College Football QB Power Rankings: Dillon Gabriel skyrockets to No. 1, Jayden Daniels enters top five

Kim O'Reilly, CBS Sports

I was not the biggest Dillon Gabriel fan during the offseason. Oklahoma fans would tell you I wasn't the biggest fan of his last season, either. There were plenty of weeks I didn't have him ranked in the QB Power Rankings, and when I did rank him, he'd typically sit toward the bottom.

It was much easier to do that last year with Gabriel and the Sooners struggling to a 6-7 record in Brent Venables' first year as coach. While the quarterback is the focal point of these rankings, their team's performance plays a significant role as well. You'll notice this week that a lot of the players I had in the top 10 last week are absent. That's because six of the quarterbacks I ranked last week lost. It's not an automatic disqualifier (if USC loses to Notre Dame this weekend, you'll probably still see Caleb Williams here next week), but in a season like this one that has seen so many great QBs emerge, we're dealing with a volatile market.

Which brings me back to Gabriel. My offseason prediction was that Gabriel would eventually lose his job to five-star freshman backup Jackson Arnold, who I believed would be one of those emerging greats. He checks all the boxes of being an NFL starter one day. My theory was Oklahoma couldn't reach its full potential until Arnold took over the job from Gabriel.

Well, the Sooners are 6-0 and just beat Texas in the Red River Rivalry thanks to Gabriel's 285 yards passing, 113 yards rushing and a lot of ice flowing through his veins on the game-winning drive. My bad, Dillon. I'm sorry I doubted you. It won't happen again.

QB Power Rankings

1	Dillon Gabriel Oklahoma Sooners QB
It's not often we see a player go from unranked one week to No. 1 the next, but when you play like Gabriel did to take down your arch-rival, establish your team as a legitimate playoff contender and establish yourself as a Heisman threat, you've got a shot to do so. (Last Week: Not Ranked)
2	Caleb Williams USC Trojans QB
Williams had his worst game of the season in USC's 43-41 triple-overtime win over Arizona, completing only 56% of his passes for 205 yards with a touchdown. His 8.2 yards per attempt was his lowest of the year by nearly 2 full yards. He did rush for three touchdowns, though, and the Trojans certainly don't avoid an upset without him. He'll need to be better this week on the road against Notre Dame. (1)
3	Michael Penix Jr. Washington Huskies QB
Penix and the Huskies had the week off before this weekend's big matchup against Bo Nix and Oregon. Oddly enough, the last we saw Penix he and his team struggled to put away the same Arizona team against whom Williams and USC had problems. Maybe Arizona's just better than we thought? (2)
4	Bo Nix Oregon Ducks QB
Nix and the Ducks had last week off as well as neither the Ducks nor Huskies have struggled with anybody at any point this season. I cannot wait to watch Nix and Penix go head-to-head on Saturday. Last year's meeting was a 37-34 Washington win that saw the duo combine for 687 yards passing, 75 yards rushing and five total touchdowns. If it's a repeat performance, I'm reasonably confident the loser will remain in next week's rankings. (3)
5	Jayden Daniels LSU Tigers QB
Do you think Daniels spends the time between games throwing himself into oncoming traffic to get hit by cars? The young man loves to get obliterated. On one hand, I think it's awesome that he plays with such reckless abandon, and it certainly leads me to hold him in high regard. At the same time, I don't want to see him get hurt, which he will. Eventually, a truck you don't want to run into will come. (NR)
6	J.J. McCarthy Michigan Wolverines QB
Michigan fans have been on my case about McCarthy being unranked most weeks all year, and I get it. However, it's never been about the numbers. It was about the lack of drama in any of Michigan's games. McCarthy and the Wolverines are operating with ruthless efficiency and sucking the air out of games before the end of the first quarter. But it is time he returns to the rankings. He's been the best QB in the Big Ten all year and one of the best in the country. (NR)
7	Drake Maye North Carolina Tar Heels QB
Maye's NFL Draft stock never suffered for it, but his spot in the Power Rankings did. He wasn't playing up to his standard. Through Carolina's first three games, he'd thrown four touchdowns to four interceptions wasn't using his legs much. Over the last two games, though, he's thrown four touchdowns and rushed for another three. If he plays like he did against Syracuse for the rest of the season, the Heels are a legitimate threat in the ACC. (NR)
8	Carson Beck Georgia Bulldogs QB
They finally let Carson cook! Georgia hasn't been able to run the ball effectively all season and finally accepted it against Kentucky. Instead of forcing it, they let Beck drop back and sling it -- and he slung it quite well! Beck threw for 435 yards and five touchdowns against the Wildcats as Georgia finally looked like Georgia. And you know what else happened? The Dawgs had their best rushing output of the season. Turns out you can pass to set up the run, too. Whooda thunk it? (NR)
9	Jordan Travis Florida State Seminoles QB
I guess the shoulder isn't fully healed just yet as Travis threw 24 times for just 170 yards -- his lowest output of the season -- in the win over the Hokies. Might be easy to to pin that on his legs being tired, though, as he ran the ball 10 times for 25 yards in helping keep Florida State's undefeated season alive. (8)
10	Jalen Milroe Alabama Crimson Tide QB
The QB controversy has officially ended in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Milroe had his best game of the season in Alabama's win over Texas A&M, throwing for 321 yards and three touchdowns. He's not perfect and still struggles mightily with the short and intermediate throws, but he hits more than enough home runs to make Alabama dangerous given its defense. (NR)