Bentley entered his true freshman year at South Carolina in 2016 as a redshirt behind starters Perry Orth and Brandon Mcllwain. After the Gamecocks started the season with a 2–4 record, Bentley's redshirt was removed. He made his first career start against UMass. The following week he led the Gamecocks to an upset victory over nationally ranked Tennessee and retained the starting quarterback position after that.[8][9] He finished the season completing 125 of 190 passes for 1,420 yards, nine touchdowns and four interceptions.[10]
In 2017, Bentley started every game at quarterback for the Gamecocks, leading the team to a 9–4 record, including a come-from-behind victory over Michigan in the Outback Bowl on January 1, 2018. Bentley finished the season with 2,794 yards passing, throwing for 18 touchdowns and rushing for 6.[11]
Bentley started the first four games for the Gamecocks in 2018, compiling a 2–2 record with seven touchdowns and six interceptions.[11] On October 6, 2018, Bentley missed his first start since his freshman year after sustaining a knee sprain in the previous week's loss to Kentucky.[12] Senior Michael Scarnecchia started in his place, leading the Gamecocks to a 37–35 win over Missouri. Bentley's roommate Parker White kicked the game-winning field goal with two seconds left.[13]
On November 24, 2018, Bentley set the South Carolina single-game passing record when he threw for 510 yards in a 56–35 loss to undefeated, second-ranked, and eventual National Champion ClemsonatDeath Valley.[14]
Bentley was named starting quarterback for the 2019 season, but suffered a foot injury in the first game of the season, the 2019 Belk Kickoff Game against North Carolina. As a result, he was benched and freshman quarterback Ryan Hilinski was named the starting quarterback.[15] On September 8, 2019, it was reported that Bentley would have season-ending surgery on his foot.[16] At the end of the 2019 season, Bentley announced he would be transferring schools for his last year of eligibility.[17] On December 9, Bentley announced that he would be transferring to the University of Utah for the 2020 season.[1]
Bentley was originally announced as the backup quarterback for the 2020 season, behind Texas transfer Cameron Rising, but after Rising was injured in the season opener against USC, Bentley was named the starter for the remaining games. Bentley completed 62 percent of his passes in his season with the Utes.
Following the season finale against Washington State, in which Bentley threw an interception in the second quarter and was benched in favor of walk-on Drew Lisk, Bentley, for the second time in his collegiate career, entered the NCAA Transfer Portal.[18]
On January 7, 2021, Bentley announced that he would be playing his final season at the University of South Alabama.[19] He appeared in ten games for the Jaguars, throwing for 2,476 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions.
In early 2022, it was announced that Bentley was joining the Florida Atlantic football program as a graduate assistant, working with head coach Willie Taggart.[20]
^Morales, Antonio (July 16, 2018). "What JT Daniels can learn from other college QBs who arrived a year early". The Athletic. Retrieved March 9, 2023. And Jake Bentley reclassified into the 2016 recruiting class (from '17) and enrolled at South Carolina, where he became the starting quarterback midway through his freshman season.
