The QB situation is why it's too early to write about the demise of the SEC

Georgia Tech transfer Aaron Philo is expected to be Florida's starting QB (Photo by Chris Spears)

The concerns are legitimate. The last time the Southeastern Conference won the college football national championship was Georgia in 2022. In the three years since, not only has a Big Ten team won the national title all three years, but the SEC hasn’t gotten a team to the championship game.

Consensus opinion is the Big Ten will make it four straight since everybody and his brother has Ohio State the favorite to win it all next season, but this might very well be the year in which the SEC reverses the trend and the reason is better quarterbacks starting with Texas and Arch Manning. All the experts have Texas ranked in their preseason top fives, but Manning has the ability to be the difference maker this year. Head coach Steve Sarkisian has loaded up his offense, plus brought in a stud defensive coordinator so the Longhorns are legit.

But Texas isn’t the only contender. Ole Miss, Georgia, Texas A&M and Oklahoma all made the playoff last year and all four return starting quarterbacks. Dual threat fans are going to love Byrum Brown at Auburn and LaNorris Sellers if South Carolina can overcome the stagnation of an offense run by Mike Shula. Top to bottom of the SEC the quarterback talent is the best it has been in awhile so reports of the SEC’s demise might be a teensy bit premature.

Here is a way too early ranking of the starting quarterbacks in the SEC:

1. Arch Manning, Texas: The hype and expectations last year were way overboard, but Manning never made excuses in the first half of the season when he was up one week, down the next. He will be the Heisman favorite this year largely because of what he did in the last half of 2025 when he threw for 14 touchdowns and just two picks. He opened eyes in the bowl win over Michigan when he ran for 155 yards and two more TDs. For the season the numbers were very good – 3,163 passing yards (7.8 per attempt) for 26 touchdowns (7 INTs) and 399 rushing yards for 10 more scores. Steve Sarkisian has loaded up the offense with linemen who can pass block and wide receivers who can stretch a defense. The best move Sark made was to bring in Will Muschamp as his defensive coordinator. A Muschamp defense means more opportunities for Arch to put points on the scoreboard.

2. Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss: This will be his sixth year in college football thanks to friendly courts in the state of Mississippi. It will be the second year for Chambliss at Ole Miss, his first without Lane Kiffin coaching him up and Charlie Weis Jr. calling the plays. Chambliss led Ferris State to the Division II national championship in 2024 and had the Rebels a pass interference no-call against Miami from playing for the title last year. He threw for 3,937 yards (8.8 per attempt) and 22 touchdowns (just three picks), while running for 527 yards and eight more TDs. Joe Judge will be the QB coach and John David Baker, whose East Carolina offense was top 20 in the nation, will be running the show when the Rebels have the ball. If the new scheme brings out the best in Chambliss, then Ole Miss has a chance to get to the playoff again.

3. Gunner Stockton, Georgia: Georgia’s wide receivers last year were subpar, but Stockton still had a very good year while leading the Poodles to the SEC championship and the playoff. He threw for 2,894 yards (7.5 per attempt) and 24 touchdowns (5 INTs) and ran for 462 yards and 10 more TDs. He’s a solid although unspectacular quarterback who does a lot of winning things and makes few mistakes. Kirby Smart needs to upgrade the talent around Stockton if he intends for Georgia to win the SEC again and avoid a second straight one-and-done in the playoff.

4. Marcel Reed, Texas A&M: The Aggies got exposed in their losses to Texas and Miami at the end of the year when Reed was picked four times without throwing for a TD. He’s got a new offensive coordinator to work with this year (Holmon Wiggins) whose Bama background (Nick Saban’s wide receiver coach for five years) should open up the passing game. Last season Reed threw for 3,184 yards (8.4 per attempt) and 25 touchdowns with 12 interceptions. He ran for 493 yards and six more TDs. He’s thrown for 40 career TDs and run for 13 more.

5. John Mateer, Oklahoma: Mateer was in everybody’s Heisman discussion until he got hurt in game four. He only missed one game but played hurt the rest of the way. Still, he got OU into the playoff. He threw for 2,885 yards (7.3 per attempt) and 14 touchdowns (11 interceptions). He was a dangerous runner with 431 yards and eight touchdowns. A lot of emphasis went into the offensive line. If he gets protection, the expectation is a season like the one he had at Washington State in 2024.

6. Byrum Brown, Auburn: Alex Golesh is following the Indiana blueprint by bringing in a bunch of his best players from South Florida to instigate a turnaround at Auburn. The most important new addition is quarterback Byrum Brown, who is about to make life miserable for every defensive coordinator in the SEC. At USF last year, Brown threw for 3,158 yards (9.3 per attempt) and 28 touchdowns (7 picks). He also ran for 1,008 and 14 more TDs. He’s going to remind Auburn fans of Cam Newton. He’s big, strong, fast and prone to making big plays.

