Transfer quarterbacks star for several Pac-12 teams
The Pac-12 went all in on the transfer portal during the offseason. Eight of the league's 12 teams have started a quarterback that they landed from the transfer portal since last season during the first three games of 2022.
While the new signal-callers have not led to immediate success everywhere (see Emory Jones and Arizona State), four Pac-12 teams led by transfer quarterbacks are either unbeaten or ranked in the AP Top 25. (Five if you count Utah, whose starting quarterback Cameron Rising transferred from Texas in 2019.) In this article, we rank the top new quarterbacks in the conference and break down their performances through the first quarter of the season.
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4. Cameron Ward, Washington State
The Incarnate Word transfer has led Washington State to its first 3-0 start since 2019, which includes a massive upset at Wisconsin. Ward has completed 64.7 percent of his passes for 722 yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions so far this year. He put together his best game of the bunch in Week 3, throwing for 299 yards and four scores in a win over Colorado State. Ward will face arguably his toughest test yet on Saturday when Oregon comes to town. Ward didn't put together the most impressive stat line in his first game against Power Five competition, throwing for 200 yards, one touchdowns and two interceptions at Wisconsin. He still made some big plays down the stretch that helped the Cougars pull off the upset, but he'll likely need to perform better against a Ducks squad that comes to Pullman with a lot of momentum.
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3. Bo Nix, Oregon
Nix's Oregon career didn't get off to the best start when he threw two interceptions in the Ducks' season-opening beatdown against Georgia. But since then, he's played the best football of his career. Across the past two games, Nix has completed 75.6 percent of his passes and accounted for 10 total touchdowns, seven through the air and three on the ground. Most important, he hasn't committed a turnover. Nix will look to prove that he can maintain his steady play outside of the friendly confines of Autzen Stadium when No. 15 Oregon travels to Washington State on Saturday.
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2. Michael Penix Jr., Washington
A change of scenery and reunion with Kalen DeBoer turned out to be just what Penix needed. The former Indiana quarterback was at one point talked about as a dark horse Heisman Trophy candidate after his big 2020 season, but he struggled mightily last year. Well, now he's back in the discussion after putting up arguably the performance of last week in college football. Penix threw for 397 yards and four touchdowns in Washington's win over Michigan State on Saturday. On the season, he's now thrown for 1,079 yards — second-most in the country — 10 touchdowns and one interception. The Huskies' win Saturday vaulted them into the top 25 at No. 18. Penix will look to keep the momentum against Stanford.
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1. Caleb Williams, USC
It would be easy to make the case that Williams has not only had the best first three games of any quarterback in the Pac-12, but the country. Williams put together yet another efficient performance in USC's win over Fresno State last weekend, throwing for 284 yards and two touchdowns and scoring twice more as a runner. On the season, he's completing 74.4 percent of his passes (fourth-best nationally) and has scored 10 touchdowns compared to zero turnovers. With Williams at the helm of an offense loaded with transfers, USC is averaging better than 50 points per game. As a result of the strong start, Williams has rocketed up to the second favorite on Heisman odds boards. He and the Trojans will likely face their toughest test so far this season when they travel to face undefeated Oregon State Saturday night.