College football's 10 best backup QBs: Oregon, Ohio State among teams with solid second options in 2026
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- Dylan Raiola transferred to Oregon knowing Dante Moore would start, bringing 22 career starts, 4,819 passing yards, and 31 touchdowns from Nebraska, though the article notes he ranks 120th in air yards per attempt among 145 returning FBS quarterbacks
- Alabama's quarterback competition between Austin Mack and Keelon Russell will produce a top-tier backup regardless of who wins, with sources telling CBS Sports that Russell, the No. 2 overall recruit in the 2025 class, is the slight favorite
- Deuce Knight is Ole Miss's most talented backup after Trinidad Chambliss won a legal battle for a sixth year of eligibility; Knight threw for 239 yards and added 162 rushing yards with six total touchdowns in his lone Auburn start against Mercer
- Mikey Keene is the only returning FBS quarterback with 2,000+ career snaps not projected as a starter, having played at UCF, Fresno State, Michigan, and now Arizona State with 34 career starts, 8,245 passing yards, and 65 touchdowns
- Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi joined Michigan this summer with 6,938 career passing yards and 38 touchdowns from Colorado State, and could be pressed into action after Bryce Underwood's 'dismal spring'
- Byrd Ficklin averaged 8.4 yards per carry at Utah, the second-best mark among FBS quarterbacks with at least 25 rush attempts, in a complementary role behind Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year Devon Dampier
- Keisean Henderson, the No. 1 overall 2026 recruit, arrives at Houston as a developmental backup behind Conner Weigman after completing 74.5% of his passes for 3,880 yards and 45 touchdowns as a high school senior
Why it matters: The transfer portal has made stockpiling quarterback depth nearly impossible, so these backup rooms represent rare luxury — Raiola, Henderson, and Knight are all former five-star recruits who would start elsewhere. Michigan's situation is especially precarious: Bryce Underwood's 'dismal spring' means the newly-arrived Fowler-Nicolosi could quickly transition from insurance policy to starter, with the Wolverines' season on the line.
