cfb zeitgeistZeitgeist
OFFSEASON · SUMMER 2026 · COMMITMENT SEASON
Heisman / Players / TJ Finley /Georgia State

TJ Finley

QB · Georgia State · Jr · #2

Below the discourse floor — the honest stats-only state.

1,244 PASS YDS · 6 PASS TD · -51 RUSH YDS

2026 TRANSFERTransferred Georgia State → Incarnate Word for 2026

Where He Ended Up · Transfer

Transferred to Incarnate Word

2025Georgia State
2026Incarnate Word

QB · GEORGIA STATE · SUN BELT

TJ Finley

  • 3
  • #2
  • 6-7 | 238 lb
  • Ponchatoula, LA

CFB Zeitgeist Score

31

Below cohort in the position cohort. Carried by completion % at the 56th percentile.

Heisman Heat

#1237

<1% win probability

Fan Belief

Awaiting

Player-specific FI not yet ingested. Falls back to team mood below.

Respect Gap

Awaiting

Coming online with player-level FI.

Reality Gap

Awaiting

Coming online with player-level FI.

ACCOLADE PROBABILITY

Heisman

<1%

TOP QB AWARD

Davey O'Brien

CONSENSUS

All-American

Player Standing · 17 rungs

Tier 2 · Starter

R06 · Starter

Starter. A locked-in starting role.

Not on team2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Development Trajectory · passing yards

2021–2025
8272021
4312022
3,4392023
1,2442025

+50%

Up 50% from first season to most-recent.

Career Arc

HS
Recruit
★★★
#486 national
CFB
College
3 teams
2021–2025
NFL
NFL Draft
Not drafted (yet)

Identity & Role

The durable bio layer: position, size, hometown, and roster role.

PositionQB
Class3
Jersey2
Measurements6-7 | 238 lb
HometownPonchatoula, LA
Primary teamGeorgia State

Recruiting Pedigree

How big the prospect was before college, and whether the later career arc beat that expectation.

Top pedigree 3-star No. 486 recruit
Composite rating 0.8826 HighSchool
Signed with LSU 2020
Origin Ponchatoula Ponchatoula, LA, USA
Class Profile Context
2020 3-star | 0.8826 No. 486 recruit | HighSchool | LSU

Transfer Arc

Portal movement changes role, context, and perception. This keeps that path in one place.

Portal moves 3 Programs changed on file
Latest destination Incarnate Word 2026
Transfer stars 3-star CFBD transfer rating context
Eligibility Immediate Jan 14, 2026
Season Move Context
2026 Georgia State -> Incarnate Word 3-star | 0.8500 | Immediate
2025 Tulane -> Georgia State 3-star | 0.8500 | Immediate
2024 Texas State -> Western Kentucky 3-star | 0.8800 | Immediate

Heisman Lens · 2024 Season · Final

Where the player landed at the end of the listed season — final nowcast rank, win/finalist/ballot probabilities, and the cleanest official Heisman placement on file.

HIGH CONFIDENCE· through week 16
Current nowcast#1237Latest modeled ballot order
Season forecast#1190Where the full season sim points
Win probability0.0%Chance to actually win the trophy
Finalist probability0.0%Chance to make the finalist tier
Ballot probability0.0%Chance to appear anywhere on a ballot
Best official finish--Best completed Heisman placement on file

Heisman Futures

Not yet listed on major futures markets.

No achievements unlocked yet this season.

Selector Grid · 2025

AP
FWAA
AFCA
WCFF
SN
SI

Selector recognition fills in once the major honors lists (AP, FWAA, AFCA, Walter Camp, Sporting News, SI) are scraped and ingested.

NIL · Recruiting · NFL Draft

Market value, pedigree & pro outcome

Recruit stars

★★★☆☆

to LSU

Composite

0.8826

#486 national

Today’s Hot-Take

The Hot-Take engine fires when this player’s percentile profile crosses a defensible threshold (top 10% in a cohort, 100+ snap sample). When it’s quiet, the model is honoring its “must be defensible” rule.

