This last weekend gave us plenty to discuss as the 2023-2024 college football season draws closer to its conclusion.
With Selection Sunday and the College Football Playoff Committee’s controversial decision surrounding their final four selections this weekend, the discussion naturally shifted toward the litany of bowl games that will end the season.
However, there were three quarterbacks that will headline the discussion heading into the upcoming draft in April that gave us notable performances for their penultimate games as college players.
Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy
The Wolverines continue to win. Are they always pretty? No, but Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy continues to do enough to will the Wolverines to victory.
His stats aren’t gaudy. Against Iowa, he went 22-of-30 for 147 yards while being harassed in the pocket, leading to four sacks.
Is he the most consistent quarterback? No, he’s not that either. There are times that the plays that he makes could be downright confusing.
But there continue to be those two or three plays, whether with his arm or his legs that make you wonder if his style of play can translate to the next level.
His performance in the College Football Playoff will be a huge proponent in whether he returns to Michigan for one last ride.
And there is no better litmus test for his readiness than the Alabama Crimson Tide and their top-20 defense.
On 4th & 7 J.J. McCarthy throws a DART for a @UMichFootball first down 👉 pic.twitter.com/EJZHUb9bI8
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) December 3, 2023
Oregon QB Bo Nix
The 2023 Heisman Trophy has a 50% shot of heading to the Pac-12 in its final year of prominence.
One of the finalists is Oregon QB Bo Nix, and he showed why with his performance on Friday.
Nix went 21-of-34 for 239 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. He added 69 yards on six carries, including a 44-yard scramble that set up Oregon to take their first lead of the night.
One thing that the Ducks could count on all year was that Bo Nix would at least put them in position to win the game, and Friday was no different.
Nix is an NFL quarterback. The question is in what capacity? Nix has shown that he can work inside a system and progress from read to read. But does he have enough talent and enough time to develop into a franchise’s answer at the position?
A game against Liberty and their suspect passing defense won’t do much to help his argument as he hits the pre-draft process, but it will give him one more data point for evaluators to study.
WOW!! BO NIX GIVES THEM A CHANCE!pic.twitter.com/FLGkc4WJIqhttps://t.co/ZqJFZuqvNA
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) December 2, 2023
Washington QB Michael Penix Jr.
The other half of the Pac-12’s bid for back-to-back Heisman winners is Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
Washington’s offense continues to be one of the most explosive in the nation, but on Friday, they showed they can move the ball outside those explosive plays.
Penix went 27-of-39 for 319 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
According to GameOnPaper.com, the Washington offense had a success rate of 56%, good for the 97th percentile on the season and an EPA of 10.33 when not including explosive plays.
With an undefeated record and a chance at a national title, Penix can impress evaluators on one of the biggest stages in college football: The Allstate Sugar Bowl against Texas, who dominated an overmatched Oklahoma State team on Saturday.
MICHAEL PENIX JR. DIME 🎯
Huskies take a 17-3 lead 👀 pic.twitter.com/MORXPrhfkB
— ESPN (@espn) December 2, 2023
