Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin led the national college football Total QBR season ratings after Week 5 with a 92.1. Tayven Jackson of North Texas ranked 11th, while Tennessee freshman Faizon Brandon placed 90th. ESPN released updated ratings for Football Bowl Subdivision quarterbacks ahead of Week 6. The rankings measure quarterback performance; they provide no figures on player compensation, team revenue or how money is distributed in college football.
The Rankings
Miami’s Darian Mensah followed Sayin at 92.0, a 0.1-point gap in the published ratings. Alabama’s Keelon Russell ranked third at 91.0, and Notre Dame’s CJ Carr placed fourth at 90.4. West Virginia’s Michael Hawkins Jr. took fifth with 89.3.
Georgia’s Gunner Stockton ranked sixth at 88.7. Memphis’ Marcus Stokes took seventh with 88.0, followed by Boise State’s Maddux Madsen at 87.3. Indiana’s Josh Hoover was ninth at 86.4, while Northwestern’s Aidan Chiles ranked 10th at 83.7.
Jackson ranked 11th nationally with an 83.3. Illinois’ Katin Houser followed at 83.2, USC’s Jayden Maiava ranked 13th at 82.9, Miami University’s David McComb was 14th at 82.8, and Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss rounded out the top 15 at 82.5.
Adjusted Total Quarterback Rating evaluates quarterbacks across all play types on a 0-to-100 scale, with ESPN adjusting ratings to account for the strength of opposing defenses. The reported scores combine performance across play types with an opponent adjustment; the article doesn't give individual defensive adjustments or explain how each element affected a player's score.
Jackson at North Texas
Jackson, a former Tennessee quarterback in his first season at North Texas in 2026, had started five games by the Week 5 ratings. The 6-foot-4, 209-pound quarterback completed 119 of 167 pass attempts for 1,519 yards, with 10 touchdowns and four interceptions.
He added 55 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 22 attempts. Those passing and rushing totals accompany his 83.3 QBR. The report gives no figures on Jackson's pay, contract or revenue associated with North Texas football.
At Tennessee in 2022, Jackson appeared in three games. He completed three of four passes for 37 yards and added 10 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown for the Vols. The article reports his earlier playing statistics but doesn't compare his compensation or role at the two programs.
Tennessee's Freshman Quarterback
Brandon ranked 90th nationally with a 48.2 QBR after five starts. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound freshman completed 61 of 101 passes for 697 yards and seven touchdowns. He recorded 130 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 53 attempts.
His rating sits far below the top 15, and the report gives his passing and rushing totals. It doesn't describe a team policy, player organizing, labor dispute or proposed reform. The account sticks to rankings, the rating method and quarterback statistics. Dan Harralson of Vols Wire wrote the report, dated Oct. 6, 2026, at 5:10 a.m. ET.