• A trio of SEC stars sit atop our 2026 NFL Draft QB prospect rankings after two weeks of college football play.
• Leading the way is LaNorris Sellers of South Carolina, followed by LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier and Texas’ Arch Manning.
• Oklahoma’s John Mateer is the big riser this week.

Week 2 of the season had fewer ranked matchups than the first week. Oklahoma and Michigan loomed as the lone game between two ranked opponents and did not disappoint.

It was another week of film for the top players in the 2026 NFL Draft class, quarterbacks included. A much deeper class than 2025 could see a handful of passers drafted in the first round.

Week 2 didn’t see much change as SEC quarterbacks held the top three spots in the rankings with solid to OK performances. The biggest riser came from that ranked matchup as John Mateer’s game against Michigan bumps him ahead of two other passers.

We’ll be following the top players at the position throughout the season and updating our rankings in the wake of weekly results.

2026 NFL Draft QB prospect rankings

1. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina (last week: 1)

• Week 2 vs. South Carolina State: 11-19 (57.9%) passing, 128 yards, one touchdown; six carries, 28 yards, one fumble

South Carolina needed a special teams touchdown to kick-start the team and get past visiting South Carolina State in the Gamecocks’ home opener.

Sellers showed out well in Week 1 against Virginia Tech but wasn’t quite on the same mark in Week 2. He threw deep more with an average depth of target (ADOT) of 11.0 yards compared to 7.9 in Week 1, per Pro Football Focus. Yet he only had 128 passing yards and faced fewer pressures than against the Hokies.

He could’ve scored a touchdown as runner on a key third-down conversion in the opening drive of the second half. Instead, he ran into the lone defender – occupied by a Gamecocks wide receiver who was blocking – left between him and the end zone. That shows a potential worrying trend that he showed in Week 1, when he ran into contact that kept him from scoring instead of moving around it to score.

Still, in a down week for most of the top quarterbacks in the class, Sellers retains his No. 1 spot. The Gamecocks stay home in Week 3 for a game against 2-0 Vanderbilt.

2. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU (last week: 2)

• Week 2 vs. Louisiana Tech: 26-41 (63.4%) passing, 237 yards, one touchdown, one interception

Nussmeier followed his outstanding showing against Clemson with a solid game against Louisiana Tech. The game plan was vastly different than what the Tigers did in Week 1; Nussmeier’s ADOT was 9.1 yards, more than double what it was against Clemson (4.4).

He started off a bit scattershot with unsettled feet. An overthrow with a clean pocket that would’ve been a chunk gain to Barion Brown in the first quarter stands out. He found his rhythm more in the second half as the Tigers eventually pulled away for a 23-7 win.

Nussmeier had relatively clear pockets but stood tall against pressure to deliver, including when the Tigers were backed up in their own territory. This wasn’t Nussmeier’s best game statistically as the Louisiana Tech secondary played physically against the Tigers’ wideouts. He still made enough throws to keep his standing at No. 2.

LSU has Florida up next in its first SEC matchup of the season.

3. Arch Manning, Texas (last week: 3)

• Week 2 vs. San Jose State: 19-30 (63.3%) passing, 295 yards, four touchdowns, one interception; three carries, 30 yards, one touchdown, one fumble

Manning’s scoring spree in Week 2 improves his outlook in general but, given the level of competition, doesn’t bump him up the rankings.

He played with a lot more confidence against San Jose State but still had some of the issues we saw in Week 1 against Ohio State. His footwork impacted his accuracy even with more open throws on offer against the visiting Spartans.

Manning and the Longhorns face UTEP at home this week. It should be another opportunity for him to build on his improvements from the San Jose State game.

4. Drew Allar, Penn State (last week: 4)

• Week 2 vs. FIU: 19-33 (57.6%) passing, 200 yards, two touchdowns

Allar had a strong start to the year against Nevada but, like Nussmeier and Sellers, some issues cropped up in Week 2 – along with the flashes that scouts like to see.

