Amid South Carolina's 2-3 start, optimism around quarterback LaNorris Sellers -- and the Gamecocks' entire operation under coach Shane Beamer -- began to plummet. In his fourth season with the Gamecocks and third as the starter, Sellers seemed to be regressing again after a disappointing 2025 season.

But it turns out all he needed was a little more time in first-year offensive coordinator Kendal Briles' system. After totaling 397 yards and five touchdowns against Oklahoma's vaunted defense in Week 9, Sellers is on the rise again in this week's College Football QB Power Rankings.

The veteran QB has salvaged his college career and South Carolina's season over a three-game winning streak that includes road victories over Florida and Oklahoma, as well as a home takedown of then-No. 11 Tennessee. 

What he did against the Sooners is particularly stunning. With Sellers leading the way as both a passer and runner, South Carolina became the first team to amass 500+ yards against OU since 2023.

Sellers is up eight spots to No. 18 in this week's QBPR. Within the top 20, he takes the place of Indiana's Josh Hoover, who went tumbling after a poor showing in Indiana's win over Minnesota. Nebraska's Anthony Colandrea also tumbled all the way outside the top 50 after another poor performance in the Cornhuskers' loss to Washington.

Here is this week's full QBPR 1-50.

1. Darian Mensah, Miami

Miami needed every bit of Mensah's precision to outlast an upset-minded North Carolina team. The Duke transfer led six scoring drives on the Hurricanes' first seven possessions before they could finally run out the clock on a 38-35 win. He finished 22 of 29 passing with 274 yards and three touchdowns. He continues to lead the nation in passer efficiency and is now tied for first in passing touchdowns with 25. Last week: 1

2. Gio Lopez, Wake Forest

Lopez didn't even play full three quarters in Wake Forest's 51-7 rout of Virginia, but he totaled 229 passing yards and 64 rushing yards in an abbreviated day of work. Among Power Four quarterbacks who have appeared in at least five games with 50+ pass attempts, he ranks second behind only Miami's Darian Mensah in EPA per dropback. Lopez is No. 8 nationally in total yards per game at 311.6. Last week: 3

3. Braden Atkinson, Oregon State

Atkinson averaged a season-low 6.3 yards per attempt while completing 33 of 59 passes in Oregon State's Week 9 loss at Fresno State. He still threw for 373 yards and a touchdown while going interception-free for a fourth straight game. The Mercer transfer leads FBS in passing yards (2,977), is tied for first in passing touchdowns (25) and has been picked off only twice on 332 attempts. Last week: 2

4. Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State

Though his night included a costly late interception, Mestemaker matched his season-high with five touchdown passes in Oklahoma State's gutting 51-49 loss at Iowa State. He's now tied for the national lead with 25 touchdown passes and is second in passing yards at 2,815. The North Texas transfer has translated almost seamlessly to the Big 12. Last week: 4

5. Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss

Chambliss said after Ole Miss' 45-15 win over Auburn that his mantra coming out of the Texas loss was to "cut it loose, be confident in yourself and have fun." He seemed to do just that while throwing for 263 yards and running for 65 more in a nice bounce-back performance. Last week: 6

6. CJ Carr, Notre Dame

A week after completing just 3-of-16 passes traveling 15+ air yards in a loss at BYU, Carr struggled on longer throws again in a 35-13 win over Navy. He completed just 1-of-7 attempts in the 15+ yard category against the Midshipmen. He's still a trustworthy game manager, but Carr's downfield accuracy is faltering. Last week: 5

7. Jayden Maiava, USC

Maiava completed 15 of 22 passes for 222 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions in USC's 30-18 upset win over Ohio State. Completions of 69 and 70 yards accounted for much of the production as Maiava and the Trojans rediscovered their explosiveness one week after getting shut down by Wisconsin. Maiava is No. 6 nationally in passing yards with 2,524. Last week: 15

8. Conner Weigman, Houston

Weigman got a much-needed bye in Week 9 after throwing for 282 yards in a tight loss at Utah. The former Texas A&M transfer enters the season's final month ranking among the top-20 nationally in passer efficiency and EPA per dropback. In addition to his 20 passing touchdowns (and just two interceptions), he's also rushed for six scores. Last week: 7

9. Keelon Russell, Alabama

Before Alabama's Week 9 bye, Russell bounced back from the two-week meat grinder of Georgia and Tennessee by completing 19 of 30 passes for 311 yards with three touchdowns and an interception in Alabama's win over Texas A&M. The sophomore will be under the microscope this week during a top-15 showdown at LSU, which carries major ramifications. Last week: 9

10. Kenny Minchey, Kentucky

Kentucky is now 7-0 when Minchey doesn't throw an interception after another even-keeled showing in a 34-17 win over Vanderbilt before UK's Week 9 bye. The Notre Dame transfer's steady hand is a big reason the Wildcats boast a +13 turnover margin heading into this week's seismic clash with Tennessee. Last week: 10

