Starting quarterback comparison - Jordan Travis vs Jayden Daniels - who has the edge

This is an attempt by an amateur lsu fan to predict who has the edge at quarterback in the Fla State-LSU game as football experts outside of La might see it. I’m no expert for sure, so if you want an expert opinion, feel free to stop reading here. Going into the Texas - LSU game a few years ago, its worth noting virtually every expert had Sam Ehlinger better than Joe Burrow, so predicting how a kid evolves at the qb position year over year is no science for sure.

We can start with the head to head data from last years Fla Sate/LSU game, but it doesnt help answer the question of who had the best qb. Travis was the better passer, 20-33 for 260 yds with 2 tds. Daniels was 25-34 for 209 yds with 2 tds. Daniels was the much better runner, with 16 carries for 114 yds. Travis was 8 carries for 31 yds, but he got 23 on one of those carries and only 8 yds on the 7 other carries. Daniels had more total yards. Travis got the more important win.

These stats from the first game foreshadowed their season stats to a certain extent. Travis threw for 3214 yds with a 64% completion average and a 160 qb rating. Daniels threw for 2913 yds with a 68% completion average for a 144 qb rating. The passing stats are closer than the ratings make them look, I suppose the fact that Travis averaged a yd and a half more per completion has him ranked so much higher? I was surprised to see Daniel’s completed 68% of his passes.

While Daniels and Travis are both dual threats, Daniels appears to be the better runner by far. Daniels rushed for 885 yds in 2022, Travis for 417.

So where do the pro scouts project Daniels and Travis in the 2024 draft? It depends on the scout, but both are vert highly thought of and project very close to each other, somewhere in the 2nd to 5th round. Daniels is a couple inches taller, Travis a bit thicker, but Daniels has added weight. The draft profiles are vey high on Travis’s running game, but the stats show Daniels is the bigger running threat. Is that because Daniels takes off too early? Or had to run early for lack of protection? Or is he just a better running threat? I think it’s probably a combination of the three.

LSU fans not sold on Daniels might be surprised to know that he is on most everyone’s Heisman trophy top ten watch list. Travis is too. A couple preseason lists had Daniels and Travis in their top five Heisman probables. Athlons has Travis as the second team preseason all ACC team. Athlons has Daniels on their third team all SEC team.

Advantage - Even. It’s hard to see any unbiased observer rating one of these two quarterbacks significantly higher than the other. They have similar styles, similar statistics and are similarly rated on NFL drat sites. Most sites have them ranked very near each other, some have Travis as a top 5 college qb, some have Daniels that high.

Being the LSU homer that I am, I would argue Daniels has a slight edge because the comparison last year was not always apples to apples. When they first met, Travis had four years in the FSU offense playing top ACC teams. Daniels was in his first year in a new offense on a new team in the SEC. Daniels 2022 stats were, on average, against better defenses than Travis saw. But FSU played some tough teams as well.

If I were an FSU fan, I would argue Travis has the slight edge because he has been more consistent. Daniels at his best was very, very good. Daniels at his worst was very bad.

One thing for sure, Travis will be be one of the best QBs LSU will see this year. You dont get too many top ten match ups in the first week of September, top ten teams and, arguably, top ten qbs. Travis should have LSU fans worried, Daniels should worry FSU fans. I miss Maason Smith already, one of the more chicken shite suspensions in NCAA history.

These are two mirror image qbs with similar strengths and weaknesses. I think Daniel’s ability to break a big run could be the difference.

The 2023 LSU/Florida state game is going to have monster TV ratings. Sunday night, the week before pro football starts? All college fans will be watching this game, it’s a monster game for being so early in the season.