USA Today shakes up Top 10 QB rankings ahead of Week 5 of college football

It’s no longer the very early stages of the college football season. Now, conference play has either kicked off or is kicking off around the country. So, it’s no surprise a group of quarterbacks has separated itself from the field. With that, USA Today once again updated its Top 10 QB rankings.

The goal of the USA Today Top 10 QB rankings is to judge these players based on what they’ve done to this point in the season. In that respect, they’re removing preseason expectations, potential, and what they might expect QBs to do moving forward this season. That tends to make for a lot of movement in these rankings from week to week.

There are two new QBs ranked at the top by USA Today after shaking things up from Week 4 to now. There are also three new quarterbacks who made it to these rankings after not being on at all a week ago. So, with that in mind, here are the USA Today QB rankings for Week 5.

1. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana Hoosiers

Fernando Mendoza is in his first season as the starting QB at Indiana. Already, he and the Hoosiers have been dominant. That includes beating Illinois 63-10 a week ago, proving just where they stand in the Big Ten’s current pecking order.

The Hoosiers are now up to 4-0 for the season and 1-0 in Big Ten play. In that time, Mendoza is completing 76.8% of his passes for 975 and 14 touchdowns without any interceptions. He also has 76 rushing yards and another two touchdowns on the ground.

2. Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt Commodores

Vanderbilt has become a very real threat in the SEC this season. Much of that is thanks to Diego Pavia at QB. That included a 70-point effort last week against an overmatched Georgia State team and a 24-point win in their only SEC game to this point in the year.

The Commodores are now up to 4-0 for the season and 1-0 in SEC play. For his part, Pavia is completing 73.9% of his passes for 890 yards and eight touchdowns to two interceptions. He’s also rushed for 215 yards and another score.

3. Dante Moore, Oregon Ducks

A former five-star recruit, Dante Moore sat out last season after transferring into the Oregon program. That seems to have been for the best because now Moore is one of the best QBs in all of college football.

Oregon has dominated its competition early this season. The Ducks are 4-0 overall and 1-0 in conference play. Through four games, Moore is completing 74.7% of his passes for 962 yards and 11 touchdowns to an interception. On top of that, he has 87 rushing yards.

4. Carson Beck, Miami Hurricanes

The Miami Hurricanes loudly announced themselves in Week 1 this season. They haven’t gone away since then either. A major part of that success comes down to the play of veteran transfer quarterback Carson Beck.

Miami looks like one of the best teams in the country early. Heading into ACC play, the Hurricanes are 4-0. In that time, Beck has completed 73.2% of his passes for 972 yards and seven touchdowns to three interceptions. Beck also has 19 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown.

5. John Mateer, Oklahoma Sooners

John Mateer helped spark life into the Oklahoma offense. Now, the Sooners need to find a way to live without their star QB, at least for the time being. Mateer needs right-hand surgery, which is going to keep him out for at least three weeks. In the meantime, they’ll need to find a way to survive.

To this point, Oklahoma is 4-0 overall and 1-0 in SEC play. In those four games, Mateer is completing 67.4% of his passes. That’s for 1,215 yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions. He also has 190 rushing yards and another five touchdowns on the ground.

6. Dylan Raiola, Nebraska Cornhuskers

Nebraska took its first loss of the season to Michigan last week. Still, the Cornhuskers appear to be significantly better. That is, in no small part, thanks to the improved play of sophomore QB Dylan Raiola.

The loss dropped Nebraska to 3-1 overall and 0-1 in Big Ten play. Even with the loss, Raiola is completing 75.6% of his passes for 1,137 yards and 11 touchdowns to just one interception. That’s down from 11 interceptions a season ago.

7. Josh Hoover, TCU Horned Frogs

The TCU Horned Frogs are looking to be competitive in the Big 12 race this season. If they’re able to do that, it’s largely going to be thanks to the play of QB Josh Hoover. Now experienced in this system, Hoover is playing the best he ever has.

TCU has yet to play a Big 12 game. Still, at this point, the Horned Frogs are 3-0. In that time, Hoover is completing 68% of passes for 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns to two interceptions. He also has 30 rushing yards.

8. Jayden Maiava, USC Trojans

There is one position Lincoln Riley will always seem to thrive at developing, and that’s QB. So, it’s not a surprise that Jayden Maiava has become one of the best in college football today. Now, after opening up Big Ten play, Maiava is expecting to see another class of defense moving forward.

USC now sits in the driver’s seat in the Big Ten. At 4-0 overall and 2-0 in conference play, the Trojans are sitting in first place. Maiava is completing 70.8% of his passes for 1,223 yards and nine touchdowns. That’s without an interception. He also has 55 rushing yards and four touchdowns.

9. Jalon Daniels, Kansas Jayhawks

The Kansas Jayhawks returned QB Jalon Daniels for a sixth college season. So far, that veteran experience is paying off. Daniels has become one of the best players in all of college football, let alone the Big 12.

Kansas now sits at 3-1 overall and 1-0 in Big 12 play. During that first third of the season, Daniels is completing 66.7% of his passes for 817 yards and 12 touchdowns to two interceptions. He also has 159 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown.

10. Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss Rebels

Coming into the season, Trinidad Chambliss wasn’t the starting QB for Ole Miss. Officially, he still isn’t. However, with Austin Simmons dealing with an injury, he’s stepped in and kept the Ole Miss offense rolling incredibly well.

Ole Miss is now 4-0 overall and 2-0 in SEC play. That has them in first place going into Week 5. In more limited playing time than some other QBs, Chambliss completed 67.7% of his passes for 719 yards and four touchdowns without an interception. He also has 195 rushing yards and another two scores on the ground.