No. 10 Miami

Kickoff time: 7:30 (EST), Sunday TV: ABC FanDuel line: ND -2.5 VSS line: ND -7.35

Week one delivers us a treat here with a classic rivalry between the Fighting Irish and the Hurricanes. The culture at the schools couldn’t be more different – and neither could the status of the starting quarterbacks. Redshirt freshman CJ Carr, who took four snaps without throwing a pass in 2024, will make the start for Notre Dame. It’s a drastic change for the Fighting Irish, whose previous two quarterbacks – Riley Leonard and Sam Hartman – played 103 games in college combined. Now the Irish turn to Carr, grandson of former Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr, to get the Irish back to the National Championship. For Miami, it’s the second year in a row with an experienced high-profile transfer under center. Cam Ward, the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft led the Hurricanes to a 10-3 record a year ago. This year, Georgia transfer Carson Beck looks to lead Miami into its first CFP. Beck led the Bulldogs to a 24-3 record as a two-year starter. In total he passed for 7,912 yards and 58 touchdowns at Georgia before suffering a season-ending elbow injury in the SEC Championship game against Texas. Beck and his new program both have a lot to prove. For the quarterback, it’s about reestablishing himself as one of the premier gunslingers in the country ahead of the 2026 draft. Those around the program would surely love to stop hearing the ‘are they back?’ question over and over again – and simply be there.

TCU at North Carolina

Kickoff time: 8:00 (EST), Monday TV: ESPN FanDuel line: TCU -3.5 VSS line: TCU -3.99

The final game of the week one slate will get plenty of attention as Bill Belichick makes his collegiate coaching debut at the helm for North Carolina. And while all eyes will certainly be on the former New England Patriots head man – and just as many on the hunt for girlfriend Jordon Hudson – redshirt sophomore Gio Lopez will have the spotlight on him as well. As Belichick’s first quarterback, the South Alabama transfer will be under the microscope immediately. Since Tom Brady’s departure from New England, many football fans and writers have loudly questioned if Belichick could put together a winning team without him. Lopez, who accounted for just over 3,000 yards of total offense and 25 total touchdowns a year ago, will look to forge a path as a high-level quarterback in a power conference while helping (temporarily) silence the Belichick critics.