Anti-Take

PENDING

The contrarian read fires when the rules-engine detects a stat that complicates the Hot-Take. Quiet here means the model hasn’t found a defensible counter yet — not that one doesn’t exist.

The Room on TJ Finley

Fan sentiment ·

Belief Meter

50

Mixed Sentiment

Sample 1 mentions
Confidence BELOW-FLOOR

Top Take

Trajectory

Cohort divergence mapbearishbullishheatedcalmOwn fans: 1 mentions · belief +0 · "TJ Finley makes transfer decision for seventh year of college football &nbsp;&nb"Own fansNational: 2 mentions · belief +0 · "[Chris Hummer] TJ Finley is no longer part of the Incarnate Word program, source"National
  • Own fans · n=1
  • National · n=2

Rival Radar

How rival fanbases talk about TJ Finley

No rival-bucket mentions in the current season.

Signature Story

Awaiting candidate metric

He hasn't written his page yet — we'll start filling it in when there are enough snaps to rank against his peers.

Signature Moment

No signature moment on the ledger yet.

Returns once this player puts together a multi-game body of work — single-game flashes alone don't clear the bar.

A 3-act season arc returns once this player has six or more games on the ledger.

Season Pace · Projection

Where the passing totals stand

projecting to 13-game
Through 7g
1,244Pass yards
6Pass TDs
7INT
Per game
177.7Pass yards
1Pass TDs
1INT
Projected (13g)
2,310Pass yards
11Pass TDs
13INT

To hit 3,000-yard season (currently 1,244): needs 292.7/game over remaining 6.

To hit 4,000-yard season (currently 1,244): needs 459.3/game over remaining 6.

To hit 25 passing TDs (currently 6): needs 3.2/game over remaining 6.

To hit 30 passing TDs (currently 6): needs 4/game over remaining 6.

To hit 35 passing TDs (currently 6): needs 4.8/game over remaining 6.

What made this player interesting

The fast read on the thing that makes this player more than a generic stat line.

TJ Finley's story is about how role and output meet each other. For Georgia State, the card already shows enough current-season production to explain why he is on the serious-player board, and the next layer is determining whether the profile is just very good or actually distinctive.

Current place #1237 0.0% win | 0.0% finalist
Role load 42.0% Overall usage share
Profile quirk Transfer path 3 portal moves

2025 Season · Final

Traditional stats first. Advanced context underneath.

Last season

QB season snapshot

2025 season snapshot | final

2025 season snapshot | finalData: CFBD player stats + local Heisman modelPeer context: same position + same level
Pass yards 1,244 6 TD | 7 INT | #134/382 (65th pct)
Completion rate 63.2% 127/201 completions | #162/383 (58th pct)
Yards/attempt 6.2 Explosiveness through the air | #248/382 (35th pct)
Player identity What kind of player is this?

30-second read

What kind of player is this?

Steady volume | Pocket-leaning against FBS QB peers. The quickest read is whether the profile wins on volume, efficiency, explosiveness, or rushing value.

Steady volumePocket-leaning

2025 Season · Final

2025 season snapshot | final

Passing Efficiency

CMP
127 69th
ATT
201 70th
CMP%
63.2% 58th
Y/A
6.2 35th

Passing Production

YDS
1,244 65th
TD
6 66th
INT
7 23rd

Rushing

CAR
28 55th
YDS
-51 3rd
YPC
-1.8 8th
TD
0 44th

Game Log · Week-by-week

2025 season · 7 games

Box score · CFBD
WkOppCMP/ATTYDSTDINTYPAQBRNote
Wk 2L 16-38vs Memphis21/29201016.937.5
Wk 3W 37-21vs Murray State11/18150128.318.5
Wk 4L 21-70@ Vanderbilt22/35176205.054.3
Wk 6L 7-14vs James Madison19/28198107.150.7
Wk 7L 20-41vs App State13/2691013.515.5
Wk 11L 27-40@ Coastal Carolina16/26177116.844.5
Wk 12L 18-30vs Marshall25/39251126.431.1Season-high 251 yds
Total127/2011244676.336.0
Season-by-season tables Career rows + per-season box score

Traditional history

Traditional Stats

Season rows up top, career context at the bottom.

