Building depth at the quarterback position in college football is almost impossible in the transfer portal era. It’s rare that a quality backup actually sticks around, especially since – if they’re good enough – they can go somewhere that they’re promised a more immediate starting spot.

So quality backup quarterbacks are an invaluable commodity. Teams hope they never need them, but it’s entirely possible that a No. 2 quarterback could make or break a season, depending on injuries and other factors.

That’s why it’s appropriate to shine a spotlight on those unheralded backups. Whether it’s a veteran that’s stuck around in spite of other changes to the quarterback room, or a young player that decided to transfer to a better situation, here’s a look at the top 10 backup quarterbacks in college football.

It should be noted that this list is limited to collegiate backups that have played meaningful snaps before. One could make an entire article based around the former blue-chip prospects that are serving as backups in 2025 while they wait their turn to start.

As such, those highly rated No. 2s are included in a rapid-fire list at the end of the article.