His footwork was inconsistent at times and that caused the ball to miss the mark, hence his nearly 30-point drop in completion percentage. Penn State pushed the ball on Saturday and Allar had a 9.1-yard ADOT but missed the mark more than you’d like.

Still, his second touchdown was one of the reasons why scouts and fans alike should be excited about his potential. Allar faked a handoff and powered a ball 55 yards in the air to Devonte Ross in the end zone for the score.

When he’s right, it’s quite right. Allar and Penn State have a tune-up against Villanova before their bye week and a showdown at home against Oregon.

5. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana (last week: 5)

• Week 2 vs. Kennesaw State: 18-25 (72%) passing, 245 yards, four touchdowns; three carries, 20 yards

Mendoza wasted no time showing off both his passing and running skills against Kennesaw State. He led consecutive touchdown drives in the first quarter and capped off the second with a nicely-placed slot fade to Elijah Sarratt.

That duo connected multiple times on Saturday – including three touchdowns. The last score came on a wide open shot up the middle to extend the lead.

Mendoza’s settling in at Indiana after transferring from Cal. His footwork looked improved overall in Week 2 and that showed in his high completion percentage. The Hoosiers have one more game against an unranked opponent – Indiana State – in Week 3 before taking on their first ranked team of the season in No. 9 Illinois. That game will be crucial for his evaluation.

6. John Mateer, Oklahoma (last week: 8)

• Week 2 vs. Michigan: 21-34 (61.8%) passing, 270 yards, one touchdown, one interception; 19 carries, 75 yards, two touchdowns

Mateer jumps up the rankings after putting on a great showing against a good Michigan defense in Week 2 following his historic performance against Illinois State in Week 1.

Mateer showcased his pocket mobility and varied arm slots against the Wolverines. He was more aggressive than the other passers on this list and it could’ve come back to bite him. It didn’t this time, leaving him a great performance both as a passer and a runner in Week 2.

A crucial third-down conversion stands out as his best play in the Sooners’ 24-13 win over the Wolverines.

Oklahoma heads on the road for the first time in Week 3 for a game against Temple.

7. Cade Klubnik, Clemson (last week: 6)

• Week 2 vs. Troy: 18-24 (75%) passing, 196 yards, two touchdowns, one interception; four rushes, 7 yards

The Tigers were nearly upset at home by Troy and had to roar back from a 16-3 halftime deficit to win 27-16. Klubnik and the offense as a whole started slow in the first quarter.

His footwork was troubling early on and a tipped pass became a 4-yard pick-six to put the Tigers down 16-0. That’s a tough start against an unranked opponent.

To his credit, Klubnik came back in the second half. One of his best throws of the night came against pressure up the middle with a 34-yard dime to Bryant Wesco Jr. for a touchdown.

He’s yet to put together a complete game but there’s still plenty of time for that. Clemson heads on the road to face Georgia Tech in its ACC opener this week.

8. Taylen Green, Arkansas (last week: NR)

• Week 2 vs. Arkansas State: 17-26 (65.4%) passing, 239 yards, four touchdowns, two interceptions; nine carries, 151 yards, one touchdown

Green makes his debut on this ranking behind another multi-touchdown performance in Week 2. At 6-foot-6 and 235 pounds, he’s similar in size to Sellers with outstanding athleticism, as well.

He leads the FBS in passing touchdowns after his four on Saturday. He showed off his athleticism on one play by scrambling for a first down (and hurdling a defender) before firing a shot to Jalen Brown from 8 yards out for a touchdown.

Green’s dual threat abilities and production have him on the radar early in the season. This week’s game against Ole Miss on the road will be massive for his draft outlook.

Next two up: Sam Leavitt, Arizona; Nico Iamaleava, UCLA

The New York Yankees held a moment of silence in remembrance of Charlie Kirk before Wednesday’s game against the Detroit Tigers.

Kirk was shot and killed during a speaking event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, earlier in the day.

He was a right-wing talk show host who founded Turning Point USA, a conservative youth-focused organization, in 2012.

He also spoke at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee in 2024. 

Kirk was a known ally of President Donald Trump, who confirmed Kirk’s death after the shooting on the college campus.

