The ACC quarterback race features a clear favorite at the top, but plenty of intrigue behind him.
The battle for the rest of the rankings will be one of the more interesting storylines of the 2026 college football season. These are the five quarterbacks with the biggest opportunity to make an impact in the ACC.
Mensah enters 2026 as the quarterback to beat in the ACC. After emerging as one of the nation’s top passers over the past two seasons, Mensah transferred to Miami with expectations of leading the Hurricanes toward an ACC championship and another College Football Playoff appearance. His arm talent, poise and experience make him the conference’s top signal-caller entering the season, and his performance will be critical to Miami’s title aspirations.
Jennings has quickly established himself as one of the ACC’s most productive quarterbacks. Since SMU joined the conference, his ability to extend plays while maintaining efficiency has made him one of the league’s most dangerous offensive weapons. With another season in Rhett Lashlee’s system, Jennings gives the Mustangs a legitimate championship-caliber quarterback.
3. Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele — California
JKS may not have the national recognition of some quarterbacks ahead of him, but his talent is impossible to ignore. The Cal quarterback possesses the physical tools to become one of the ACC’s biggest breakout stars. If he takes another step forward, he could quickly become one of the most talked-about players in the conference and maybe the entire country.
Bailey enters the season coming off a breakout sophomore campaign. His combination of accuracy, athleticism and leadership has helped him develop into one of the ACC’s most complete quarterbacks. If NC State remains in the conference title race, Bailey will likely be one of the biggest reasons why.
Angeli rounds out the list after transferring from Notre Dame. Before suffering an injury last season, Angeli showed why Syracuse believed he could be its next quarterback, throwing 10 touchdown passes in four starts. If he returns healthy, with all signs indicating that he will, his experience and accuracy give the Orange a chance to take a major step forward offensively.
