Stetson Bennett, CJ Stroud, Bryce Young, Hendon Hooker and Kyle Clifford piled up the numbers and accolades during their time as college quarterbacks. They left huge shoes to fill at, respectively, Georgia, Ohio State, Alabama, Tennessee and Penn State.

Those teams, along with a couple of others in need of a new starting quarterback, will open the 2023 season ranked in the top 10 of the AP and/or coaches polls. It is clear in a few instances who the successor will be. Not so with a few others.

Here is a glance at those who will take over, or are competing to take over, on top-10 teams.

Stetson Bennett arrived in Athens as a walk-on and left as a two-time national champion quarterback. After splitting duties with JT Daniels in 2020, Bennett ultimately won the job in 2021 and was the clear-cut No. 1 heading into last season. All the while, Carson Beck was biding his time. This season will be his fourth with Kirby Smart’s program, though he has three years of eligibility remaining thanks to a redshirt and a free year due to pandemic-shortened 2020. Beck has passed for 486 yards and six touchdowns in 10 career games.

Beck has been competing with Brock Vandagriff and Gunnar Stockton. The former has three career attempts and the latter has yet to see the field. Coordinator Mike Bobo could very well use multiple quarterbacks. Alas, whoever trots out with the offense for the first series against UT-Martin on September 2 will have the benefit of operating behind one of the nation’s best, if not the best, offensive line.

It was preseason 2021 when two quarterbacks, neither of whom had a career pass attempt, competed to lead the Buckeyes following Justion Fields’ departure to the NFL. C.J. Stroud emerged as the winner and in two seasons threw for 8,123 yards and 85 touchdowns, both second all-time in Columbus.

The quarterback Stroud competed with? Kyle McCord’s time may have finally arrived after making one start (Akron, 2021) and throwing for 606 yards in two seasons back up Stroud. McCord has been competing with Devin Brown, who did not attempt a pass as true freshman last season.

Bryce Young succeeded Mac Jones in 2021, won this Heisman that year and threw 79 touchdown passes in two seasons as the starter. There is no such clear-cut transition this time around in Tuscaloosa as a three-way competition has been underway to determine who will run the Crimson Tide’s offense. Will it be Tyler Buchner, Jalen Milroe or Ty Simpson?

The spotlight was on Milroe and Simpson in the spring. Milroe, an exceptional runner, started against visiting Texas A&M last October when Young was banged up, and threw three TD passes while totaling 192 yards (111 passing) in a 24-20 win. On the season, he threw for 297 yards and ran for 265. Simpson attempted five passes and used his redshirt.

Buchner left Notre Dame for Tuscaloosa in May and reunited with Tommy Rees, his offensive coordinator in South Bend. Rees, a former Fighting Irish quarterback, is serving in the same capacity at Alabama. Buchner started the first two games last season before he was sidelined with a shoulder injury. He returned and started a Gator Bowl win over South Carolina. In the three games, he threw for 652 yards with three touchdowns and five interceptions.

Sean Clifford was in Happy Valley so long it seemed as though he took over for Kerry Collins. Actually, he arrived in 2018 and departed as the program’s all-time leader in passing yards with 10,661. Drew Allar was Clifford’s primary backup as a freshman last season, appearing in nine games and throwing for 344 yards and four TDs. While coach James Franklin has not named a starter, Allar would seem to be the favorite. Like Allar, Beau Pribula arrived on campus last spring. Pribula and true freshman Jaxon Smolik appear to be the leading candidates for No. 2.

True freshman Cade Klubnik came on for a turnover-prone DJ Uiagalelei and helped lead the Tigers’ comeback win against Syracuse in late October. Klubnik took over for good early in the ACC championship game and was the MVP in a win over North Carolina. With Uiagalelei having entered the transfer portal, Klubnik started an Orange Bowl loss to Tennessee. He finished the season totaling 836 yards (697 passing) and four touchdowns.

The offense unquestionably belongs to Klubnik heading into this season while the battle for No. 2 is ongoing. It is a role that, at least for now, belongs to Arizona State transfer Paul Tyson. Hunter Helms, who is nursing a sprained right foot, is also in the mix. Tyson, great grandson of Bear Bryant, also played at Alabama.

Joe Milton is no stranger. This will be his sixth season of college football and he finally has the opportunity to be a No. 1 quarterback. Milton effectively took over the Vols’ offense against South Carolina in the final regular season game of 2022 after Heisman candidate Hendon Hooker tore his ACL in the fourth quarter. Milton helped lead a rout of Vanderbilt the following week and threw three touchdown passes in an Orange Bowl win over Clemson and Klubnik.

Milton, who spent three seasons at Michigan and his entering his third with Tennessee, has played in 31 career games (nine starts) and has thrown for 2,540 yards and 17 touchdowns. Ten of his 53 completions last season went for scores. A leading candidate to be Milton’s primary backup is Gaston Moore, who is entering his third season in Knoxville after beginning his career under coach Josh Heupel at UCF.