11. Bear Bachmeier, BYU

Bachmeier played with fire on some tight-window throws in the first half before getting burned with an interception in BYU's win over Arizona State. It was the second week in a row that he was picked off in enemy territory during a two-minute situation late in the half. If the sophomore could weed out some of those costly miscues, he could elevate even higher. Last week: 8

12. Noah Fifita, Arizona

Fifita played great until the fourth quarter in Arizona's 34-26 loss at Texas Tech. He got a bit wobbly with the game hanging in the balance, although he did finish with 417 passing yards, his most in a game since 2024. The fifth-year star tops the Big 12 in passer rating. Last week: 11

13. Aidan Chiles, Northwestern

Chiles produced 374 total yards while tallying a career-high 93 rushing yards in Northwestern's 34-26 loss at Oregon. But he lost steam in the second half while completing just 4 of his final 14 passes. Playing under the tutelage of Wildcats offensive coordinator Chip Kelly has done wonders for Chiles, who is No. 12 nationally in EPA per dropback. Last week: 14

14. Michael Hawkins Jr., West Virginia

The only FBS quarterbacks with more rushing yards than Hawkins are Army's Cale Hellums and Navy's Jackson Gutierrez. Only Hellums has more rushing touchdowns than Hawkins, who has 16 touchdowns on the ground to go with his 11 passing touchdowns. Hawkins is a perfect fit in WVU coach Rich Rodriguez's system. Last week: 16

15. Sam Leavitt, LSU

One of college football's most interception-prone quarterbacks during the season's first half has gone two straight games without getting picked off. In wins over Mississippi State and Auburn, Leavitt completed 63 of 83 passes for 677 yards and seven touchdowns. Best of all, none of those attempts resulted in turnovers. Last week: 17

16. Lincoln Kienholz, Louisville

Kienholz ranks No. 10 nationally in EPA per dropback and 17th in passer efficiency after totaling 312 yards and three touchdowns as a passer/runner in Louisville's 52-24 win over Stanford. The former Ohio State backup has 11 rushing touchdowns to go with 12 through the air. What would the Buckeyes give to still have him on their roster? Last week: 18

17. Gunner Stockton, Georgia

Coming off a bye week, Stockton asserted himself as a runner in Georgia's 27-8 win over Florida by totaling 45 yards on 12 carries. It was needed considering how ineffective he was as a passer. The veteran finished 13 of 23 for 101 yards. His 4.4 yards per attempt were the second-lowest of his starting tenure. Last week: 12

18. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina

Sellers is just 46th in EPA per dropback and 61st in passer efficiency for the season because of some early-season struggles. But over his last four games, Sellers has totaled 15 touchdowns as a passer and runner after accounting for just seven touchdowns over the season's first four games. Last week: 26

19. Kevin Jennings, SMU

Syracuse sacked Jennings four times as SMU suffered a brutal 30-27 upset loss. But that's more on the offensive line than on Jennings, who didn't throw a single interception in four October games. Turnover reduction is a significant positive development for the fifth-year QB, who ranks No. 5 nationally in EPA per dropback. Last week: 19

20. Devon Dampier, Utah

Dampier passed for 260 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for 45 yards as Utah destroyed Cincinnati 49-25. The dual-threat veteran started 15 for 16 as the Utes built a 42-6 lead while improving to 8-0. Last week: 20

21. Tayven Jackson, North Texas
Last week: 27

22. Austin Simmons, Missouri
Last week: 21

23. Ethan Grunkemeyer, Virginia Tech
Last week: 22

24. Maddux Madsen, Boise State
Last week: 24

25. Brad Jackson, Texas State
Last week: 37

26. Caden Veltkamp, FAU
Last week: 38

27. Caden Creel, Jacksonville State
Last week: 36

28. Josh Hoover, Indiana
Last week: 13

29. Nick Minicucci, Delaware
Last week: unranked

30. Tommy Carr, Michigan
Last week: unranked

31. Hauss Hejny, Colorado State
Last week: 29

32. Ty Dieffenbach, UCLA
Last week: 34

33. Blake Baker, Louisiana Tech
Last week: 39

34. John Alan Richter, Toledo
Last week: 32

35. JC French IV, Cincinnati
Last week: 33

36. Davis Warren, Stanford
Last week: 44

37. Billy Edwards Jr., North Carolina
Last week: unranked

38. Baylor Hayes, Tulsa
Last week: 40

39. Kalieb Osborne, UConn
Last week: 42

40. Nick Poulos, Ohio
Last week: 43

41. Marcus Stokes, Memphis
Last week: 50

42. Ashton Daniels, Florida State
Last week: 31

43. Katin Houser, Illinois
Last week: unranked

44. Lunch Winfield, Louisiana
Last week: 45

45. CJ Bailey, NC State
Last week: 46

46. Owen McCown, UTSA
Last week: 47

47. Arch Manning, Texas
Last week: unranked

48. Jackson Arnold, UNLV
Last week: 49

49. Max Johnson, Georgia Southern
Last week: uranked

50. DJ Lagway, Baylor
Last week: unranked