CBS Sports shakes up Top 25 QB rankings after Week 8 of College Football

Eight weeks into the 2025 regular season, the play of college football’s top quarterbacks have been a major talking point, even if much has centered around disappointing starts from some of the game’s most notable names. But where some have faltered, others have elevated their individual games and opened eyes around the sport.

With that in mind, CBS Sports overhauled its weekly list of the top quarterbacks in the game today, including first-year Alabama QB Ty Simpson and Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza holding onto the top two spots in the rankings for a second consecutive week. Of course, as CBS Sports‘ David Cobb makes clear in his piece, this ranking is not a Heisman Trophy forecast or a projection on how these QBs may get drafted, but rather a “real-time reaction to performance.”

Check out CBS Sports’ updated rankings of college football’s Top 25 quarterbacks after Week 8:

1. Ty Simpson, Alabama

The first-year Alabama starter continues to turn heads and open eyes both across college football and in the professional ranks amid his strong first-half of the season. Simpson’s 18 touchdowns to one interception leads the SEC and is tied for sixth nationally, while his 160.07 quarterback rating against SEC competition is tops in the league.

CBS Sports: “When you incorporate opponent quality into the picture, no one has been better. He’s been, efficient, steady, clutch and light on catastrophic blunders during four straight wins over top-20 opponents with legitimate CFP aspirations.”

2. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

Mendoza has taken the reins in Bloomington and run with them in his first season at Indiana. That includes leading the nation with a 191.01 quarterback rating while tossing a FBS-leading 21 touchdowns to just two interceptions this season. Mendoza bounced back from back-to-back difficult Big Ten road games at Iowa and Oregon to go off last week against Michigan State.

CBS Sports: “Mendoza threw four touchdowns and a season-high 332 yards in Indiana’s easy win over Michigan State. He leads the nation in passing efficiency, is tied for first in passing touchdowns (21) and is running at a close second in the Heisman Trophy odds.”

3. Julian Sayin, Ohio State (+2)

The Buckeyes redshirt freshman has been the definition of efficient in his first season as Ohio State’s starting QB. That includes leading all of college football with an eye-popping 80-percent completion percentage to go along with 1,872 yards and 19 touchdowns, both of which rank second in the Big Ten.

CBS Sports: “When you’ve got the nation’s leader in completion percentage at quarterback and a stacked receiver corps, why not sling it around? Sayin is completing 80% of his passes and is up to 19 touchdowns with just three interceptions.”

4. Haynes King, Georgia Tech (-1)

The Yellow Jackets veteran has been the driving force behind Georgia Tech’s undefeated start this season, much of it due to his running ability. King currently ranks second in the ACC with 560 rushing yards with a league-high 10 rushing touchdowns to go along with 1,176 passing yards and four scores through the air.

CBS Sports: “He also surpassed 200 passing yards for a third straight game and extended his interception-free streak to five games. With a lesser quarterback, the unbeaten Yellow Jackets would have a couple of losses.”

5. Brendan Sorsby, Cincinnati (+4)

While not the most well-known name on this list, it’s clear CBS is quite on on the highly-efficient Bearkats QB. Sorsby’s 176.44 quarterback rating ranks second in the Big 12, behind only Kansas’ Jalon Daniels. But Sorsby’s been especially dangerous in Big 12 play, including throwing four TDs in last week’s game at Oklahoma State.

CBS Sports: “Sorsby is tied for fourth nationally in completions of 25+ yards with 22, which is impressive when you consider he’s attempted significantly fewer passes than the players ahead of him on the list.”

6. Marcel Reed, Texas A&M (+26)

The Aggies’ sophomore dual-threat quarterback is among CBS Sports’ biggest climbers this week after racking up four total touchdowns in Saturday’s 45-42 road win at Arkansas. Reed currently ranks fourth in the SEC averging 287.3 total yards per game this season, and is tied for third with 15 passing touchdowns.

CBS Sports: “Playing Arkansas can do wonders to boost a quarterback’s stock, and Reed cashed in on his opportunity to face the SEC’s worst defense.”

7. Byrum Brown, South Florida

The USF senior dual-threat sparkplug has been key to the 18th-ranked Bulls’ climb up the AP Top 25 amid a four-game win streak, including lop-sided wins against American Conference rivals. During that span against in-conference competition, Brown has 14 combined touchdowns, including 10 through the air.

CBS Sports: “Brown has reached 200 yards passing in all seven of South Florida’s games and has now surpassed 100 yards rushing in two of the Bulls’ past three. … He is the single biggest reason why USF is in position to claim a spot in the CFP.”

8. Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt (+7)

For the second year in a row, Vanderbilt’s 24-year-old veteran QB is the talk of the SEC after another stunning upset of a Top 10 SEC superpower. This year it was accounting for three total touchdowns in last Saturday’s 31-24 win over No. 10 LSU. Suffice it to say, Pavia has made the most of his sixth season of collegiate eligibility.

CBS Sports: “It’s fitting that Pavia has struck up a friendship with Johnny Manziel, because some of the things Pavia does are quite reminiscent of the Texas A&M legend.”

9. Dante Moore, Oregon (NR)

After falling out of favor following a rough showing in Week 7’s 30-20 home loss to Indiana, Moore bounced back admirably with a four-touchdown performance in Saturday’s 56-10 win over Rutgers. Moore’s 19 touchdowns to four interceptions is tied for second-best among Big Ten quarterbacks and stil keeps him in the Heisman conversation.

CBS Sports: “he redshirt sophomore is making good on his five-star prospect hype by becoming the latest Ducks QB to put up big numbers in offensive coordinator Will Stein’s system.”

10. Gunner Stockton, Georgia (+24)

The second-biggest climber in CBS Sports’ list is the first-year Bulldogs’ starter, who has quickly established himself as one of the SEC’s top “gamers.” While not a stat-stuffer, Stockton just continues to get it done when necessary, including throwing for a career-high 289 yards and four touchdowns in last Saturday’s home win over a Top 5-Ole Miss.

CBS Sports: “Stockton produced the best performance of his career in Georgia’s 43-35 win over Ole Miss. … he only possession on which Georgia didn’t score? When Stockton was taking a knee to ice the victory.”

CBS Sports’ updated Top 25 QB ranking, Nos. 11-25:

11. Jayden Maiava, USC (-7)
12. Josh Hoover, TCU (+4)
13. Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss
14. Bear Bachmeier, BYU (+17)
15. Joey Aguilar, Tennessee (-1)
16. Sam Leavitt, Arizona State (+6)
17. Joe Fagnano, UConn (NR)
18. Taylen Green, Arkansas (+9)
19. CJ Carr, Notre Dame (-11)
20. John Mateer, Oklahoma (-2)
21. Jalon Daniels, Kansas (-2)
22. Luke Altmyer, Illinois (-1)
23. Rocco Becht, Iowa State
24. Darian Mensah, Duke (-13)
25. Conner Weigman, Houston (+17)