The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award® along with presenting sponsor A. O. Smith Corporation announce the 2021 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List Week 8 Stats. Candidates are chosen based on player performance on and off the field. Candidates are judged on their character, citizenship, scholastic achievement, teamwork and leadership qualities.
| NAME | SCHOOL | GAMES | COMP | ATTEMPTS | % | YDS | TDS | INT | RUSH | SCORE (record) | CONFERENCE | NOTES |
| Brennan Armstrong | Virginia | 8 | 239 | 372 | 64% | 3,220 | 28 | 6 | 177 | W 48-40 Georgia Tech (6-2) | ACC | Next: @ BYU (10/30) |
| Connor Bazelak | Missouri | 7 | 184 | 274 | 67% | 1,920 | 12 | 7 | -6 | Bye week (3-4) | SEC | Next: @ Vanderbilt (10/30) |
| Anthony Brown | Oregon | 7 | 118 | 190 | 62% | 1,490 | 13 | 3 | 327 | W 34-31 UCLA (6-1) | Pac-12 | Next: Colorado (10/30) |
| Sean Clifford | Penn State | 7 | 137 | 212 | 65% | 1,647 | 14 | 5 | 145 | L 20-18 Illinois (5-2) | BIG-10 | Next: @ Ohio State (10/30) |
| Jack Coan | Notre Dame | 7 | 120 | 189 | 64% | 1,397 | 11 | 4 | -88 | W 31-16 USC (6-1) | Independent | Next: North Carolina (10/30) |
| Matt Corral | Ole Miss | 7 | 140 | 207 | 68% | 1,913 | 24 | 1 | 474 | W 31-17 LSU (6-1) | SEC | Next: @ Auburn (10/30) |
| Malik Cunningham | Louisville | 7 | 130 | 205 | 63% | 1,684 | 21 | 4 | 480 | W 28-14 Boston College (4-3) | ACC | Next: @ North Carolina State (10/30) |
| Jayden Daniels | Arizona State | 6 | 96 | 137 | 70% | 1,269 | 7 | 3 | 369 | Bye week (5-2) | Pac-12 | Next: Washington State (10/30) |
| JT Daniels | Georgia | 3 | 54 | 71 | 76% | 567 | 5 | 2 | -15 | Bye week (7-0) | SEC | Next: Florida (10/30) |
| Dillon Gabriel | UCF | 3 | 70 | 102 | 69% | 814 | 11 | 3 | 125 | DNP; W 24-7 Memphis (4-3) | American | Next: @ Temple (10/30) |
| Sam Hartman | Wake Forest | 7 | 139 | 213 | 65% | 2,073 | 23 | 3 | 147 | W 70-56 Army (7-0) | ACC | Next: Duke (10/30) |
| Sam Howell | North Carolina | 7 | 129 | 211 | 61% | 1,851 | 23 | 6 | 494 | Bye week (4-3) | ACC | Next: Notre Dame (10/30) |
| Emory Jones | Florida | 7 | 119 | 176 | 68% | 1,305 | 12 | 9 | 495 | Bye week (4-3) | SEC | Next: Georgia (10/30) |
| D’Eriq King | Miami | 3 | 81 | 122 | 66% | 767 | 3 | 4 | 96 | DNP; W 31-30 North Carolina State (3-4) | ACC | Next: @ Pitt (10/30) |
| Devin Leary | NC State | 7 | 164 | 250 | 66% | 1,844 | 19 | 2 | -34 | L 31-30 Miami (5-2) | ACC | Next: Louisville (10/30) |
| Grayson McCall | Coastal Carolina | 7 | 102 | 132 | 77% | 1,769 | 17 | 1 | 79 | L 30-27 Appalachian State (6-1) | Sun Belt | Next: Troy (10/28) |
| Kenny Pickett | Pittsburgh | 7 | 168 | 244 | 69% | 2,236 | 26 | 1 | 195 | W 27-17 Clemson (6-1) | ACC | Next: Miami (10/30) |
| Jack Plummer | Purdue | 6 | 86 | 126 | 68% | 862 | 7 | 0 | -7 | L 30-13 Wisconsin (4-3) | BIG-10 | Next: @ Nebraska (10/30) |
| Brock Purdy | Iowa State | 7 | 143 | 190 | 75% | 1,648 | 11 | 4 | 141 | W 24-21 Oklahoma State (5-2) | BIG-12 | Next: @ West Virginia (10/30) |
| Spencer Rattler | Oklahoma | 6 | 130 | 175 | 74% | 1,371 | 13 | 5 | 86 | DNP; W 35-23 Kansas (8-0) | BIG-12 | Next: Texas Tech (10/30) |
| Chris Reynolds | Charlotte | 7 | 128 | 193 | 66% | 1,533 | 19 | 5 | 207 | L 38-9 Florida Atlantic (4-3) | C-USA | Next: @ Western Kentucky (110/30) |
| Desmond Ridder | Cincinnati | 7 | 126 | 198 | 64% | 1,620 | 18 | 3 | 124 | W 27-20 Navy (7-0) | American | Next: @ Tulane (10/30) |
| Carson Strong | Nevada | 7 | 216 | 307 | 70% | 2,466 | 20 | 4 | -101 | L 34-32 Fresno State (5-2) | Mountain West | Next: UNLV (10/29) |
| Taulia Tagovailoa | Maryland | 7 | 172 | 242 | 71% | 1,965 | 15 | 8 | 6 | L 34-16 Minnesota (4-3) | BIG-10 | Next: Indiana (10/30) |
| Malik Willis | Liberty | 8 | 121 | 183 | 66% | 1,679 | 26 | 6 | 647 | W 35-26 North Texas (6-2) | Independent | Next: UMass (10/30) |
| DNP = Did Not Play |