Through 4 weeks, Jalen Hurts remains at the top of the EQBS rankings, but the gap is narrowing. Hurts’ EQBS rose to 5.3, thanks to Oklahoma’s bye week (remember a player’s EQBS ranking is relative to other quarterbacks in college football). Oklahoma faces Texas Tech this week. The Red Raiders have the 32nd-ranked defense, so we will see if they can slow down Hurts and open the door for another Heisman contender.
Over the past 4 weeks, the gap between numbers 1 and 5 is closing, with less than 5 points separating Hurts and Wake Forest’s Jamie Newman. In week 1, this gap was nearly 15 points. From now until week 10, there will continue to these fluctuations in the top players caused by bye weeks.
Outside of the usual suspects, Newman might be the best quarterback that no one is talking about. Admittedly, Newman has not faced great defenses, but, none of the top 5 EQBS quarterbacks have. For what it’s worth, Newman and Bama’s Tua Tagovailoa are the only quarterbacks in the Top 5 that have played three teams ranked in the top 100 in total defense. What Newman has going in his favor is his schedule. Wake Forest will not play a top 40 defense until week 10, giving Newman plenty of time to build his resume for the Heisman. Do I think he will win the Heisman? No, but you cannot ignore his performance through the first four weeks of the season.
Welcome to the Top 10
Adrian Martinez, Nebraska
Last Week: 32.7 (#16)
This Week: 22.3 (#9)
Sophomore Adrian Martinez has improved his EQBS every week since week 1. This was highlighted by a 445 yard, 3 touchdown performance against Illinois in week 4. Unfortunately, Martinez’s time in the top might be short lived, as Nebraska hosts #5 Ohio State this week.
Happy Trails
Spencer Sanders, Oklahoma State
Last Week: 21.4 (#10)
This Week: 27.9 (#13)
After two weeks at #10, Spencer Sanders slipped to #13 after week 4. Sanders threw for a career high 268 yards in a 36-30 loss against #12 Texas, but failed to throw a touchdown, dropping himl 3 spots in the rankings. It will not get easier for Sanders, as Oklahoma State hosts #24 Kansas State in week 5, who has the #9 ranked defense this season.=
Biggest Risers
Brock Purdy, Iowa State
Last Week: 76,4 (#52)
This Week: 22.9 (#11)
Brock Purdy’s 6 touchdown game against Louisiana-Monroe (he had three total touchdowns coming into this game), vaulted him up the EQBS rankings. He also set a career high in passing yards at 435.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson, UCLA
Last Week: 79.5 (#53)
This Week: 29.1 (#14)
In UCLA’s 67-63 win over #19 Washington State, Thompson-Robinson set career highs in total yardage (564), passing yardage (507), total touchdowns (7), passing touchdowns (5), rushing touchdowns (2) and QB Rate (216.0). To put this performance into perspective, in his first 12 games at UCLA, Dorian Thompson-Robinson scored only 12 total touchdowns.
Biggest Fallers
Jarrett Guarantano, Tennessee
Last Week: 47.5 (#30)
This Week: 67.1 (#49)
In this week’s press conference, Jeremy Pruitt says this Tennessee team is 100 times better than the team at this time last year. This improvement definitely does not include quarterback Jarrett Guarantano, who seems to have regressed in his 4th year. Against Florida in week 4, Guarantano was benched for a few series at the start of the 3rd quarter in favor of true freshman Brian Maurer.
Alan Bowman, Texas Tech
Last Week: 45.9 (#27)
This Week: 57.7 (#42)
Alan Bowman did not have a terrible week in Texas Tech’s week 4 loss against Arizona, throwing for 307 yards and 1 touchdown, but he did tie a career low in quarterback rating at 100.8. It is not likely that Bowman will bounce back in week 5, as the Red Raiders travel to Norman to face #6 Oklahoma.
