The Sporting News ranked those 16 SEC starting quarterbacks for the upcoming season, featured below.<\/p>\n
Texas<\/strong>\u2018 Arch Manning<\/strong> enters the 2025 season as The Sporting News\u2018 No. 1 ranked quarterback in the SEC.<\/p>\n Behind Quinn Ewers<\/a><\/strong> in 2024, Manning passed for 939 yards, nine touchdowns and just two interceptions. The Longhorns were 3-0 in games he started in (UTSA<\/a><\/strong>, Louisiana-Monroe<\/strong> and Mississippi State<\/strong>), winning by an average of 40 points per game.<\/p>\n Garrett Nussmeier<\/strong> is back as LSU<\/strong>\u2018s starting quarterback after exploding for 4,052 passing yards, 29 touchdowns and 12 interceptions last season.<\/p>\n With Nussmeier at the helm, the Tigers won their final three games of the season, including a 44-31 win over Baylor<\/a><\/strong> in the Kinder\u2019s Texas Bowl. \u201cAs I spoke about, our team with the expectations coming from within, I obviously have expectations for myself, as well,\u201d Nussmeier said this offseason<\/a>. \u201cThe way that I kind of straddle those and keep those in check is focusing on our team. My main goal is to help lead the LSU<\/strong> Tigers to a national championship and let the rest fall into place.\u201d<\/p>\n South Carolina<\/strong>\u2018s LaNorris Sellers<\/strong> was one of the biggest surprises in college football last season, as he led the Gamecocks to their best record (9-4) since 2017.<\/p>\n Sellers passed for 2,534 yards, 18 touchdowns and seven interceptions along with 674 yards rushing and seven rushing scores. USA Today<\/a> named Sellers as their sleeper Heisman candidate to watch this season.<\/p>\n DJ Lagway<\/strong> sat behind Wisconsin<\/a><\/strong> transfer Graham Mertz<\/a><\/strong> to open the 2024 season, but he will be the<\/strong> guy<\/strong> for Florida<\/strong> in 2025.<\/p>\n Lagway became Florida<\/strong>\u2018s starting quarterback last season on November 16, where he led the Gators to four-straight wins to end the season (including top-25 wins over No. 22 LSU<\/strong> and No. 9 Ole Miss<\/strong>). In total, he passed for 1,915 yards, 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions on 192 attempts.<\/p>\n After winning his eligibility battle against the NCAA, Vanderbilt<\/strong>\u2018s Diego Pavia<\/strong> is back for one more ride.<\/p>\n Pavia, who was named the 2024 SEC Newcomer of the Year, compiled 2,293 passing yards, 20 touchdowns and just four interceptions last season. He led the Commodores to their first seven-win season since 2013, including a monster upset over No. 1 Alabama<\/strong> on October 5.<\/p>\n Oklahoma<\/strong> hauled in Washington State<\/a><\/strong> quarterback John Mateer<\/strong>, who was one of the most prized arms in the Transfer Portal<\/a>, this offseason.<\/p>\n Mateer was stellar for the Cougars in 2024, passing for 3,139 yards, 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions. \u201cIt\u2019s been awesome,\u201d he said this offseason<\/a> about Oklahoma<\/strong>. \u201cThe people are great. The fans are great. They\u2019ve embraced me and teammates and coaches have really embraced me. I\u2019ve built really good relationships. I really like all the guys. The strength test is good. I\u2019ve gained some weight. Probably lost some today, it\u2019s hot, but I\u2019ve gained some weight. Got a little bigger. Getting a little faster.\u201d<\/p>\n Fresh off a 341 passing yard and two touchdown performance in the Arkansas<\/strong>\u2018 win over Texas Tech<\/a><\/strong> in the 2024 Autozone Liberty Bowl, Taylen Green<\/strong> opens the 2025 season as the Razorbacks\u2019 starting quarterback.<\/p>\n The Boise State<\/a><\/strong> transfer passed for 3,154 yards, 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 13 games last season. \u201cHe wants to be a Hog, he wants to play here, he wants to play for the state,\u201d\u00a0Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman<\/a> <\/strong>said this offseason<\/a>. \u201cAnd that\u2019s nothing against the guys that got in the portal. It isn\u2019t. Their business is their business, but it\u2019s a big deal to me that he wants to stay here and run it back and stay with Bobby [Petrino]<\/a><\/strong> and stay with that offense. I think it will be so big and beneficial to him, and it will help us in recruiting as well.