The rise of Braden Atkinson
Real talk: Braden Atkinson is officially the main character of college football. The Oregon State quarterback was a zero-star prospect playing for Mercer just last year, but now he’s leading the nation with 21 passing touchdowns and an insane 373.7 yards per game. He’s been absolutely cooking, throwing for 836 yards, 10 touchdowns, and zero picks over his last two blowout wins. The Beavers are looking like legit Pac-12 title contenders, and Atkinson is a huge reason why. He was just named the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week for the third time—it’s giving total dominance.
The shift in the rankings
While Atkinson is climbing, the plot thickens for Arch Manning. After throwing two fourth-quarter interceptions in the Texas loss to Oklahoma, the former five-star is falling in the CBS Sports Quarterback Power Rankings. Meanwhile, other QBs like Ole Miss’s Trinidad Chambliss and Notre Dame’s Carr are holding it down as top-tier threats. Chambliss is coming off a four-touchdown performance and gearing up for a high-stakes showdown against Missouri’s Austin Simmons.
Why it matters
This season is wild because the underdogs are really out here taking Ws. Atkinson’s trajectory shows that high school rankings don’t mean everything when the talent is real. With big matchups ahead for players like Carr and Maiava, the race for the Heisman is heating up and no one’s spot is safe.
