Buying or Selling 10 High-Profile College Football Quarterbacks in Need of Bounce-Back Games

Quarterback play is more important than ever as college football approaches the final month of the regular season. And yet, some of the biggest names in the country are more volatile than ever, struggling in their most important moments and calling into question our preseason expectations.

Nine of the 10 quarterbacks listed below are coming off a loss, many of which were the worst individual performances of their season. The 10th, Oregon’s Dylan Raiola, played so poorly two weeks ago that he didn’t get the start in the Ducks’ game against Nebraska, only to come off the bench (again) and rally the team to victory. 

That said, all 10 players are desperately in need of at least a few prove-it performances in the coming weeks. And given that this is the low point for many of these quarterbacks in 2026, it’s time to visit the stock market and determine if now is a good time to buy or sell. 

Sports Illustrated will make a projection on each player, along with reasons for the decision. Without further ado, we turn our attention to Austin, after the Arch Manning stock price plummeted for a second straight week:

Arch Manning

Next game: Saturday, vs. Ole Miss

Texas became the first No. 1-ranked team in the country to lose to unranked opponents in consecutive weeks since 1961, and Manning has played a major role in that. He posted the second-worst single-game QBR of his career (20.5) against Florida and threw two costly fourth-quarter interceptions the week before against Oklahoma. On deep pass attempts of 20 or more yards down the field this season, Manning is 10 for 25 (40%) with two touchdowns and three interceptions. That’s far too much risk and not nearly enough reward. 

It’s hard to decipher who or what deserves the bulk of the blame: Manning, Steve Sarkisian’s play-calling, the offensive line (allowed Manning to be sacked 17 times, ranking 114th in FBS) or the highly touted (and expensive) skill-position players. It’s likely a combination of those factors but speculation about Manning’s job security hit a boiling point this week with news that redshirt freshman backup KJ Lacey would take more first-team reps this week. For that reason, it’s hard to see this train getting back on the tracks.

Verdict: Sell 

John Mateer

Next game: Saturday, at Ole Miss

A clutch end-of-game drive to beat Texas in the Red River Rivalry was a Band-Aid fix for the Sooners quarterback. With a chance to replicate that moment down one with 1:26 left against Kentucky, Mateer threw an awful pick-six, his third interception of the day. He has as many turnovers (nine) as he does total touchdowns this season, is bringing nothing to the table as a runner (usually a strength of his) and the Oklahoma offense is suffering as a result. It’s important to note that too much is being placed on Mateer seeing as the Sooners rank dead last (138th!) in yards per carry. But still, Oklahoma is also 64th in the Power 4 and 114th in FBS in scoring, having not scored more than 14 points in four of their six games in 2026. Another great defense in Norman, Okla., is being wasted.

Verdict: Sell

Bryce Underwood

Next game: Saturday, vs. Indiana 

Four straight scoreless quarters for the Michigan offense were enough for Kyle Whittingham to bail from Underwood on Saturday in favor of true freshman Tommy Carr, who rallied the Wolverines to their fourth victory of the season. And that outcome was actually the worst result possible for Underwood’s future in Ann Arbor, Mich. The situation was supposed to improve in Year 2 under new offensive coordinator Jason Beck, and it’s going the opposite direction. Underwood has the highest interception percentage in the Power 4 (4.8%) and has thrown four interceptions without a single touchdown in his last two starts. When he’s not turning the ball over, he’s inaccurate (58.1% completion rate, sixth lowest in the Power 4), missing receivers and putting the ball in harm’s way. The dual-threat skill set is still there and Underwood is only 19, so I don’t think this is just who he’s going to be for the rest of his career. But for whom much is given, much is expected and having fallen so short of those expectations for his hometown school could lead to a tense breakup between the two sides this offseason.

Verdict: Sell

Josh Hoover

Next game: Saturday, at Michigan

Indiana was one cleat’s width away from taking down Ohio State and establishing itself as the clear team to beat in the Big Ten, meaning that Hoover wouldn’t have ended up on this list. But some clear limitations for the TCU transfer showed themselves in the game. Hoover posted his lowest single-game passer rating (120.4), completion percentage (50%) and second-lowest yards per attempt (7.4) of the season in the loss. His inaccuracy in Big Ten games (60.2%) is a particularly concerning trend, though there’s no doubt he’s consistently facing better competition than he did last year in the Big 12. There’s no need to panic though. Hoover still hasn’t turned the ball over, a baffling about-face from his days with the Horned Frogs. He’s also second in the country in QBR (89.1), behind only Miami’s Darian Mensah. Hoover might not provide Indiana with the upside of Fernando Mendoza, but he’s having a career year and could still deliver for the Hoosiers when they need him most.

Verdict: Buy

Gunner Stockton

Next game: Oct. 31, vs. Florida

One week after delivering the most impressive win of any team and quarterback this season at Alabama, Stockton had perhaps the worst game of his career in a loss to Auburn. Most of all, the Georgia quarterback was careless with the ball, coughing up three turnovers, including a devastating fumble with the Bulldogs driving in a tie game late in the fourth quarter. The issue came in the middle two quarters, when Georgia struggled to build on early momentum and then fell behind, forcing Kirby Smart to ask Stockton to be something he’s not—the engine of the offense. His 34 passing attempts were his most on the season and tied for the second most of his career. More touches for Stockton isn’t inherently a bad thing, seeing as he’d never thrown more than one interception in a game until Saturday. Though it may be a foreboding sign that higher pressure games, when Georgia trails, could increase Stockton’s threshold for mistakes, it’s more likely that this game was an outlier. Everything had to go wrong for the Bulldogs to lose—and it did.

