With only a few weeks left in the 2025 college football season, the postseason is right on the horizon. The topic everyone is obsessing over is the latest College Football Playoff rankings and all the movement that could potentially happen over the last couple of games. Notre Dame football is in a good spot at No. 9 in the latest rankings. If they win their final two games in dominant fashion, it’s hard to believe that head coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish would not make it in.

If and when Notre Dame makes the playoffs, the next conversation point will be centered around its path toward winning a National Championship. To do so, redshirt freshman quarterback CJ Carr will need to play beyond his years and put together a big postseason run. When you compare Carr to the other quarterbacks projected to be in the playoffs right now, there is an intriguing conversation around where he would rank against the rest of the field.

To put this type of list together, a lot must be considered. Obviously, the talent will be the main part of the conversation. You need to pass the eye test. Production will matter a lot because, at the end of the day, producing is what will always matter most. For this exercise, experience must also be a part of the equation. You are projecting how these quarterbacks could perform on this big stage.

This list is essentially a confidence meter for the quarterbacks projected to be on this stage. Here is how my quarterback list would look right now.

1. Fernando Mendoza (Indiana) 

The former Cal transfer has been tremendous for the Hoosiers so far this season. Mendoza has thrown for 2,641 yards and 30 touchdowns on the season, while also completing 73 percent of his passes. The 6-5, 225-pound pocket passer has also quietly rushed for another 216 yards and five scores on the ground. 

2. Julian Sayin (Ohio State) 

Considered potentially the frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy, Sayin has been extremely impressive in his first year as a starter. He has completed 80.1 percent of his passes, throwing for 2,675 yards and 25 touchdowns. The efficient downfield throwing from Sayin has been something not many were expecting, at least this early. 

3. Dante Moore (Oregon) 

Moore is a bit hard to place to a degree, especially with so many talented quarterbacks around him. He is an outstanding talent, throwing one of the best balls in all of college football. While Moore has been putting up good numbers, there is also context to consider, which makes him look even better. That is even without having wide receiver Evan Stewart for the entire season, Dakorien Moore now out as well, and star tight end Kenyon Sadiq also missing some time.

4. Ty Simpson (Alabama) 

Heading into the college football season, many expected Simpson to be a solid quarterback for Alabama, but not many expected him to be one of the better passers in the country. When Simpson is at his best, the Crimson Tide are a very dangerous team. He has been making some high-level throws throughout the year and taking care of the football. Simpson has as much on his shoulders as just about any quarterback on this list right now.

5. Marcel Reed (Texas A&M) 

When it comes to passing the football, Reed has improved significantly in 2025, but he is still a bit up and down at times. Along with wide receivers Mario Craver and Kevin Concepcion, Reed loves to push the football down the field. He is also a dynamic runner, helping him account for 28 total touchdowns on the year. 

6. CJ Carr (Notre Dame) 

For a redshirt freshman, Carr has been mostly good. With his lack of experience, there will be some questions about him on the biggest stage this postseason, and it’s understandable. There will be a game where a defense opts to take away Jeremiyah Love and the Irish run game in the postseason, and dare Carr to beat them. 

7. Gunner Stockton (Georgia) 

Stockton isn’t always fun to watch, but the kid just makes plays. He is completing over 70 percent of his passes this season for the Bulldogs, while combining for 27 total touchdowns. His legs add an element that defenses need to be ready for. 

8. Trinidad Chambliss (Ole Miss) 

I wanted to move Chambliss up a little on this list due to his playmaking ability, both as a runner and a passer. The latter is still, however, a bit inconsistent at times. When he’s in rhythm, Chambliss has the talent to win you a football game. 

9. John Mateer (Oklahoma) 

There may not be a more divisive player on this list than Mateer. After a strong start to the 2025 season, the former Washington State transfer has struggled as a consistent passer over the last several weeks. Mateer is still a tough runner and gamer who can make some plays in big moments. 

10. Behren Morton (Texas Tech) 

Morton has quietly been one of the more productive passers in college football each of the last two seasons when healthy. His numbers have been quite good in 2025, consistently creating some explosive plays while also completing a higher percentage of his throws. A lack of ability as an extender or runner is the area where Morton falls short. 

11. Carson Beck (Miami)

When Beck has solid support around him and he’s comfortable, he’s an accurate and consistent distributor. Pressure can cause a lot of issues for Beck, leading to some truly boneheaded decisions. That drastically limits his ceiling and makes him hard to trust at times. 

12. Jake Retzlaff (Tulane) 

Retzlaff is a solid dual-threat quarterback who can create explosive plays at times but lacks overall consistency as a passer and decision-maker. That volatility makes him a bit of a wildcard, and that was true even when he was the starting quarterback at BYU. He has accounted for 23 total touchdowns in ten games so far this season.

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