Forget everything you thought you knew about college football’s top quarterbacks, because a former zero-star FCS transfer named Braden Atkinson is absolutely shredding the record books right now, leading the entire nation in both passing yards and touchdowns.
Atkinson’s Unstoppable Rise From FCS Nobody to National Leader
This guy, Braden Atkinson, played for Mercer at the FCS level just last year in 2025. He was never a top recruit, never ranked high in transfer portals, but now he’s making headlines for all the right reasons. Atkinson is currently leading the nation with an insane 21 touchdown passes and is averaging 373.7 passing yards per game. Think about that for a second: the last QB to average more yards over a full season was 2023 Heisman winner Jayden Daniels. This isn’t just against cupcake teams either. Oregon State opened its season against Big 12 heavyweights Houston and Texas Tech, and Atkinson threw for nearly 800 yards across those two competitive losses. Since then, he’s only gotten better, leading the Beavers to four straight victories. Over the past two weeks alone, he’s dropped 836 yards, 10 touchdowns, and zero interceptions in blowout wins over San Diego State and Colorado State. He’s been named Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week for a third time, and get this: he’s only the fourth FBS quarterback of the 21st century to throw for 400 yards, five touchdowns, and no interceptions in consecutive weeks. His main target, Jesse Legree, is also leading the nation with 12 touchdown grabs and 932 receiving yards. Yeah, the man delivering the ball definitely has something to do with that. This dude went from being ranked #12 to climbing all the way to #2 in the QB Power Rankings!
The Mighty Have Fallen, While Others Stay Perfect
While Atkinson is soaring, some high-profile names are taking a hit. Arch Manning, the former five-star prospect everyone knows by his first name, just took a significant tumble in the rankings. Why? He threw a pair of crucial fourth-quarter interceptions in Texas’s loss to Oklahoma. Ouch. On the flip side, Darian Mensah from Miami is holding steady at #1. This Duke transfer is ridiculously efficient, leading the nation in passing efficiency, completion percentage (an absurd 84.2%), and EPA per dropback. He’s one of only four Power Four quarterbacks with over 100 passes attempted and zero interceptions. Plus, he set new ACC records for consecutive completions earlier this season. The dude is nearly perfect for the #3 Hurricanes. Meanwhile, Trinidad Chambliss for Ole Miss had a “light day” in Week 6 after their bye, as Ole Miss absolutely hammered Vanderbilt.
The college football quarterback landscape is shifting fast, and if you’re not paying attention to guys like Braden Atkinson, you’re missing out on one of the wildest stories of the season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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