About a week or two into training camp, several college football programs have open competitions for the starting quarterback role.
These five competitions stand out in terms of how they will affect their conference and the college football landscape overall.
1. Ohio State: Cardale Jones and J.T. Barrett
This competition once included Braxton Miller, who figured to have some sort of seniority since he is a two-time Big Ten Player of the Year. But he has been working out as a hybrid back/wide receiver because his throwing shoulder is apparently not strong enough to play QB.
Jones is rare for a college quarterback; he has a cannon for a right arm and is built like a refrigerator, but still has enough speed and athleticism to run the ball once in a while. However, Barrett is practically Miller's carbon copy, which is to say he better fits the kind of offense Meyer has been running in Columbus.
Their stark differences are what makes this starting competition so compelling and what will keep it interesting well into the season, especially if Miller still intends to play QB at some point.
2. Oregon: Jeff Lockie and Vernon Adams
Marcus Mariota is an all-time great not only in Eugene, but in college football history. So his two-year backup (Lockie) figures to have the upper hand in taking over. He is almost as unproven as can be, but he knows the offense intimately and he has been getting the most time with the Ducks' first-team offense.
Adams is coming in from Eastern Washington, an FCS school, but he dominated and he is a dual-threat QB like Mariota. Adams faces questions about transitioning not only to the FBS, but to a Power 5 school like Oregon. He is also getting a late jump at Oregon's training camp due to summer school, but he is in Eugene and "doing a great job."
Click here for the rest of the ranking, including some honorable mentions.
