We ranked all the FBS quarterback situations before the season, and with the season now at the midpoint, we have decided to do it again.
Not a top 10 or a top 25 list, but we've ranked the quarterback situations for all 128 FBS programs.
The most important thing to note before you dive in: This is not simply a comparison of the talent level of the starters (we'll let the 2015 and 2016 NFL Drafts sort that out). Instead, the overriding aspect of this is how a quarterback has produced in his offense this season. That might sound simple but it really isn't. For instance, Mississippi State's Dak Prescott would not be a good quarterback at Washington State, and Washington State's Connor Halliday would not be a good quarterback at Mississippi State. But each is performing at a high level where he is.
1. Mississippi State (preseason: 20th)
Main starter: Dak Prescott
Buzz: Prescott, a junior, is the major reason the Bulldogs have become a legitimate contender for the national title. He is ninth nationally in total offense (342.3 yards per game), and his per-play average of 7.84 yards is third-highest nationally among players with at least 250 plays. He is tied for the national lead in rushing TDs by a quarterback with eight. Prescott has rushed for 576 yards and has had four 100-yard games. He also has thrown 14 TD passes and is 10th nationally in quarterback rating.
2. Oregon (preseason: 2nd)
Main starter: Marcus Mariota
Buzz: Mariota has thrown at least two TD passes in every game this season, and he is the only one of the 76 quarterbacks nationally with at least 155 passing attempts not to have thrown an interception. He is second nationally in yards per attempt (10.5) and leads the nation in quarterback rating; in addition, his 17 TD passes are tied for 10th-most nationally. He is averaging 9.37 yards per play, the highest in the nation for any player who has been involved in at least 50 plays.
3. Florida State (preseason: 1st)
Main starter: Jameis Winston
Buzz: Winston's off-field issues are well-documented, but he has played well this season. He has thrown for 1,605 yards and 11 TDs, and is completing 70.0 percent of his passing attempts; that is sixth-best nationally and the best for any of the 28 quarterbacks averaging 36 attempts per game. Winston also has scored two rushing TDs.
4. Baylor (preseason: 3rd)
Main starter: Bryce Petty
Buzz: Petty missed all of one game and half of another, but still has thrown for 1,524 yards and 15 TDs. He also has rushed for three scores. In the game he missed, backup Seth Russell threw for 438 yards and five TDs. That's not bad for a No. 2 guy.
5. Notre Dame (preseason: 15th)
Main starter: Everett Golson
Buzz: Golson guided the Irish to the 2012 national championship game, then missed last season because of an academic suspension. He has returned with a splash. He has thrown 16 TD passes and has accounted for 20 TDs this season, two more than he did in all of 2012. His recent penchant for turnovers (nine in the past three games) is something to watch, though.
6. Ole Miss (preseason: 21st)
Main starter: Bo Wallace
Buzz: Wallace is a three-year starter and a solid dual-threat quarterback. He has accounted for 17 TDs for the Rebels, who are in the thick of the race for the national title. He is averaging 298.2 yards of total offense per game. He accounted for eight TDs and zero turnovers the past two weeks in wins over Alabama and Texas A&M.
7. East Carolina (preseason: 4th)
Main starter: Shane Carden
Buzz: Carden became the leading passer in school history this season and is on pace for his second consecutive 4,000-yard season. He has thrown 16 TD passes and also has rushed for three scores, and he has had three 400-yard outings this season.
8. California (preseason: 27th)
Main starter: Jared Goff
Buzz: Goff threw for 3,508 yards and 18 TDs as a true freshman last season; the yardage total was a single-season record at a school that has produced the likes of Aaron Rodgers, Steve Bartkowksi and Joe Kapp. Well, he is going to blow that number out of the water this season: He is on a pace for throw for 4,358 yards. Goff has thrown 24 TD passes against just three interceptions, and he is completing 65.5 percent of his passes, too. He has had four 300-yard games and five games with at least three TD passes.
9. Western Kentucky (preseason: 74th)
Main starter: Brandon Doughty
Buzz: Weird but true: Doughty was recruited by Willie Taggart, who preferred a run-first offense, struggled a bit under pass-first coach Bobby Petrino last season and now has blossomed with new coach Jeff Brohm. He averages 433.0 passing yards per game and has had two 500-yard games. He has thrown 16 TD passes and is completing 69.0 percent of his passes.
10. UCLA (preseason: 5th)
Main starter: Brett Hundley
Buzz: Hundley has been criticized for his work in the pocket because he is sacked so often (24 times). While the Bruins' offensive line needs work, Hundley deserves the criticism. At the same time, he has accounted for 14 TDs (11 TD passes) and leads the nation in completion percentage (72.1) and is sixth in quarterback rating.
Follow Mike Huguenin on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.
