Has Quinn Ewers broken the Dr. Pepper Curse? Perhaps you hadn't noticed over the past few years because you'd been charmed by Dr. Pepper's "Fansville" ad campaigns, but the quarterbacks who have starred in it each season have seen their performance drop off somewhat.
Some will say this is because they're chosen after incredible seasons and it's hard to replicate immense levels of success. To those people I say: Nonsense! Clearly, it's a curse! Just like the "Madden" curse and the "Sports Illustrated" curse of our ancestors!
DJ Uiagalelei has never been the same since appearing in the ad, while both Bryce Young and Caleb Williams saw their teams suffer, even if their individual stats were only slightly worse.
But Ewers? The newest deputy of Fansville? He don't care about no stinkin' curse. He's still going on the road and beating top teams, just like he did last season before he was a commercial star. And if you can break curses, you can be ranked No. 1 in the QB Power Rankings. It's one of the official rules! Here's a refresher on a couple others:
- This is not a draft board ranking, nor is it based on any kind of statistical formula. Your numbers matter, sure, but overall, I'm ranking quarterbacks based on the "juice" they have at the current moment in time. It's a combination of how well you're playing, what you have accomplished and what you might accomplish in the near future. If you believe a QB I haven't listed should be listed, I only kept them off the list because I don't like you. Or, perhaps it's this second part.
- I don't rank any QB the week after a loss. You could be the greatest QB of all time, but if you lose on Saturday, you won't be here. I don't care if you think your offensive line stinks, OK? That's the burden the QB must carry. If you win, it's because your teammates did their jobs. If you lose, it's on you. Embrace it.
Now let's try to harness all this QB power in table form.
QB Power Rankings
| 1 | 
Quinn Ewers
Texas Longhorns QB
|
| I wrote about Ewers' performance against Michigan and how he gave the Wolverines a taste of their own J.J. McCarthy medicine Saturday. It's impressive to see how Ewers performs in big games. He hasn't been perfect throughout his career, but time and time again when Texas is in the spotlight, he shines brightest. Even in last year's College Football Playoff semifinal loss against Washington, he nearly pulled off the last-minute comeback. (Last Week: 5) | |
| 2 | 
Carson Beck
Georgia Bulldogs QB
|
| It's a bit rough to drop Beck out of the top spot after he threw for five touchdowns against Tennessee Tech, but I'm sure he understands. Besides, he'll have plenty of chances to reclaim the top spot. Not only do the Bulldogs get Alabama at the end of the month, but there's also a matchup against Ewers in Austin, Texas, in October. (LW: 1) | |
| 3 | 
Cam Ward
Miami (FL) Hurricanes QB
|
| Ward's in a similar spot as Beck. He played well over the weekend, finishing with 317 total yards and four touchdowns, but wins against Florida A&M don't carry quite the same juice as road wins over Michigan. (LW: 2) | |
| 4 | 
Jalen Milroe
Alabama Crimson Tide QB
|
| I don't think it happens this weekend against Wisconsin, but I have a feeling Milroe could drop out of the rankings here soon. Not just because of the upcoming Georgia game -- though that's the week I have my eye on -- but because Alabama seems a little shaky. The Crimson Tide are almost too Milroe-dependant at the moment, so it's a good thing he had four touchdowns against South Florida. (LW: 3) | |
| 5 | 
Nico Iamaleava
Tennessee Volunteers QB
|
| Nico wasn't nearly as clean against NC State as he was vs. Chattanooga, but that's to be expected. NC State always has a salty defense, and it forced Iamaleava to throw two interceptions. But what I love about Nico is that he wasn't fazed. He threw for two touchdowns, ran for another, stayed aggressive and even jawed with defensive linemen during the game. What's not to love? (LW: 6) | |
| 6 | 
Jaxson Dart
Ole Miss Rebels QB
|
| It isn't Dart's fault, but he's hard to rank because Ole Miss hasn't played anybody. Dart accounted for another two touchdowns and threw for 377 yards against Middle Tennessee as the Rebels cruised to a 52-3 win. They've outscored opponents 128-3 so far, and if you look at the upcoming schedule, things may not change any time soon. (LW: 8) | |
| 7 | 
Kyle McCord
Syracuse Orange QB
|
| It's nice when things work out for both parties, isn't it? Ohio State is happy with its decision to go with Will Howard and Kyle McCord is thriving at Syracuse. McCord threw for 381 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Orange to an upset win at home over Georgia Tech. This after McCord threw four touchdown passes in the opener against Ohio. (I wonder if he added the word "State" to them for motivation,) (LW: NR) | |
| 8 | 
Miller Moss
USC Trojans QB
|
| Most of you probably missed it because it was at the end of the night and against Utah State, but Moss led another clinical performance for the Trojans. USC spanked the Aggies 48-0 while Moss completed 70% of his passes and finished with 236 total yards. The only problem Miller currently faces is his TD production. He's thrown only two in two games after throwing six touchdowns in the bowl game last year. We'll see if he can improve those numbers in USC's next game at Michigan on Sept. 21. (LW: 7) | |
| 9 | 
Cade Klubnik
Clemson Tigers QB
|
| I have never been shy about sharing my opinion of Klubnik. In short, I'm not particularly high on him. Still, even if he was shellacked by Georgia and played poorly, I won't ignore the bounce-back performance. Klubnik picked himself up, dusted himself off and then dusted Appalachian State for 383 yards and seven (7!) touchdowns. I'm not buying in until he does it against the best competition, but I'm also not a monster. (LW: NR) | |
| 10 | 
Ethan Hampton
Northern Illinois Huskies QB
|
| Northern Illinois doesn't ask its QB to do a lot in the passing game, so it's pivotal they perform when their number is called. Hampton did that on Saturday as the Huskies pulled off the biggest win in program history by taking down Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. Hampton completed only 10 of his 19 passes, but he made the completions count, averaging 10.4 yards per attempt and 19.8 per completion. (LW: NR) | |
Honorable Mention: Drew Allar, Penn State; Hudson Card, Purdue: John Mateer, Washington State; Garrett Nussmeier, LSU; Tyler Shough, Louisville