Season rows Career row

Season context · Team result + system

2021Auburn6-6HC: Bryan Harsin · Balanced
2022Auburn5-7HC: Cadillac Williams · Run-heavy
2023Texas State8-5HC: G.J. Kinne · Run-leaning
2025Georgia State1-11HC: Dell McGee · Pass-leaning
SeasonTeam
2025Georgia State12720163.2%1,2446.267118.1----
2023Texas State27941467.4%3,4398.3248152.4----
2022Auburn335362.3%4318.114121.7----
2021Auburn7012854.7%8276.561122.9----
Career4 loaded seasons50979663.9%5,9417.53720137.0----
SeasonTeam
2025Georgia State28-51-1.80--
2023Texas State78811.05--
2022Auburn17331.91--
2021Auburn20-36-1.81--
Career4 loaded seasons143270.27--
Advanced layer Usage, value, and context

Advanced metrics second

Advanced Metrics

Usage, value, and opponent-adjusted context.

Usage Value Context
Passing WEPA

Opponent-adjusted passing value. Positive numbers mean the quarterback is adding more value through the air than a neutral peer would in the same environment.

Role share

How much of the offense runs through the quarterback once passing and rushing responsibility are blended together.

Peer percentile

Every percentile is compared against players at the same position and level, so an FBS quarterback is judged against FBS quarterbacks, not the whole sport.

Traditional first

The top tables stick to the stats fans already know from broadcasts and box scores. Advanced context is pushed underneath instead of replacing the basics.

Rush impact -51 0 rush TD | #396/408 (3rd pct)
Usage 42.0% 64.4% pass share | 7.4% rush share | #138/428 (68th pct)
Passing WEPA +0.20 Opponent-adjusted passing value | #146/200 (28th pct)
Open full stat explorer
0 metrics visible Showing all metrics
Group Metric Value Rank Pct Why it matters
Passing Passing yards 1,244 #134/382 65th pct Volumevs FBS QB
Passing Pass TD 6 #141/407 66th pct Scoringvs FBS QB
Passing Completions 127 #120/383 69th pct Volumevs FBS QB
Passing Completion % 63.2% #162/383 58th pct Efficiencyvs FBS QB
Passing Yards / attempt 6.2 #248/382 35th pct Efficiencyvs FBS QB
Rushing Rushing yards -51 #396/408 3rd pct Volumevs FBS QB
Value Passing WEPA +0.20 #146/200 28th pct Opponent-adjusted passing value | 182 weighted playsvs FBS QB
Usage Role share 42.0% #138/428 68th pct Share of team offensevs FBS QB
Passing Attempts 201 #123/407 70th pct Volumevs FBS QB
Passing Interceptions 7 #316/407 23rd pct Turnoversvs FBS QB
Rushing Carries 28 #185/408 55th pct Volumevs FBS QB
Rushing Rushing LONG 15 #218/391 45th pct Metricvs FBS QB
Rushing Rush TD 0 #230/408 44th pct Scoringvs FBS QB
Rushing Yards / carry -1.8 #374/407 8th pct Efficiencyvs FBS QB
Usage Pass share 64.4% #158/428 63rd pct Air-game usagevs FBS QB
Usage 3rd-down usage 50.5% #143/428 67th pct Money-down loadvs FBS QB
Usage Passing-down usage 49.2% #153/428 64th pct Known-passing sharevs FBS QB
Usage 2nd-down usage 39.4% #145/428 66th pct Middle-down loadvs FBS QB
Usage 1st-down usage 38.5% #115/428 73rd pct Early-down loadvs FBS QB
Usage Standard-down usage 38.1% #118/428 73rd pct Base-situation sharevs FBS QB
Usage Rush share 7.4% #214/428 50th pct Ground-game usagevs FBS QB
Ball Security Fumbles lost 1 #69/258 74th pct Turnoversvs FBS QB

Player Standing

Universal 17-step ladder. Tier pills below; accolade streams nested.