\u201d<\/p>\n Marcel Reed<\/strong> is once again the starting quarterback for Texas A&M<\/strong> this season after passing for 1,864 yards, 15 touchdowns and six interceptions in 2024.<\/p>\n Reed heated up for the Aggies down the final stretch of the season last year, as he passed for 735 yards (245 YPG), six touchdowns and four interceptions over the final three games. A&M however lost all three games.<\/p>\n Following the transfer of Carson Beck<\/a><\/strong> to Miami<\/a><\/strong> this offseason, Gunner Stockton<\/strong> has taken full reign of the Georgia<\/strong> starting quarterback job.<\/p>\n Stockton took over in relief of an injured Beck in the SEC Championship game last season and led the Bulldogs to a 22-19 OT win over Texas<\/strong>, but passed for just 267 yards and one touchdown with four sacks in a 23-10 loss to Notre Dame<\/a><\/strong> in the Allstate Sugar Bowl (College Football Quarterfinal).<\/p>\n Ty Simpson<\/strong> has big shoes to fill at the Alabama<\/strong> quarterback position, following Jalen Milroe<\/a><\/strong>, Heisman Award winner Bryce Young<\/a><\/strong> and Mac Jones<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n Over his three seasons with the program, Simpson has passed for just 381 yards on 50 attempts. \u201c[Kalen DeBoer<\/a><\/strong>] has a better quarterback, Ty Simpson<\/strong>, you may not have heard of him,\u201d ESPN\u2019s Paul Finebaum said earlier this week<\/a>. \u201cJalen Milroe<\/strong> was great and he was also ice cold at times. Simpson, I think is serviceable. He will lead this offense. The defense is the best Alabama<\/strong> has had since about seven or eight years ago. And I think Alabama<\/strong> has a legitimate shot at winning the SEC and the national championship.\u201d<\/p>\n The Jackson Arnold<\/strong> experiment at Oklahoma<\/strong> last season was a bit of a disaster, but he\u2019ll now look to get a second chance with the Auburn<\/strong> Tigers in 2025.<\/p>\n In 2024, Arnold passed for 1,421 yards, 12 touchdowns and three interceptions, with the Sooners going 5-5 in games he played in. \u201cJust needed, probably, a restart for whatever reason,\u201d Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze<\/a><\/strong> said this offseason<\/a>. \u201cAnd, um, I\u2019m just excited about what I saw. He\u2019s got the arm talent, he\u2019s got the legs, he\u2019s got the football IQ. And I think he just needs confidence and I think that confidence grew this spring along with his rapport with our receivers.\u201d<\/p>\n Appalachian State<\/a><\/strong> transfer quarterback Joey Aguilar<\/strong> was entrusted with Tennessee<\/strong>\u2018s starting role this season following the sudden transfer of Nico Iamaleava<\/a><\/strong> to UCLA<\/a><\/strong> in April. Aguilar originally committed to UCLA<\/strong>, but will now fill Iamaleava\u2019s role in Knoxville.<\/p>\n Aguilar was solid last season, passing for 3,003 yards, 23 touchdowns and 14 interceptions for a Mountaineer team that finished with a 5-6 record.<\/p>\n Redshirt sophomore quarterback Austin Simmons<\/strong> will take over as Ole Miss<\/strong>\u2018 starter in 2025 following the departure of Jaxson Dart<\/a><\/strong> to the NFL Draft.<\/p>\n Simmons attempted 32 passes last season, totaling 282 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions. He was a four-star recruit out of Pahokee, FL in the class of 2023.<\/p>\n After suffering a season-ending shoulder injury last season, Blake Shapen<\/strong> will open the 2025 campaign as Mississippi State<\/strong>\u2018s starting quarterback.<\/p>\n Shapen, who transferred from Baylor<\/a><\/strong> prior to last season, passed for 974 yards, eight touchdowns and one interception on 108 attempts in 2024. \u201cIt\u2019s been good,\u201d Shapen told<\/a> Maroon and White<\/a><\/strong> about his recovery process. \u201cObviously, it\u2019s pretty long but I feel good and glad to be back out there.