Dak Prescott and the 10 most underrated college football quarterbacks of all time

No. 1: Underrated college football quarterbacks – Case Keenum, Houston

Given everything that Keenum did in his career as a Houston Cougar, it’s fitting he’d be the No. 1 quarterback on this list. Nobody in FBS history has thrown more touchdowns or for more yards than Keenum. He was a star in the Bayou City (or Space City, if you prefer) and thrived on the football field from 2007 all the way through 2011.

Keenum’s career got going pretty much as soon as he made it on to campus. As a true freshman, Keenum played in 13 games, splitting snaps with Blake Joseph, and throwing for a respectable total of 2,259 yards and 14 touchdowns all while completing 68.5 percent of his passes.

In 2008, under first-year head coach Kevin Sumlin, Keenum was no longer sharing significant playing time and Houston’s offense thrived. As a sophomore, he threw an astonishing 5,020 yards and 44 touchdowns against just 11 interceptions. He also ran for another seven touchdowns, proving that no defense could truly slow him down.

Keenum’s success continued on in 2009 when he attempted 700 passes and completed over 70 percent of them. During the 2009 season, Houston won 10 games, including a 45-35 victory over No. 5 Oklahoma State in Stillwater. UH fell short of winning its conference, but had plenty to celebrate with a successful season.

2010 was a bit rougher for Keenum and UH. The Coogs went 5-7, and their starting quarterback went down with an injury just a few games into what would’ve been his senior season.

But thanks to the fact that he was granted an extra year of eligibility for missing out on the vast majority of the 2010 season, Keenum was given a second shot at his senior season. And Keenum certainly made the most of that chance.

After a disappointing 2010 season, Houston and Keenum bounced back in 2011. With Keenum back at the helm, Houston won 13 games and climbed up to a high of No. 7 in the polls. The Cougars again lost in their conference title game, but a bowl win over No. 24 Penn State allowed UH to end the season on a high note.

During his final season with the Cougars, Keenum threw for 5,631 yards, 48 touchdowns, and completed 71 percent of his passes. Unfortunately for him, that performance was only good enough for finishing No. 7 in the Heisman race.

Through his career, Keenum threw for 19,217 yards and 155 touchdowns. He completed 69.4 percent of his passes. He is the most underrated quarterback in college football history.

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