Verdict: Buy

Dylan Raiola

Next game: Saturday, at Illinois

Technically, Raiola is the only quarterback on this list who won his Week 7 game, coming on as a super sub to start the fourth quarter and rally Oregon back from a dismal start to beat Nebraska. And Raiola, for the second time coming off the bench this year, was rock solid. He didn’t have to do much (3.3 yards per attempt), but he led the Ducks on back-to-back scoring drives that lasted 12:45 of the fourth quarter, almost completely keeping the ball out of the hands of the Nebraska offense. His poise and accuracy on the game-winning touchdown pass should be applauded. That said, I can’t fully buy back into the Raiola experience for a few reasons. If what he’s done off the bench against USC and Nebraska should be the norm, why did Dan Lanning stick with Brock Thomas to start the game last Saturday? Why was Raiola so much worse when he started the game against UCLA, turning the ball over three times and posting a QBR of 2.3? It’s hard to believe that Raiola won’t get the start this upcoming weekend against Illinois, but if there’s something that opposing teams are able to figure out when game-planning for him the week before, that gives me very little faith for consistent success going forward.

Verdict: Sell

Rocco Becht

Next game: Oct. 31, vs. Purdue 

It probably won’t happen, but it seems time for the Matt Campbell–Becht duo to take some space away from one another. Penn State had every opportunity to win on Saturday in the Big House and Becht’s three turnovers stifled any momentum the Nittany Lions ever started to build. Since tearing through Penn State’s weak nonconference slate, Becht has three passing touchdowns and six turnovers, looking more inaccurate and unsure of himself than he has for most of his career. When you’ve played as much football as Becht has, you’re supposed to be a steadying force, but he’s been the complete opposite. It’s definitely been challenging to be without top receiver Koby Howard and be without a reliable run game (3.8 yards per carry, tied for 108th in FBS), so the team’s inconsistency doesn’t all fall on its quarterback. If Campbell is looking for a spark though, making a change behind center could be a place to start. 

Verdict: Sell

Keelon Russell

Next game: Saturday, vs. Texas A&M

Alarm bells are ringing in Tuscaloosa, Ala., after back-to-back losses, including a real dud in the Third Saturday in October rivalry game at Tennessee. Russell struggled, turning the ball over three times and continuing a real dip in his play from the start of the season. What’s been more concerning than the turnovers are the sack numbers, which are now up to 20 through seven games. Only Auburn, Washington and Virginia have allowed as many or more sacks than Alabama in the Power 4 this season and Russell is in part to blame. He’s been pressured on 36% of his dropbacks, according to PFF, which is 11th most in the Power 4 and second most in the SEC. Though he’s managed to avoid too many colossal mistakes when under duress, Russell has made those scenarios worse by holding onto the ball and trying to make something happen. It’s not uncommon for a young quarterback to do that, so surely improvements will be made in that area, but for Alabama’s playoff hopes this season, that needs to happen sooner rather than later.

Verdict: Buy

CJ Carr

Next game: Oct. 31, vs. Navy

Carr may have left Provo, Utah, without a touchdown and one of the most head-scratching mistakes of the season on the botched spike near the goal line, and yet I emerge more emboldened about him being at worst one of the top three quarterbacks in the country this season. The numbers might suggest otherwise. Carr averaged just 5.33 yards per dropback, over three yards worse than his season average. The offense as a whole averaged just 4.71 yards per play, in part because of how poorly the run game supported the Notre Dame quarterback in this matchup. Carr was asked to do more than ever, his 49 passing attempts breaking his career high by 17, and his accuracy fluctuated. And yet on the last drive, in an incredibly hostile environment, Notre Dame had to fully trust Carr to get them down the field. He did, going 7 for 15, but more importantly delivering four different times on third or fourth down. The last play obviously ended in double controversy with no flag for pass interference and one second still left on the clock, meaning Carr would have had one last show at a Heisman Trophy moment and instead is left to pick up the pieces for a Notre Dame team that may have to win out. Based on Saturday’s performance, there’s still a solid chance that the Irish do exactly that. 

Verdict: Buy

Austin Simmons

Next game: Oct. 31, at Arkansas

Missouri got absolutely manhandled on the road at Ole Miss, Simmons’s former school. And the ex-Rebel struggled in the homecoming, completing just 25-of-44 attempts with no touchdowns and an interception. Missouri dug itself such a hole early on, falling down 21–3 at half and hoping Simmons could dig them. The Tigers proceeded to punt or turn the ball over on downs on their next five drives, with only one of those possessions lasting longer than six plays and traveling more than 24 yards. That suggests that the Missouri offense is limited when it falls into a rut and Simmons doesn’t have the explosiveness to turn things around. It’s foreboding with the Texas, Georgia and Oklahoma defenses still on the schedule, which is in part why we’re selling. Simmons has clearly come a long way in properly evaluating risk and still delivering big-time throws when it matters, but he still has some work to do to be more consistent in those areas against the upper echelon of the SEC.

Verdict: Sell