\u201d<\/p>\n Incarnate Word<\/a><\/strong> transfer Zach Calzada<\/strong> will open the 2025 season as Kentucky<\/strong>\u2018s sixth quarterback to start a game over the past four seasons (Levis<\/a><\/strong>, Sheron<\/a><\/strong>, Leary<\/a><\/strong>, Vandagriff<\/a><\/strong>, Boley<\/a><\/strong>).<\/p>\n A former SEC quarterback at Texas A&M<\/strong> from 2019-2021, Calzada spent the last two seasons at Incarnate Word<\/strong>, where he passed for 6,342 yards, 54 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. Calzada looks to follow in the footsteps of Cam Ward<\/a><\/strong>, who transferred from Incarnate Word<\/strong> to Miami<\/a><\/strong> and became the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.<\/p>\n Missouri<\/strong> quarterback Beau Pribula<\/strong>, who transferred in from Penn State<\/a><\/strong> this offseason, is at the bottom of The Sporting News\u2018 SEC quarterback rankings.<\/p>\n He has big shoes to fill in former Missouri<\/strong> quarterback Brady Cook<\/a><\/strong>, who led the Tigers to a 27-12 record over the past three seasons. Pribula attempted 56 passes over his first two seasons at Penn State<\/strong>, accruing 424 yards, nine touchdowns and one interception. He looks to join former Kentucky<\/strong> quarterback Will Levis<\/a><\/strong> as the next Nittany Lion backup to blossom into a star in the SEC.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The SEC is absolutely loaded this season, with multiple Heisman candidate quarterbacks slated to face off against each…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":42155,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[6838,33158,33159,33160,33161,33162,1318,1842,33163,33164,33165,1843,1844,33166,1317,1315,1316,62,33167,33168,67,132,68,33169],"class_list":{"0":"post-42154","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-ncaa-football","8":"tag-arch-manning-23-isidore-newman","9":"tag-austin-simmons-23-moore-haven-junior-senior","10":"tag-beau-pribula-22-central-york","11":"tag-blake-shapen-20-evangel-christian-academy","12":"tag-diego-pavia-20-volcano-vista","13":"tag-dj-lagway-24-willis","14":"tag-football","15":"tag-garrett-nussmeier-21-marcus","16":"tag-gunner-stockton-22-rabun-county","17":"tag-jackson-arnold-23-guyer","18":"tag-joey-aguilar-19-freedom","19":"tag-john-mateer-22-little-elm","20":"tag-lanorris-sellers-23-south-florence","21":"tag-marcel-reed-23-montgomery-bell-academy","22":"tag-ncaa","23":"tag-ncaa-football","24":"tag-ncaafootball","25":"tag-sports","26":"tag-taylen-green-21-lewisville","27":"tag-ty-simpson-22-westview","28":"tag-united-states","29":"tag-unitedstates","30":"tag-us","31":"tag-zach-calzada-19-lanier"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":"Validation failed: Text character limit of 500 exceeded"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42154","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42154"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42154\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/42155"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42154"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42154"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42154"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/AA-NUSSMEIER-1024x538.png\")
LSU\u2019s Garrett Nussmeier (\u00a9 Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/AA-PAVIA-1024x538.png\")
Vanderbilt\u2019s Diego Pavia (\u00a9 Jake Crandall\/ Advertiser \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/AA-REED-1024x538.png\")
Texas A&M\u2019s Marcel Reed (\u00a9 Troy Taormina-Imagn Images)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/AA-ARNOLD-1024x538.png\")
Auburn\u2019s Jackson Arnold (\u00a9 Jake Crandall\/ Advertiser \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/AA-SHAPEN-1024x538.png\")
Mississippi State\u2019s Blake Shapen (\u00a9 Matt Bush-Imagn Images)<\/p>\n