7. Lanorris Sellers, South Carolina: Sellers began 2025 as one of the top five Heisman candidates, but the Gamecocks stunk it up on offense which led to coordinator Mike Shula being shown the door. Will a new OC regenerate Sellers as a dominator? Last year he threw for 2,437 yards (8.3 per attempt) and 13 touchdowns (8 INTs) while running for 270 yards (1.81 per carry) and five TDs. It should be noted he was playing behind an O-line that gave up 43 sacks. Constrast his numbers to those of 2024 when Sellers completed 65.6 percent of his passes for 2,534 yards (8.5 per attempt) and 18 toucdhowns (7 INTs). He ran for 677 yards and seven touchdowns.

8. Sam Leavitt, LSU: Expectations are that Leavitt will revert back to his freshman form with Lane Kiffin coaching him up and Charlie Weis Jr. calling the plays. As a freshman at Arizona State, Leavitt threw for 2,885 yards and 24 TDs (6 picks), while running for 443 and five touchdowns. Then came injuries, bad pass protection and an offense that wasn’t nearly as efficient. It led to seven games, 1,628 passing yards (6.8 per attempt) with 10 touchdown passes (3 picks). He ran for 306 yards and five touchdowns.

9. Austin Simmons, Missouri: Until he got hurt, he was the No. 1 QB at Ole Miss. Once Trinidad Chambliss took over, Simmons was the backup. He has a great arm and he’s an outstanding runner, but decision-making is questionable. He’s capable of the spectacular on one play, then something head-scratching the next. Played in eight games last season, completing 45-75 passes (60 percent) for 944 yards (9.9 per attempt with four TDPs and five picks. He ran 22 times for 71 yards and a TD.

10. Aaron Philo, Florida: Philo might not get the starting job in August, but right now he is ahead of Tramell Jones Jr. based on two years working in Buster Faulkner’s offense. When Faulker left Georgia Tech for UF, Philo followed. He has played in big games, completed 59-102 of his passes for 938 yards (9.0 per attempt) and two touchdowns (3 INTs). He ran 16 times for 95 yards and a TD. Familiarity with the offense gives Philo the nod but Jones might pass him in the fall.

11. Kamario Taylor, Mississippi State: He played in 11 games as a freshman with a couple of starts at the end of the year including the bowl loss to Wake Forest. Jeff Lebby is counting on that experience to pay off this season with an offense that produces more touchdowns and fewer interceptions. Taylor’s numbers were good, 43-77 passing for 629 yards (8.2 per attempt) and five TDs with only one pick. He also ran for 458 yards (7.8 per attempt) and eight touchdowns. He’s the future at Mississippi State.

12. KJ Jackson, Arkansas: When it became obvious the Razorbacks’ season was in the tank last year, a lot of folks thought Jackson should have been given a chance to get more playing time. In the little bit he did play, he was a very impressive freshman, completing 33-54 passes for 441 yards (8.2 per attempt) with three touchdowns and no interceptions. When flushed from the pocket he ran for 52 yards and two more TDs. He’s 6-4, 225 and has both the arm and speed.

13. Austin Mack, Alabama: Neither Mack or redshirt freshman Keelon Russell have ever started a game. They are battling it out in the spring and it’s anybody’s guess which one will emerge as the starter, but because Mack has been in Tuscaloosa two years, he gets the immediate nod. He’s 26-35 passing in mop-up duty for 267 yards (7.6 per attempt) and three touchdowns. He has also run for 22 yards and a TD. In two games last year Russell was 11-15 for 143 yards (9.5 per attempt) and two touchdowns. He ran for 17 yards.

14. Kenny Minchey, Kentucky: Three seasons at Notre Dame produced 24-29 passing for 212 yards (7.3 per attempt) and 108 rushing yards (2 TDs). He never started a game. The Big Blue Nation is praying that new head coach Will Stein can do for Mincey what he did for Oregon quarterbacks.

15. Ryan Staub, Tennessee: Three years at Colorado produced 53-99 passing for 681 yards, four touchdowns, four interceptions and eight rushing yards (1 TD). He might not be the starter but he’s got more experience than redshirt freshman George MacIntyre (7-9 passing for 69 yards) and 5-star freshman Faizon Brandon.

16. Jared Curtis, Vanderbilt: Vandy flipped Curtis from Georgia. He was a 5-star recruit out of high school and is considered an immense talent. He’s a freshman. It’s the SEC. The guy he’s replacing – Diego Pavia – is a forever Vandy legend. Don’t expect miracles.