After five weeks of the 2026 season, some SEC quarterbacks have separated themselves from the pack, while others have plummeted from the conference's top-10.
Entering Week 5, Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor was riding high off four straight wins, including dominant performances against South Carolina and Missouri. The Heisman hopeful ran into Alabama's defensive buzzsaw in Week 6. As a result, Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss reclaimed the top spot in this week's quarterback power rankings.
The Crimson Tide's gunslinger, Keelon Russell, jumped to No. 2 for his third straight game with 250-plus passing yards and three-plus passing touchdowns in a 56-23 blowout of the Bulldogs in Starkville.
Approximately 572 miles north, Missouri
quarterback Austin Simmons cemented his case as one of the SEC's best. Simmons' season-high 340 passing yards helped lead the Tigers to an upset of No. 8 Florida, 45-17, in a spectacular homecoming at Faurot Field.
Many football games remain on the docket in 2026, but these signal-callers are making the biggest impact, turning their squads into legitimate threats through the first five weeks.
Here are the top-10 quarterbacks in the SEC entering Week 6:
1. Trinidad Chambliss - Ole Miss
2026 stats: 70.8% COMP | 1,222 PASS YDS | 8 TD | 3 INT | 28 CAR | 108 RUSH YDS | 4 TD
Tale of the tape: Chambliss and the Rebels received a much-needed bye week after a devastating 52-28 loss to the Gators in Week 4. Still, the Ferris State transfer leads the conference, averaging 305.5 passing yards per game and is third with a 75.5 completion percentage. According to BetMGM, Chambliss has the fourth-best odds in college football to win the Heisman Trophy this season. With what we have seen from the Ole Miss defense in recent weeks, the pressure to keep his team in contention for a spot in the College Football Playoff will be immense moving forward.
2. Keelon Russell - Alabama
2026 stats: 71.2% COMP | 1,414 PASS YDS | 11 TD | 2 INT | 37 CAR | 184 RUSH YDS | 4 TD
Tale of the tape: Any doubts about Russell prior to Week 5 were eliminated after his performance against Mississippi State. The sophomore quarterback thrived in a hostile environment, going 16-of-22 for 285 yards and three touchdowns in the Tide's dominant 33-point win over the No. 16 team in the nation. Russell is No. 2 in the SEC with 1,414 total passing yards and a 185.66 quarterback rating. Alabama has a massive test on Saturday, hosting No. 2 Georgia, but Russell has been impeccable for the Crimson Tide thus far.
3. Kamario Taylor - Mississippi State
2026 stats: 66.2 COMP% | 1,450 PASS YDS | 17 TD | 4 INT | 43 CAR | 159 RUSH YDS | 1 TD
Tale of the tape: Taylor is coming off arguably his worst performance as the Bulldogs' starting quarterback in the 56-23 loss to Alabama. The 19-year-old gunslinger fumbled on MSU's opening drive and threw a pick-six on the ensuing possession, which gave the Tide an immediate 14-0 lead through the first five minutes of the first quarter. However, Taylor was reportedly battling through a sickness and potential turf toe, which explains his lack of mobility and inaccuracy throwing on the run. This bye week will be crucial for Taylor and his talented weapons to get healthy before their trip to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to face LSU in Week 7.
4. Austin Simmons - Missouri
2026 stats: 67.9% COMP | 1,287 PASS YDS | 13 TD
Tale of the tape: Missouri has finally found what it has lacked over recent years. The Tigers have a gunslinger with accuracy, poise, moxie, and everything needed to be one of the best quarterbacks in the conference. Simmons led the charge in Mizzou's big win over No. 8 Florida with a season-high 340 passing yards, marking his fourth game with 250-plus passing yards in 2026. The Ole Miss transfer has been outstanding for Missouri, leading the SEC with no interceptions and making the Tigers' offense one of the league's most dangerous units.
