The teams contending for a spot in the College Football Playoff have a wide variety of ideas and approaches with their starting quarterbacks.

Some QBs for top teams are game managers. Some are stars surrounded by big-time recruits that they can use as weapons. A couple of them are so important that their teams would simply be nowhere without them.

We undertook the task of ranking the starting quarterbacks for each of what we consider the 10 remaining CFP contenders. There’s no scientific method here – yes, stats are important, but we also consider how clutch the QBs have been in certain situations and how crucial they are to the success of their team in 2021.

10. Jack Coan, Notre Dame

The senior Wisconsin transfer has 2,011 yards passing and 16 TDs with 5 INTs. But to show the balance on offense, Coan has as many completions this season (174) as star RB Kyren Williams has carries. Coan has not had 30 attempts in a game since Sept. 18 against Purdue. But he had 3 TD passes Saturday against Virginia, the first time he has done that since he had 4 in the opener against Florida State.

9. Cade McNamara, Michigan

McNamara rarely throws downfield and is more of a game manager in a run-first Wolverines offense. Still, the junior had his first 3-TD game of the season Saturday against Penn State and that was important because UM was without injured RB Blake Corum, leaving Hassan Haskins to carry the load (31 of 41 team rushing attempts). McNamara will have to come up big in the finale against Ohio State.

8. Stetson Bennett/JT Daniels, Georgia

This might be one of the least contentious quarterback questions in recent memory. It was Daniels’ job, then he got hurt, then Bennett came in, then Daniels came back to play some against Missouri, then Bennett went all the way Saturday against Tennessee. These two have combined for nearly 2,300 passing yards. With a defense and ground attack this good, that’s all UGA needs out of whoever is at QB.

7. Spencer Sanders, Oklahoma State

Most Big 12 quarterbacks are asked to put up video game numbers because their team’s defense can’t stop anybody. Not true of Sanders. In fact, the Cowboys are No. 3 in the FBS in total defense. They’re also 31st in rushing offense, so Sanders can best help by not making mistakes. He has only thrown 6 INTs in 227 attempts, so he’s doing his job there, and has also put up 14 TD passes.

6. Caleb Williams, Oklahoma

The freshman has only had a handful of starts since taking the starting job from Spencer Rattler. Williams ranks 2nd in FBS in passing efficiency at 187.8 and is averaging 10.4 yards per pass attempt, more than 2 ypa better than Rattler. Williams also has run for 305 yards and 5 TDs on 41 carries. He’s coming off his first loss, Saturday at Baylor, so we’ll see how he bounces back against Iowa State.

5. Anthony Brown, Oregon

Brown is the biggest dual-threat on this list with 551 yards and 8 TDs rushing in 2021. That has been crucial for the Ducks after they lost CJ Verdell for the season. Brown’s passing numbers have tailed off in the 2 weeks since a 307-yard, 3-TD day on Oct. 30 against Colorado, but he had a career-high 123 rushing yards in Saturday’s 38-24 win over Washington State, a game that was tied 14-14 at halftime.

4. Payton Thorne, Michigan State

Spartans RB Kenneth Walker grabs all the headlines and is a Heisman candidate. But don’t overlook what Thorne has meant to the offense. The sophomore has some very reliable receivers in Jayden Reed, Jalen Nailor and Tre Mosley. Thorne has thrown for 2,460 yards and 21 TDs with just 8 INTs. He had his best completion percentage of the season (73.3%) in Saturday’s win over Maryland.

3. CJ Stroud, Ohio State

The freshman stepped in for Justin Fields, yet Ohio State has barely missed a beat on offense. Sure, Stroud has plenty of help with the nation’s best wide receiver group (Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, Jaxon Smith-Njigba) and freshman sensation TreVeyon Henderson at running back. But Stroud’s stats in just 9 starts – 30 TDs, 3,036 yards, just 5 INTs – speak to his rapid maturation.

2. Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati

He does not have numbers as gaudy as Bryce Young or Stroud, but no QB is more important to a CFP contender than Ridder. Heck, there might not be a player anywhere in the country who matters more to his team. The 4-year starter has passed for more than 2,100 yards each season and might be having his best year now, with career highs for TD passes (22) and QB rating (157.9).

1. Bryce Young, Alabama

One could argue that Alabama has a plug-and-play system … but then the Crimson Tide did get their past 3 starting quarterbacks selected in the first or second round of the NFL Draft. In any event, Young has been as good as advertised, ranking 4th in FBS in efficiency (180.1) and throwing for 33 TDs to just 3 interceptions to cement his Heisman Trophy candidacy. The Tide will go where he takes them.