AWAITING CLASSIFICATION

On-team2-deepStartingRecognizedEliteApex

AWAITING CLASSIFICATION · Rung None of 16

Why he’s here

Standing classification populates when honors, Heisman, and roster signals all align.

What moves him up

What moves him down

Accolade streams

StatusAwaiting tracker

Heisman model tracks the top FBS contenders weekly; this player hasn't entered the watch list yet.

Splits · Per-game

2025 season · 7 games

Home/Road · Win/Loss · Season halves

Home vs Road

YDS/gTD/gYPAINT/g
Home5g1780.66.41.2
Road2g1761.55.90.5

Win vs Loss

YDS/gTD/gYPAINT/g
Wins1g1501.08.32.0
Losses6g1820.86.00.8

First half vs Second half

YDS/gTD/gYPAINT/g
Weeks 1-75g1630.86.20.8
Weeks 8+2g2141.06.61.5

Pocket and defense-quality (clean vs. pressure) splits are coming soon.

Savant · Box-rate percentiles

Where this profile ranks vs the QB cohort

31Below cohort
8 metrics · season cumulative

Concern: rush yards (6th).

Fumbles lost#32 / 174 · 66th pct
1fumb
Completion %#80 / 183 · 56th pct
63.2%pass
Interceptions#92 / 183 · 44th pct
7pass
Pass yards#134 / 183 · 27th pct
1244pass
Pass TDs#140 / 183 · 22nd pct
6pass
Yards / att#147 / 183 · 19th pct
6.2pass
Rush TDs#150 / 183 · 9th pct
0rush
Rush yards#171 / 183 · 7th pct
-51rush

Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.

Pass Profile · Completion depth (PBP)

Where the throws are landing

74/117 (63.2%) · 4 TD · 3 INT

Short

0–9 yds
57%of completions
42 comp4.8 yds avg2 TD

Middle

10–19 yds
35%of completions
26 comp13.7 yds avg1 TD

Deep

20+ yds
8%of completions
6 comp34.0 yds avg1 TD

Overall 63.2% completion on 117 attempts.

Advanced Savant · QB · 2024

Percentile Card

Concerns: EPA / dropback.

P4G5All FBS
EPA / dropback0.200
23th pct
CPOE
awaiting
Success rate
awaiting
Explosive rate (20+)
awaiting
aDOT
awaiting
Deep-ball accuracy
awaiting
Pressure-to-sack
awaiting
3rd-down EPA
awaiting
Red-zone TD rate
awaiting
Play-action EPA
awaiting
Scramble EPA
awaiting
Turnover-worthy play rate
awaiting

Advanced Savant

Opponent-adjusted advanced metrics with a cohort filter.

wepa_passing0.2Below (<p25) (n=94)

Peer Comparator · Fingerprint match

Three closest profiles by box-rate percentile

3 peers · 8 metrics
TJ FinleyGeorgia StateNick VattiatoMiddle Tennessee· 77% simJalen KitnaUAB· 72% simPreston StoneNorthwestern· 71% sim
Fumbles lost
66
Finley
66
Vattiato
91
Kitna
38
Stone
Completion %
56
Finley
41
Vattiato
79
Kitna
34
Stone
Interceptions
44
Finley
44
Vattiato
10
Kitna
5
Stone
Pass yards
27
Finley
57
Vattiato
64
Kitna
62
Stone
Pass TDs
22
Finley
64
Vattiato
55
Kitna
68
Stone
Yards / att
19
Finley
13
Vattiato
57
Kitna
26
Stone
Rush TDs
9
Finley
39
Vattiato
9
Kitna
26
Stone
Rush yards
7
Finley
27
Vattiato
8
Kitna
24
Stone

Closest peers by overall box-score percentile profile at the same position.