5. Gunner Stockton - Georgia
2026 stats: 75.5% COMP | 1,049 PASS YDS | 13 TD | 1 INT | 20 CAR | 122 RUSH YDS
Tale of the tape: Stockton does not get as much credit as he deserves for the numbers he has recorded to start the year. He is the most accurate quarterback in the league with a 75.5 completion percentage and the third-best QBR in college football. If Stockton and the Bulldogs leave Tuscaloosa with another dominant performance, it will become difficult to argue against the senior being a top-three player at the position.
6. Kenny Minchey - Kentucky
2026 stats: 68.3% COMP | 1,148 PASS YDS | 11 TD | 1 INT
Tale of the tape: The Notre Dame transfer has been extremely impactful in Will Stein's offense in Lexington. Minchey and the Wildcats played in a sold-out Williams-Brice Stadium and secured another huge road win, with Stein's gunslinger throwing the game-winning touchdown in overtime to defeat the South Carolina Gamecocks. Minchey was almost perfect against Texas A&M's defense in Kentucky's 31-21 win over the Aggies at Kyle Field, going 14-of-18 for 252 yards and two touchdowns. He is also tied with Russell for fourth-most passing touchdowns in the SEC this season. We will know much more about Minchey's potential and this year's Kentucky squad when they face the No. 10 LSU Tigers at Kroger Field on Saturday night.
7. Aaron Philo - Florida
2026 stats: 69.4% COMP | 1,114 PASS YDS | 8 TD | 2 INT | 31 CAR | 72 RUSH YDS | 3 TD
Tale of the tape: Philo has been one of the more impactful transfers in the SEC so far this season. The Georgia Tech transfer has been consistent and complimented star running back Jadan Baugh well in Buster Faulkner's explosive offensive system. Philo is top-five in QBR, completion percentage and yards per pass attempt. His arm talent is outstanding, but he is a legitimate threat running the football as well. Philo and the Gators have the opportunity to bounce back from the disappointing loss at Missouri, as they return to the Swamp to host South Carolina on Saturday.
8. Arch Manning - Texas
2026 stats: 63.5% COMP | 862 PASS YDS | 7 TD | 3 INT | 32 CAR | 82 RUSH YDS
Tale of the tape: Manning has all the intangibles to be one of the top quarterbacks in college football. He has come through for the Longhorns when it has mattered the most to secure wins over No. 1 Ohio State and No. 14 Tennessee on the road. However, Manning has been wildly inconsistent in moments, which is some of the same battles the Texas quarterback was fighting in 2025. There must be a breaking point where Manning is able to be consistently good and the Longhorns' offense finally clicks as a unit, or the Texas defense will be forced to continue carrying the weight of this year's squad.
9. Sam Leavitt - LSU
2026 stats: 66.2% COMP | 1,221 PASS YDS | 8 TD | 7 INT | 45 CAR | 220 RUSH YDS | 6 TD
Tale of the tape: The Arizona State transfer's biggest issue preventing him from being higher on this list is his inaccuracy. Leavitt ranks first in the conference with seven interceptions through the first five contests, three of which came in Week 2 against Louisiana Tech. He has a tendency to try and force the football into tight windows and make unneccessary decisions. Leavitt is also battling through a hamstring injury, which is something to monitor as LSU moves through the brunt of league play.
10. Jared Curtis - Vanderbilt
2026 stats: 64.3% COMP | 746 PASS YDS | 4 TD | 3 INT | 41 CAR | 133 RUSH YDS | 2 TD
Tale of the tape: Despite being out with an injury in the Commodores road contest against Georgia, Curtis has flashed at times in his three starts so far this season. The No. 10 slot on this list was between the Vanderbilt gunslinger and Tennessee quarterback Faizon Brandon, both of whom have impressed at times, but have also made some freshmen mistakes in big moments for their respective squads. After Brandon got benched in the Vols' narrow win over Auburn, the upside with Curtis is more intriguing.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: SEC quarterback power rankings: Which rank top-10 entering Week 6?
