It wouldn’t be Week 1 in college football if we didn’t overreact on how players from out respective favorite teams looked. It’s obvious how bad things were for Arch Manning, but was he the only quarterback that struggled as the new face of the team? This list of new quarterbacks aren’t necessarily making their college football debuts, rather first important starts.
Here’s a look at a handful of quarterbacks and comparing their debuts in an exciting Week 1. We’ll grade them as well and take a look at what their Week 1 performance means for their teams aspirations and the new expectations for their seasons.
Boom: These guys are the real deal and they proved that in Week 1
Malik Washington, Maryland Terrapins
- Grade: A-
Regardless of who Malik Washington and Maryland played Week 1, he deserves his flowers. As a true freshman, he made his collegiate debut look too easy. He finished a resounding 39-7 win over Florida Atlantic with 258 yards and three passing touchdowns. It’s an optimistic start for a Maryland team that could be a sleeper in the Big Ten.
Though they have ranked games against No. 12 Illinois, No. 20 Indiana and No. 14 Michigan, they have a favorable enough schedule to make some noise. It will come down to Washington’s consistency this year. He’s just a freshman so there’s a lot of room for growth for him.
He had one of the stronger debuts and if we’re being honest, those type of starts usually propel a solid season. I’m not cashing in Maryland as Big Ten contenders just yet, but Washington’s debut is something to keep in mind if he continues to play at an elite level.
Julian Sayin, Ohio State Buckeyes
- Grade: B
Don’t let the low-scoring affair fool you, Julian Sayin might be the quarterback the Buckeyes have been searching for since CJ Stroud declared for the draft. Kyle McCord wasn’t the answer and Will Howard was a one-year rental to buy Ryan Day time. Sayin landed in Columbus after Nick Saban announced his retirement.
Day couldn’t be more happy to have Sayin. He landed some throws that not only showed his potential, but showed he’s the right guy to help Ohio State defend their national title. The touchdown pass to Carnell Tate will get overlooked as it was an example of Sayin’s ability to pinpoint his passes.
The Buckeyes will need Sayin to continue to improve from an impressive Week 1. He didn’t turn the ball over which is always good and he moved the ball around to his weapons. Jeremiah Smith will take off and when he does, it will be because Sayin utilized him.
Bryce Underwood, Michigan Wolverines
- Grade: B
Bryce Underwood was the No. 1 player in the country in the Class of 2025 and secured a reported eight-figure NIL bag that made him one of the most talked about players in the country before he even stepped foot on campus. Though Michigan completely revamped their quarterback room, Underwood separated himself as the starter.
In his Michigan debut, he looked every bit like he’s ready to buck the trend of mediocre quarterbacks in Ann Arbor. Granted it was against New Mexico, but he certainly looked like he didn't have any nerves. He finished with over 200 passing yards in the win and started his collegiate career strong.
It’s a strong step for him as the Wolverines play Oklahoma in Week 2 and he’ll get his first test, a road SEC team at that, to see how he truly matches up against dominant talent.
Bust: Don’t buy stock on these quarterbacks after their Week 1 performances
Arch Manning, Texas Longhorns
- Grade: D
Even if Manning would have carried Texas to at least force overtime against Ohio State on the road after being down 14-0, that wouldn’t have affected his grade on this game. It was that bad. I think maybe if some national pundits didn’t treat Manning as the best player to ever step on a football field, I wouldn’t be this harsh. Between the missed throws, no offensive rhythm, it’s clear Manning has a long way to go before being that elite player.
He could very well go on to be a decent college football quarterback, but his 2025 debut is proof that overarching expectations on players that really haven’t proven themselves does nothing good. Manning finished 17-30 with 170 yards and a touchdown and interception.
This was a wake up call to Manning and what’s looking like a long season for him and the Texas Longhorns. The SEC is no joke and if Manning can’t handle Ohio State for a noon kickoff in Columbus, road games at Florida and Georgia are going to feel like hell.
Dante Moore, Oregon Ducks
- Grade: C+
Yes, the Oregon Ducks curb-stomped FCS Montana State in their season opener. But I wanted to see more from Moore. He had just over 213 passing yards and three touchdowns. This was a game that was predicated on the rushing attack, but as a highly talked about prospect, I wanted to see a better performance. I’m not deeming him a complete bust just yet, but it could be a sign he’s not quite ready to bring Oregon back to Big Ten glory.
The last few seasons, the Ducks have had gunslingers under center that have helped this offense flow. Moore could continue that trend, though I’m not super high on him now. I’m not putting him in Arch Manning territory, but I will need to be convinced he’s the right guy to lead Oregon.
Ty Simpson, Alabama Crimson Tide
- Grade: C
I was torn about Ty Simpson after Week 1. He didn’t look terrible by any means, but there were some questionable decisions that led to Alabama chasing Florida State all game. He didn’t have any interceptions, but made a terrible decision trying to throw out of a sack and subsequently fumbling.
And then there were some decisions when it came to tucking and running it instead of trying to force a throw. These are things that he can clean up, but having spent three seasons learning the system, these are things that shouldn’t happen. It’s Week 1, so we won’t hold that against him for now.
He didn’t have the same expectations as Manning so some mistakes can be accepted for now. That said, we’ll keep a close eye on Simpson and his progression under second-year Bama coach, Kalen DeBoer.
Austin Simmons, Ole Miss Rebels
- Grade: C-
Austin Simmons struggled early in his first start for the Ole Miss Rebels. He had some big shoes to fill with Jaxson Dart last year. He didn’t get off to a good start against an inferior opponent in filling that void under center. While Simmons didn’t look bad, considering the Rebels were playing Georgia State, I expected him to look better than he did.
Though Simmons threw for over 250 yards he had a couple early interceptions that stained his first start in Oxford. A road game at Kentucky next week won’t be easy so not getting a stronger start could hinder him. Like most of the quarterbacks that busted Week 1, with some more time, he could eventually look better than he did Week 1.