The eyes of the college football world were on a small number of selected matchups in Week 0, but the season opener proved more than just a warm-up for fans. With College Football Playoff implications, divisional rivalries, and new storylines emerging, it was a staple start to the college football season for starting quarterbacks.
Which quarterbacks were the most efficient in Week 0, and which quarterbacks still have a lot to work on? We used PFSN’s QBi metric to identify the standout performers from the season’s first week.
9) Anthony Colandrea
UNLV Rebels
PFSN College QBi Grade: D
Growing pains were expected in Las Vegas as the Rebels began the Dan Mullen era with a home game against FCS opposition, complete with a brand new philosophy and roster, epitomized by the former Florida and Mississippi State head coach refusing to name a starting quarterback ahead of their Week 0 matchup.
Anthony Colandrea served as the primary quarterback for UNLV, as he completed 15 of 21 passes for 195 yards and one touchdown, but more was expected from the Rebels’ signal-caller.
Idaho State posted the lowest PFSN DEF+ grade of any defense in the opening week of the college football season, and the former Virginia passer recorded the second-lowest QBi grade of his career.
8) Ben Gulbranson
Stanford Cardinal
PFSN College QBi Grade: D+
Ben Gulbranson endured a game to forget in Week 0 against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors as the Oregon State transfer failed to generate offensive momentum in a narrow 23-20 defeat. The loss extends Stanford’s road losing streak to six consecutive games, as the Cardinal continue to search for positives in a dismal run.
Gulbranson’s 67.1 PFSN College QBi grade marks the worst performance for a Stanford quarterback by PFSN’s metric since Justin Lamson vs. Sacramento State in September 2023.
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With a 46.7% completion percentage, just 107 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception, the Stanford passer struggled with field vision, completing only 28.6% of his 10-plus yard passing attempts. His -0.45 EPA per dropback presents a massive concern for Frank Reich moving forward.
More is expected from the sixth-year senior, whose job could be at risk this early in the season, with Dylan Rizk and redshirt freshman Elijah Brown waiting in the wings.
7) Hunter Watson
Sam Houston Bearkats
PFSN College QBi Grade: D+
Sam Houston was simply outclassed by Western Kentucky in Week 0 as the Hilltoppers dominated the Bearkats 41-24. Bearkats QB Hunter Watson provided explosive plays with his legs, including a 55-yard rushing touchdown, but couldn’t match WKU’s dynamic offense.
Can’t ✍️ it up any better for Hunter Watson. Kats race into the lead.#EatEmUpKats pic.twitter.com/P3781Gwfbv
— Sam Houston Football (@BearkatsFB) August 24, 2025
The Bearkats’ dual-threat quarterback completed 19 of 30 passing attempts for 209 yards and one interception but struggled under pressure, recording a -0.76 EPA when pressured and only converting 12.5% of his third or fourth down attempts.
6) Jalon Daniels
Kansas Jayhawks
PFSN College QBi Grade: C
When healthy, Jalon Daniels ranks among the top passers in the Big 12, and that ability was apparent in Week 0. The problem for the Kansas quarterback has been staying on the field.
Across six years, he has appeared in a total of 38 games, playing a full slate of 12 games just once, in 2024.
Daniels and the Jayhawks carried their late 2024 momentum into their season opener, defeating Fresno State 31-7 in an impressive performance at Kansas’ new stadium. Completing 18 of 20 passes for 176 yards and three touchdowns, Daniels effectively dissected a Bulldogs defense that carried a DEF+ grade of 65.52, posting a clean EPA per dropback of 1.01 and a passer efficiency rating of 203.3.
5) Micah Alejado
Hawaii Rainbow Warriors
PFSN College QBi Grade: C+
Micah Alejado led Hawaii to a gritty victory in Week 0 as the Rainbow Warriors quarterback fought through injury to secure victory in his second career start. Despite battling through an ankle injury suffered when sacked in the third quarter, Alejado finished the game with 210 passing yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 36 yards.
The Hawaii quarterback was sacked four times on 10 pressures on his way to the Warriors’ comeback victory as he looks to be healthy ahead of their trip to face Arizona in Week 1.
4) Rocco Becht
No. 22 Iowa State Cyclones
PFSN College QBi Grade: C+
Rocco Becht was the highest-rated quarterback on PFSN’s 2025 Top 100 College Football Players list among those competing in Week 0 as Iowa State left the Emerald Isle as 24-21 victors in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic.
A damp day in Dublin, Ireland, produced a scrappy start to the season for the Cyclones, but Becht’s experience and game management helped overcome Kansas State in Farmageddon, extending their winning streak to three games over their Big 12 rivals.
THE FIRST TD OF THE 2025-26 COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON 🔥 pic.twitter.com/UybModUyEl
— ESPN (@espn) August 23, 2025
Becht completed 14 of 28 passes for 183 yards and two touchdowns while overcoming four sacks on 12 pressures to secure the win over ranked opposition. He converted a Week 0-high 64.3% of his 10-plus yard passing attempts.
3) Avery Johnson
No. 17 Kansas State Wildcats
PFSN College QBi Grade: C+
Avery Johnson can count himself unlucky to end up on the losing side of the Farmageddon battle across the pond, as the Kansas State quarterback recorded a 0.33 clean EPA per dropback and 0.13 EPA when pressured.
Completing 21 of 31 passes for 273 yards and two touchdowns, Johnson moved the ball effectively on a slippery field while dealing with an injury to star running back Dylan Edwards in a game where neither side could establish a solid ground attack.
2) E.J. Warner
Fresno State Bulldogs
PFSN College QBi Grade: B-
E.J. Warner, the son of Hall of Fame QB Kurt Warner, completed 18 of his 29 passing attempts for 179 yards and two interceptions in a comprehensive loss to the Jayhawks in Week 0. But the box score doesn’t tell the whole story.
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The new Fresno State quarterback was playing against a Kansas defense that was the highest graded in Week 0, which significantly boosted his grade. The former Rice and Temple passer led the Bulldogs to a touchdown on their first possession and had a 0.05 EPA per dropback.
However, the offensive unit stuttered afterwards, as Warner was sacked three times on four pressures.
1) Maverick McIvor
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
PFSN College QBi Grade: B
Maverick McIvor was the standout college football quarterback in Week 0. The former Abilene Christian (FCS) star flourished in his FBS debut, recording an 83.3 QBi grade and a clean EPA per dropback of 0.34.
The Hilltoppers passer completed 33 of his 51 passes for 407 yards and three touchdowns while recording the highest third/fourth down conversion (57.9%) of any FBS quarterback in Week 0.
With McIvor under center, Western Kentucky has renewed its air raid identity. The Hilltoppers look to avenge their CUSA Championship Game loss to Jacksonville State in 2024 and claim their first conference title since 2016.
