Ranking The Opposing Quarterbacks BYU Football Will Face In 2020

PROVO, Utah – If the 2020 college football season takes place amid the COVID-19 pandemic, BYU football will try to improve from a pair of 7-6 seasons with yet another tough schedule this season.

BYU’s 2020 schedule has name recognition with six Power 5 programs, but many of the programs the Cougars will face whenever the season starts have some questions at quarterback.

A tough schedule can become even more challenging when you face excellent quarterbacks on the opposing sideline. Who are the best quarterbacks BYU football will see in 2020? Let’s rank them.

12. Blake Dever, North Alabama

BYU vs. North Alabama – November 21st

Blake Dever is officially a UNA Lion! Big time addition from the state of Florida! He can spin it! Welcome to the family @bdever4 #RoarLions #NSD19 pic.twitter.com/Rsj6kMicel

— North Alabama Football (@UNAFootball) February 6, 2019

Former Arkansas State quarterback has had a well-traveled collegiate career from ASU to junior college to now North Alabama. Dever is preparing for his first season as the full-time starter of the fourth year FCS program.

11. Carson Baker, San Diego State

BYU vs. San Diego State – November 14th

Carson Baker "The touchdown maker." Aztecs on top. pic.twitter.com/2kCuXJcVeu

— SDSU Football (@SDSUFootball) December 1, 2019

Last season in his first collegiate experience, Baker defeated BYU in the regular-season finale by a score of 13-3 filling in for Ryan Agnew. Now with Rocky Long no longer the head coach, Brady Hoke returns for his second stint as the Aztec leader. Baker will compete with three other quarterbacks and potentially a fourth if they add a grad transfer. But for now, Baker appears to be the starter.

10. Rocky Lombardi/Theo Day/Payton Thorne, Michigan State

BYU vs. Michigan State – September 12th

To all Spartans, please welcome Coach Mel Tucker to Michigan State! pic.twitter.com/irYiYfOntE

— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) February 12, 2020

There’s a quarterback competition on the banks of the red cedar to open up the Mel Tucker era at Michigan State. The Spartans are looking for a “CEO” to lead the offense. Lombardi has the experience that potentially gives him the inside track, but the most heralded recruit was Theo Day who’s only played five snaps. Day might the quarterback BYU faces in week two in Provo.

9. Henry Colombi, Utah State

BYU vs. Utah State – October 2nd (Friday)

Colombi with the HOUSE CALL! #AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/E3i9rOPOMD

— USU Football (@USUFootball) October 13, 2018

Replacing first-round pick Jordan Love will be no easy task, but Utah State has to be excited to have a dual-threat quarterback in Colombi who impressed during the three spring practices the Aggies were able to get in before the pandemic shut everything down.

8. Ross Bowers, Northern Illinois

BYU at Northern Illinois – October 24th

🎥HUSKIE TOP 5🖐🏼

Check out @_RossBowers' top plays from the 2019 season!! #TheHardWay #PlayLikeAHuskie pic.twitter.com/Ga2pY9kNuA

— NIU Football (@NIU_Football) March 20, 2020

Former Cal quarterback looks to be the number one QB in DeKalb this fall with last year’s starter in Marcus Childers not listed on the spring roster. Bowers played in nine games last year for the Huskies and threw for 2,130 yards.

7. Cameron Rising, Utah

BYU at Utah – September 3rd (Thursday)

Utah QB Cam Rising is worried about getting better in the spring rather than the QB battle.

Although, he does welcome the competition.#Utes @kslsports pic.twitter.com/e7tfVFMoip

— Trevor Allen (@TrevorASports) March 3, 2020

Utah enters 2020 looking to replace a three-year starter in Tyler Huntley. The competition to replace Huntley will be between a pair of heralded Power 5 transfers in Cameron Rising from Texas and graduate transfer Jake Bentley from South Carolina. Right now, with the Utes only able to get three practices in before the pandemic shut things down, Rising having a year to learn Andy Ludwig’s offense gives him the lead. Bentley was someone that Ludwig watched in the SEC East while he coached at Vanderbilt.