Trump is scheduled to make an appearance at Yankee Stadium, where the team is expected to hold a pregame ceremony to recognize the victims and heroes of 9/11.

AI-assisted summary
• The Big Ten currently distributes revenue almost equally, with most members receiving about $63.2 million in 2024.
• Other conferences, like the ACC and Mountain West, have already adopted tiered revenue distribution based on viewership or brand value.
• Ohio State may face resistance from other Big Ten schools who would be unwilling to accept a smaller share of the revenue.

Ohio State is open to the possibility of changes to the Big Ten’s current revenue-sharing arrangement and how the university approaches athletics department funding, school president Ted Carter told USA TODAY Sports.

“I will say that there’s only a couple of schools that really represent the biggest brands in the Big Ten, and you can see that by the TV viewership,” said Carter.

Ohio State is not the first school to push for different levels of revenue sharing, nor would the Big Ten be the first to disburse tiered amounts of annual payouts.

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The Mountain West distributes more money to Boise State because of a carveout related to television revenue that pays the Broncos an additional $1.8 million per season. (Boise is poised to join the Pac-12 in 2026.) The ACC recently adopted a system that will distribute 60% of TV revenue based on a weighted five-year average of viewership.

But there are a few major differences between the steps taken by those conferences and the potential fallout should Ohio State push the Big Ten to adopt a dramatically different and likely very controversial new model.

What is the Big Ten’s current revenue model?

The Big Ten had just over $928 million in total revenue and distributed about $63.2 million to each of the league’s dozen longest-standing members during the 2024 fiscal year, according to federal tax records.

That total is more than what schools received in the SEC. Records released in February showed that league distributed about $52.5 million in 2024 to every school except first-year members Oklahoma and Texas.

Looking ahead, the Big Ten’s per-school payout for 2025 is likely to be around $75 million for every member except for Oregon and Washington, whose shares are being phased in over seven years.

And these per-member payouts are expected to continue to grow. Wisconsin’s athletics department made a presentation to a university committee during the spring that projected just under $82.6 million in revenue during the 2026 fiscal year, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.

Would Big Ten members accept a new model?

No, they would not — or not happily, at least. Here’s where major differences stand out when looking at steps taken by the Mountain West and ACC.

The Big Ten is not hurting financially; the opposite is true, actually. There is no rancorous debate over buyout numbers or the league’s grant of rights deal, as was the case in the ACC. While the Buckeyes may claim otherwise, there is not one single team responsible for the Big Ten’s reputation and national draw, as Boise State successfully argued with the Mountain West.

Getting the Big Ten to make a seismic change in revenue distribution would require a cut in the annual revenue of the Buckeyes’ fellow members. Even if revenue is soaring, that would be very difficult for the rest of the conference to accept.

Would Michigan and Penn State be OK with taking money out of their pockets to send to Columbus? Would this arrangement be acceptable to schools such as Purdue, Rutgers, Maryland and others near the bottom of the Big Ten power structure?

This would clearly be an extremely difficult sell.

Does Ohio State really have bargaining power?

Ohio State is one of college sports’ elite brands, capable of moving the needle on any number of key topics in a manner unmatched by all but a few members of the NCAA.

But there is a very real question about the Buckeyes’ bargaining power in terms of truly pushing for an altered revenue model. The reason for that is simple: OSU has nowhere to go.

Florida State and Clemson were able to push the ACC into changes by essentially dangling the threat of leaving the conference. That was a real concern for the ACC, not only because of the potential loss of two flagship members but because schools such as Miami and North Carolina would almost certainly follow the Seminoles and Tigers out the door. The same fear does not exist in the Big Ten.

And FSU, Clemson and others could’ve knocked on the doors of the Big Ten or SEC offices. Ohio State is obviously not going to leave for the SEC. So should the Buckeyes push for more revenue and the Big Ten balks, where would they go? The NFC South?

The landscape-shifting fallout of an Ohio State move

Let’s say OSU is unable to sway the Big Ten. The school’s only real move would be to push for the creation of one or two super leagues, which would create the biggest shakeup to college football since the Division I split in 1978.

