College Football: Evaluating where Super Bowl quarterbacks played in college

NCAA divisions as represented by quarterbacks in the Super Bowl

As readers might have noticed from the previous chart, there are some less familiar conferences represented in the list of NFL championship quarterbacks. While the majority of colleges featured among the Super Bowl participants are from the top-tier of the NCAA divisions, small schools dot the list all up and down the timeline.

Perhaps the most interesting case is that of Ken Anderson, the losing finalist matched up against Notre Dame’s Joe Montana in Super Bowl XVI. Anderson grew up in Wisconsin, and stayed close to home to play for Augustana College. A three-time all-conference selection in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, Anderson ended up a third-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals in 1971 back when Augustana was still an NAIA school.

While there has never been a Division II or Division III quarterback to reach the Super Bowl, Anderson’s case shows that quarterbacks can emerge from the lower ranks. Three Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks — Phil Simms, Kurt Warner, and Joe Flacco — have sealed up an NFL title after playing at FCS programs.

Next: Latest 2018 NFL Mock Draft post bowl season

Quarterbacks in Super Bowl by college football division

Five other quarterbacks have suited up for the Super Bowl since the early 1980s after Division I split into two subdivisions. In addition to Flacco, for instance, the Delaware Blue Hens also saw former passer Rich Gannon also make a Super Bowl appearance.