Player DNA

The Pocket Passer

Balanced passer who operates within the system. Profile sits near league average across dimensions.

QB

His 2025 production profile sits closest to Spencer Petras’s 2021 season.

Spencer Petras

61%match

Iowa · 2021

#2

Emmett Morehead

Boston College · 2022

59%
#3

Shane Illingworth

Nevada · 2022

58%
#4

Maalik Murphy

Oregon State · 2025

58%
#5

Jacob Sirmon

Central Michigan · 2021

57%

Matches Spencer on

Yards / attempt

Differs from Spencer on

Height (higher)
Completion % (higher)
EPA / dropback (adj) (higher)

Through 6 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Tanner McKee’s path through Stanford.

Tanner McKee

87%match

Stanford · 2022

NFL Rd 6
#2

Zac Thomas

App State · 2020

All-Sun Belt
86%
#3

Hayden Wolff

Western Michigan · 2024

77%
#4

James Blackman

Arkansas State · 2022

76%
#5

Jalen Kitna

UAB · 2025

75%

Matches Tanner on

Yards per attempt
Completion %
Height

Supporting Cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2025 season

Head Coach

Dell McGee

Pass share

56.5%

472 pass / 363 run

Plays / game

69.6

12 games

OL sack rate (allowed)

4.6%

373 dropbacks · PBP

Scheme: Pass-leaning.

Coaching Lineage · 2021–2025

2 coaches
2021
Shawn Elliott
Georgia State
2022
Shawn Elliott
Georgia State
2023
Shawn Elliott
Georgia State
2025
Dell McGee
Georgia State
era →

Coaching transition mid-career: Shawn Elliott → Dell McGee. Worth noting in scheme + development context.

Bio · Recruiting · Transfer · Roster

Off-field context — switch tabs to drill into recruit profile, transfer arc, or roster timeline.

HometownPonchatoula, LA
Height6'7"
Weight238 lb
Class3
PositionQB
Jersey2

Trophy Case · Detail

Every honor on the ledger, broken out by stream and selector.

Honors

No formal honors on the ledger yet

All-America, all-conference, player-of-the-week, watch-list, and postseason awards land here when they're earned. The absence is the signal: most players never collect formal honors, and that's its own kind of context.

Honors Timeline

Season-end distinction and week-by-week recognition on one timeline.

Season Honor Scope Team / Selector Context
No formal honors on the ledger yet. All-America, all-conference, weekly awards, watch lists, and postseason trophies land here when they’re earned.

Heisman By Year

Modeled rank and official finish by season.

Season Team Role Latest Model Forecast Win Finalist Official Finish Points Context
2024 Western Kentucky QB3 #1237 #1190 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W16 snapshot | Conference USA
2023 Texas State QB3 #107 #190 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W19 snapshot | Sun Belt
2022 Auburn QB3 #981 #1070 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W20 snapshot | SEC
2021 Auburn QB3 #425 #384 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W20 snapshot | SEC

Roster Timeline

Team, conference, and class by season.

Season Team Conference Pos Class Bio
2025 Georgia State Sun Belt QB 3 No. 2 | 6-7 | 238 lb | Ponchatoula, LA
2024 Western Kentucky Conference USA QB 3 No. 2 | 6-7 | 238 lb | Ponchatoula, LA
2023 Texas State Sun Belt QB 3 No. 2 | 6-7 | 238 lb | Ponchatoula, LA
2022 Auburn SEC QB 3 No. 2 | 6-7 | 238 lb | Ponchatoula, LA
2021 Auburn SEC QB 3 No. 2 | 6-7 | 238 lb | Ponchatoula, LA