Again, the Buckeyes are one of only a few schools capable of officially putting this topic on the table.

They should find many Power Four schools willing to at least have the conversation. The top programs in the SEC could be persuaded by the possibility to add millions of dollars in annual revenue — as we’ve seen in recent years, just about every single move taken by schools and conferences has been driven by finances.

Likewise with high-profile Big Ten teams, who would push back at changing the league’s revenue structure but could be more willing to follow OSU into a super conference occupying the current Big Ten footprint.

This is the possible fallout that frightens the majority of NCAA members: After trying and failing to obtain more revenue than the rest of the Big Ten, Ohio State takes a drastic step that could create permanent change to college football.

• NBA commissioner Adam Silver said he expects to have All-Star Game tweaks approved by the start of the 2025-26 regular season.
• Silver confirmed that the NBA was looking at a structure he referred to as a ‘Ryder Cup-type format.’
• The 2026 NBA All-Star Game will be played Sunday, Feb. 15 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.

NEW YORK — Expect changes to the NBA All-Star Game to be formalized very soon.

After news emerged last week that the league had honed in on a round-robin tournament structure featuring domestic players against international ones, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Wednesday, Sept. 10 that he expects to have the tweaks approved by the start of the 2025-26 regular season on Oct. 21.

“The goal is to have the new format in place by the opening of the regular season,” Silver said upon the conclusion of the Board of Governors session at the St. Regis Hotel in Midtown Manhattan. “I think there’s something to that, that once the season starts everyone should understand the rules of the road and what we’re looking at for All-Star this year. That would be our goal.”

Silver confirmed that the NBA was looking at a structure with a pair of teams featuring domestic players and one consisting of international stars, something he referred to as a “Ryder Cup-type format of U.S. against international,” alluding to the golf tournament. Each team will have eight players, and 12-minute quarter games will be played. He said the structure had been discussed with the Competition Committee, and that it was raised with the Board of Governors at the meetings this week.

This is a departure from the format at the 2025 All-Star Game in San Francisco, which saw a mini-tournament with four teams competing in three games. Silver has been outspoken about the format being “a miss.”

Silver also added that the NBA is working alongside the National Basketball Players Association and executive director Andre Iguodala to finalize the revised format.

“I think they have the same interest we do in having a more exciting and engaging All-Star,” Silver said. “None of us have shied away from acknowledging our disappointment of what we’ve seen on the floor the last few years. It’s an odd situation because it’s not just us and the Players Association, but even the players individually are acknowledging, ‘Yeah, this is not the best foot forward for the league.’ ”

Although the NBA is fully leaning into the U.S. versus World format, one of the four teams at last season’s event was comprised mostly of international superstars. That team, Chuck’s Global Stars, had players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokić and Victor Wembanyama, though it also had domestic players like Donovan Mitchell and Trae Young.

The NBA is also looking to capitalize on the potential momentum of international competition, with the All-Star break coming right in the middle of the Winter Olympics, which will be held in Milan Cortina.

“I will say I’m hopeful,” Silver said. “I know I’ve stood up before all of you before and said, we fixed it, we got it, it’s going to work this year. So I don’t want to overpromise. But I feel pretty good about it.”

The 2026 All-Star Game will be played Sunday, Feb. 15 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, the home arena of the Los Angeles Clippers.

President Donald Trump is scheduled to attend the New York Yankees’ home game against the Detroit Tigers on Thursday, Sept. 11.

The Yankees are expected to hold a pregame ceremony to recognize the victims and heroes of 9/11.

The president has made appearances at several sporting events this year, including the US Open men’s tennis final on Sept. 7 and several UFC events.

His arrival caused an increased presence of Secret Service, who are usually at the scene of the event with dogs on hand before the president’s arrival.

The Yankees encourage anyone with a ticket for the game to arrive early because of the enhanced security measures around Yankee Stadium.

The stadium gates are scheduled to open at 4 p.m. ET, three hours before the scheduled first pitch.

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