6. Clayton Tune, Houston

BYU vs. Houston – October 16th (Friday)

QB1. #GoCoogs | #hoUSton pic.twitter.com/XOvE4cXxrt

— Houston Football (@UHCougarFB) May 4, 2020

After D’Eriq King transferred to Miami last January, Clayton Tune became the clear-cut leader of the Houston Cougars in year two under head coach Dana Holgorsen. Holgorsen named Tune the starting quarterback last February after he started in seven games a season ago for the Coogs throwing for 1,533 yards and 11 touchdowns.

5. Shawn Robinson, Missouri

BYU vs. Missouri – October 10th

Watch: #Mizzou QB Shawn Robinson is finally eligible to play after sitting out last season. He could very well be the Tigers starter in the fall. pic.twitter.com/9hyIsyMY7z

— Andrew Kauffman (@AndrewABC17) March 7, 2020

Last season, Robinson redshirted at Missouri due to NCAA transfer rules after transferring out of TCU. Robinson, a former four-star recruit, is a perfect fit for new Mizzou head coach Eliah Drinkwitz offense that can utilize dual-threat quarterbacks. Robinson has yet to officially be named the starting quarterback, but if does as many expect him to be, he could emerge as one of the top quarterbacks in the SEC this season.

4. Hank Bachmeier, Boise State

BYU at Boise State – November 6th (Friday)

QB Hank Bachmeier was named to @TheFWAA's Freshman All-America Team Midseason Watch List!

🔗 https://t.co/lTxorGK59J#BleedBlue pic.twitter.com/eyLu0y2FQu

— Boise State Football (@BroncoSportsFB) October 24, 2019

Bachmeier earned the starting job at Boise State last year as a true freshman in week one. He started in eight games throwing for 1,879 yards and had nine touchdown passes. In BYU’s win over the Broncos last year in Provo, Bachmeier was sidelined due to a hip injury. As usual with Boise State, the Broncos are once again in a spot to compete for the New Year’s Six birth granted to the highest-ranked team from a Group of 5 conference.

3. Davis Mills, Stanford

BYU at Stanford – November 28th

Gunslinger.#GoStanford | #NextStartsNow pic.twitter.com/RnFaiRlK3c

— Stanford Football (@StanfordFball) March 4, 2020

Last season Stanford took an unexpected step back going 4-8 for their first losing season in 11 years. One of the issues was at quarterback where the KJ Costello was starting over the younger Davis Mills. Mills had his opportunities to play at quarterback and he passed for a team-high 1,960 yards with a 65 percent completion rate. A former five-star quarterback out of high school, Mills was named the starting quarterback by David Shaw this past winter. With Mills leading the way, the Cardinal should be in for a quick turnaround in 2020.

2. Tanner Morgan, Minnesota

BYU at Minnesota – September 26th

This year's Neil Fredenburg Outstanding Team Player is @T_morg2! Tanner is the definition of a leader and the #RTB culture. #Gophers // #SkiUMah // #RTB pic.twitter.com/4gQFUQMxIW

— Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) December 16, 2019

When Morgan took over as Minnesota’s starting quarterback in 2018 against Indiana, he’s quickly become one of the Gophers’ most accomplished quarterbacks in program history. Last season, Morgan started all 13 games throwing for a school-record 3,253 yards and leading Minnesota to their first 11-plus win season since 1904. Now Morgan is one of the more intriguing prospects for the 2021 NFL Draft.

1. Jayden Daniels, Arizona State

BYU at Arizona State – September 19th

Congratulations to Jayden Daniels on eclipsing Rudy Carpenter’s freshman passing record! 🏈📈 pic.twitter.com/Wr1DicKhRF

— Sun Devil Football (@ASUFootball) November 24, 2019

A former Elite 11 prospect, Jayden Daniels earned the starting quarterback role at Arizona State last year as a true freshman. In his first season as the starting quarterback, Daniels was everything Herm Edwards could have hoped for and then some. Daniels passed for 2,943 yards and had a 17-2 touchdown to interception ratio. Having a talent like Daniels at quarterback gives the Sun Devils an opportunity to potentially win the Pac-12 South for the first time in seven years.

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12-3 pm) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.