A new starting quarterback hasn’t proven to be a major roadblock for teams chasing the College Football Playoff and national championship.
To name two recent examples: Ohio State won last year’s title with Kansas State transfer Will Howard as its starter, while runner-up Notre Dame was led by Duke transfer Riley Leonard.
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Both teams are evaluating their two new options at quarterback without any change in expectations: to win every game they play and be the last team standing at Hard Rock Stadium in January.
Neither race has been settled as we turn toward the start of fall camp. Likewise with key battles involving several additional teams with legitimate playoff hopes, including Alabama, Michigan and Tennessee.
These Power Four quarterback competitions will define the final weeks leading into the regular season and shape the chase for the national title:
Alabama
Contenders: Austin Mack, Keelon Russell and Ty Simpson.
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While the competition is ongoing, Mack and Russell are clearly running behind Simpson, who completed 25 of 45 attempts in two seasons as Alabama’s backup to Jalen Milroe. Comments made back in the spring by new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb – that Simpson would’ve been the starter had the year started then, basically – makes this competition close to a foregone conclusion. In fact, the bigger competition at this point is for the backup role between Mack, a sophomore, and Russell, a five-star true freshman.
Starter: Simpson. The fourth-year junior has the edge in experience and in coach Kalen DeBoer’s system. He’s the overwhelming favorite to be in the starting lineup for the Tide’s opener at Florida State.
Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson (15) throws during his team’s game against Mercer at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Brigham Young
Contenders: Bear Bachmeier, Treyson Bourguet and McCae Hillstead.
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Jake Retzlaff’s unexpected departure from the program amid the possibility of a seven-game suspension for violating the school’s honor code dramatically changes the Cougars’ plans under center. Hillstead is a redshirt sophomore who started four games for Utah State in 2023, with 11 touchdowns against eight interceptions. Bourguet, a junior, threw for 1,314 yards in two years at Western Michigan. Bachmeier is a dual-threat true freshman with the most potential, though no experience.
Starter: Hillstead. That would be the pick as of today, though Bourguet could change the pecking order with a strong fall camp. Both would be keeping the seat warm for Bachmeier, though his time may be at least a year away.
Colorado
Contenders: Julian Lewis and Kaidon Salter.
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That both players were part of Colorado’s contingent at last month’s media day speaks to where things stand in the competition to replace Shedeur Sanders – basically, that we’re still at a neck-and-neck standstill. Lewis was a major recruit who clearly represents the program’s future at the position. Salter was productive across three years at Liberty, highlighted by his 32 touchdown passes two years ago to help the Flames reach the Fiesta Bowl. Will Deion Sanders choose this level of proven Group of Five production over potential?
Starter: Salter. Given the Buffaloes’ important non-conference matchup with Georgia Tech to open the year, Salter would be the safer pick out of the gate. But he’ll need to produce to fend off Lewis, who will be the starter sooner or later.
Michigan
Contenders: Mikey Keene and Bryce Underwood.
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Underwood is a premier quarterback talent with the tools to succeed under a bright spotlight, should Michigan and coach Sherrone Moore be willing to accept the ups and downs that come with starting a true freshman in the Big Ten. Keene is more limited from a physical perspective but does have starting experience and familiarity with new Michigan offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey, who previously coached Keene at Central Florida.
Starter: Underwood. The eventual payoff is too great for the Wolverines to sideline Underwood in favor of Keene’s advantage in experience.
North Carolina
Contenders: Max Johnson and Gio Lopez.
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Johnson opened last year as the starter before suffering a season-ending injury in the opener. The former Texas A&M and LSU starter has thrown for 5,923 yards and 47 touchdowns across his five seasons, including 27 scores and only six interceptions for the Tigers in 2021. Lopez, a sophomore, is a South Alabama transfer who threw for 2,559 yards with totaled 25 combined scores for the Jaguars as a redshirt freshman. Apropos of nothing, new North Carolina coach Bill Belichick went 84-103 in the NFL without Tom Brady as his quarterback and 249-75 with Brady under center.
Starter: Lopez. That Johnson has multiple years of starting experience in the SEC has to count for something. But Lopez brings a different dimension to the offense as a runner, making him the smarter long-term choice for a team that has the talent to contend for a top-four finish in the ACC.
Notre Dame
Contenders: CJ Carr and Kenny Minchey.
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Replacing Leonard won’t be easy for the defending national runner-up. What’s intriguing about this competition is the juxtaposition of styles: Minchey, who has played in three games in his two years on campus, is more of a dual-threat option; while Carr, a former five-star recruit and redshirt freshman, is closer to a pure pocket passer. Carr has been seen as a possible multiple-year starter since signing with the Irish.
Starter: Carr. Maybe there’s a package for Minchey in a supporting role. But Carr has the tools to balance out what should be a very strong running game and make Notre Dame even more dangerous.
Ohio State
Contenders: Lincoln Kienholz and Julian Sayin.
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This one is tighter than the competition in Tuscaloosa after Kienholz more than held his own during the spring. Kienholz completed 10 of 22 attempts as a true freshman in 2023 but didn’t see any game action last season. Sayin was one of the top prospects in the 2024 signing class and was briefly a member of the Crimson Tide before transferring to Columbus. Kienholz has made a move in this battle but remains the underdog. The winner lands the ultimate prize: starting at quarterback in one of the friendliest system in college football and throwing to Jeremiah Smith, among others.
Starter: Sayin. At worst, Kienholz has proven himself to be a reliable backup capable of leading the offense. But Sayin’s immense ceiling as the starter will be hard for Ryan Day and the Buckeyes to turn down.
Tennessee
Contenders: Joey Aguilar, George MacIntyre and Jake Merklinger.
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Nico Iamaleava’s abrupt exit for UCLA diminishes Tennessee’s chances of returning to the playoff. The Volunteers still have several interesting options, though, led by the addition of Aguilar from Appalachian State after he spent a few months of his own with the Bruins. Aguilar is a high-volume passer (850 attempts his past two seasons) with ample experience but is prone to turnovers, with a Sun Belt-high 14 interceptions in 2024. He still has a distinct edge over Merklinger, a redshirt freshman, and the true freshman MacIntyre. Both are talented, highly recruited prospects who could engage in another battle to replace Aguilar after this season.
Starter: Aguilar. He’ll have to play cleaner football to get Tennessee to nine or more wins and keep the two younger passers on the sideline.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College football quarterback competitions and predicted winners
