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2015 College NCAA Passing Efficiency Leaders

College play-by-play before 2025 does not record where passes went, so depth, direction, ACE and throw maps start in 2025. Counting stats are the official NCAA season lines.

The NCAA's official passing efficiency rating: (8.4 × yards + 330 × TD + 100 × completions − 200 × INT) ÷ attempts. It is not on the same scale as the NFL's passer rating, which we also show.

How to read it. Around 140 is average for an FBS starter; 170 and up is excellent.

The 2015 leaders: Seth Russell (189.7), Vernon Adams Jr. (179.6), Baker Mayfield (178.9).

NCAA Passing Efficiency

Minimum to rank: 15 pass attempts per team game (the NCAA's minimum for passing efficiency). 115 players.

RkPlayerPosTeamAttDropbacksEff
1Seth RussellQBBAY200192189.7
2Vernon Adams Jr.QBORE240257179.6
3Baker MayfieldQBOU354369178.9
4Brandon DoughtyQBWKU496472176.7
5Kevin HoganQBSTAN283292170.1
6Paxton LynchQBMEM406417166.2
7Taylor LambQBAPP257250166.1
8Brandon AllenQBARK344344165.2
9Trevone BoykinQBTCU396393161.5
10Zach TerrellQBWMU365363161.1
11Matt JohnsonQBBGSU508539160.7
12Deshaun WatsonQBCLEM413410159.6
13Jared GoffQBCAL492505156.4
14Nick MullensQBUSM483497155.1
15Nick ArbuckleQBGAST457472154.5
16Chad KellyQBMISS425434154.4
17Cody KesslerQBUSC414443154.3
18Nate SudfeldQBIU361355153.9
19Greg Ward Jr.QBHOU304322153.7
20Quinton FlowersQBUSF244248152.6
21Mason RudolphQBOKST393406152.4
22Gunner KielQBCIN316317151.9
23DeShone KizerQBND298301151.7
24Brent StockstillQBMTSU451453151.5
25Marquise WilliamsQBUNC321327151.4
26Dane EvansQBTLSA441464151.3
27Jeff DriskelQBLT412416150.1
28Dak PrescottQBMSST435458149.9
29Patrick MahomesQBTTU517520149.6
30Everett GolsonQBFSU219231149.2
31Luke FalkQBWSU591612148.8
32Cooper RushQBCMU460444148.4
33Cameron CoffmanQBWYO241259147.4
34Kenny PotterQBSJSU251274145.6
35Brad KaayaQBMIA358367144.2
36Greyson LambertQBUGA236238143.7
37Anu SolomonQBARIZ306319143.7
38Drew HareQBNIU257266142.8
39Tanner MangumQBBYU390409142.2
40Connor CookQBMSU369375142.2
41Nick StevensQBCSU305308142.1
42Nathan PetermanQBPITT293311141.1
43Fredi KnightenQBARST223235140.5
44Jake BrowningQBWASH334357139.9
45C.J. BeathardQBIOWA329341139.6
46Jake CokerQBALA338350139.4
47Jake RudockQBMICH358368138.9
48Maxwell SmithQBSDSU200211138.7
49Hayden MooreQBCIN195201138.0
50Blake KempQBECU375383137.6
51Blake DeckerQBUNLV209214137.6
52Brandon SilversQBTROY330335137.5
53Brett RypienQBBOIS390400137.5
54Kyle AllenQBTA&M283290137.0
55Matt LinehanQBIDHO391375135.5
56Driphus JacksonQBRICE316321135.3
57Mike BercoviciQBASU480508134.8
58Derrius VickQBOHIO247267134.0
59Chase LittonQBMRSH349361133.6
60Josh RosenQBUCLA447453133.2
61Jacoby BrissettQBNCSU367389132.2
62Chris LavianoQBRUTG307320131.8
63Alex McGoughQBFIU420406131.2
64Bryant ShirreffsQBCONN262287130.2
65Skyler HowardQBWVU352378130.1
66John WolfordQBWAKE233254128.8
67Joshua DobbsQBTENN319335128.2
68Phillip ElyQBTOL375342128.1
69Matt JohnsQBUVA403417127.8
70Brandon HarrisQBLSU254262127.8
71Tommy Armstrong Jr.QBNEB383383127.2
72Travis WilsonQBUTAH298312127.2
73P.J. WalkerQBTEM387400127.1
74Thomas WoodsonQBAKR278267126.5
75Sefo LiufauQBCOLO344317126.4
76Dalton SturmQBUTSA212243126.2
77Brogan RobackQBEMU346352125.8
78Perry OrthQBSC261271125.1
79Lamar JacksonQBLOU221238124.7
80Tyler StewartQBNEV313326124.3
81Joel StaveQBWIS343355124.0
82Christian HackenbergQBPSU345377123.8
83Joe LicataQBBUF449423123.0
84Joel LanningQBISU193212122.7
85Thomas SirkQBDUKE390393122.6
86Matt DavisQBSMU336366122.6
87Sam B. RichardsonQBISU213212121.9
88Brooks HaackQBUL201212121.2
89Treon HarrisQBFLA214234121.1
90Mack LeftwichQBUTEP192156120.8
91Tyler JonesQBTXST382354120.1
92Justin ThomasQBGT180189119.4
93Mitch LeidnerQBMINN377384119.1
94Garrett SmithQBULM333356118.9
95Riley NealQBBALL391396117.6
96Jaquez JohnsonQBFAU239249116.5
97Cody ClementsQBUSA324342115.7
98Blake FrohnapfelQBMASS472489114.0
99Austin ApplebyQBPUR207215113.6
100Patrick TowlesQBUK326354112.0

More 2015 College Quarterback Leaderboards

EPA per Dropback Success Rate Total Passing EPA Total QB EPA (Passing + Rushing) First-Down Rate per Dropback Explosive Pass Rate Negative-Play Rate EPA per Dropback, Excluding Garbage Time NFL Passer Rating Completion % Yards per Attempt Adjusted Net Yards per Attempt Adjusted Yards per Attempt Net Yards per Attempt Yards per Completion Touchdown % Interception % TD:INT Ratio Sack % Passing Yards per Game Pass Attempts per Game Passing Yards Passing Touchdowns Completions Pass Attempts Interceptions Thrown Sacks Taken Passing First Downs 20+ Yard Completions 40+ Yard Completions Longest Completion 300-Yard Passing Games 4-Touchdown Games Wins as Starter 3rd-Down Conversion Rate Red Zone Touchdown Rate Clutch EPA per Dropback Clutch Passer Rating Two-Minute Drill EPA per Dropback Game-Winning Drives 4th-Quarter Comebacks Quarterback Rushing Yards Quarterback Rushing EPA Quarterback Rushing Yards Excluding Sacks QB Sneak Conversion Rate Touchdowns Responsible For Total Yards (Passing + Rushing)

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