RADIO
Jackson's SEC quarterback Mount Rushmore for all 16 programs. The four greatest and most legendary QBs for Alabama, Tennessee, LSU, Auburn, and more.
The Southeastern Conference (and its newer members) has had no shortage of historic quarterbacks throughout the years. A standout quarterback at an SEC institution becomes a living legend on campus, in their city, and in their state for the rest of their lives. For diehard college football fans, a historic QB who wore their team's colors is more important than any celebrity, politician, or other person of status.
In this article, we'll discuss every current SEC program's quarterback Mount Rushmore. There is sure to be plenty of debate on some of the inclusions and exclusions in this article, which is only natural. Some fans are drawn toward specific quarterbacks that the masses aren't, and generational gaps will create disagreements on each team's four most historic QBs. That's all part of the fun.
Without further ado, let's dive into the criteria of the selections and highlight all 64 QBs on the list!
SEC Mount Rushmore Criteria
Not every school's legendary quarterbacks are created equal. Some were prolific quarterbacks but didn't win much, while others were "game manager" types who won at a high level. It's also worth noting that this list will favor modern-era quarterbacks to some extent, as the importance and caliber of the position have exponentially risen. Some quarterbacks listed benefit from their legacy beyond college, which helps their case as some of the most beloved QBs in program history.
General Criteria
- Wins
- Championships
- Stats
- Legendary Moments
- Dominance
- Legacy Beyond College
Note: Quarterbacks are listed in alphabetical order by last name, not ranked.
Alabama Crimson Tide
Greg McElroy
McElroy wasn't the most prolific quarterback, but he was Nick Saban's first signal-caller at Alabama to win a National Championship. He posted a 24-3 record over his final two collegiate seasons and became the model of what a Saban quarterback looked like until Bama opened up its offense later on. He was efficient, avoided mistakes, and was one of the faces of the start of Alabama's dynasty in the 21st century.
A.J. McCarron
A three-year starter in Tuscaloosa, McCarron left the Alabama program as the most prolific passer in school history. He was on a team that was led by its fierce defense, but he engineered two straight BCS National Championship wins and threw for nearly 6,000 yards and 58 touchdowns over his final two years on campus. Of course, he was surrounded by elite talent, but he raised the bar for Alabama quarterback play after taking over for McElroy.
Joe Namath
Namath is one of the few old-timers on the list, and for good reason. He tallied a 29-4 record as a starter and led the Crimson Tide to a title win in 1964. Given the era he played in, his stats are naturally uninspiring. But 2,713 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, and 19 interceptions were enough to get it done back in the day, and he became a cultural icon at the NFL level. "Broadway Joe" has to be on this list.
Bryce Young
The knock on Bryce Young is that he failed to win a National Championship. The expectation was title or bust under Saban, so many might view his career as less than an A+. However, he became the first Alabama quarterback to win the Heisman Trophy in 2021, and he holds program records for single-season passing yards (4,872), single-game (559) passing yards, and single-season passing touchdowns (47).
Despite just a two-year stint as a starter, he's second in career passing yards (8,356) and passing touchdowns (80). Had Alabama's defense held up its end of the bargain, he'd likely have a ring or two.
Just Missed: Tua Tagovailoa
Arkansas Razorbacks
KJ Jefferson
Jefferson's five-year career in Fayetteville didn't include a fairytale ending, but he deserves a lot of credit for the turnaround the program had in the middle of the Sam Pittman tenure. At the end of his three-year tenure as the full-time starter, he left Arkansas as the program's all-time leader in passing yards (7,923) and passing touchdowns (67). He accumulated 88 total touchdowns in 44 games (38 starts) with the Hogs and led the charge in their 9-4 2021 season that featured upset wins over Texas, Texas A&M, and Mississippi State.
Matt Jones
If you want to know what it would've looked like if Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen played at Arkansas in the early 2000s, it would've looked something like Matt Jones. The 6'6", 225-pound dual-threat was a nightmare to tackle and was an early version of the big physical quarterbacks we see all around the country and in the NFL today.
In 46 career games, he rushed for more than 2,500 yards and 24 touchdowns. He wasn't a prolific passer, but 5,857 yards and 53 passing touchdowns aren't something to scoff at, either. He was such a high-level athlete that the Jaguars picked him in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft to play wide receiver.
Ryan Mallett
After transferring to Arkansas from Michigan, Mallett became a key figure in turning Arkansas into a team nobody wanted to play during the height of the Bobby Petrino era. In his second and final year as a starter, he set program records for single-season passing yards (3,869) and touchdowns (32).
That season, the Razorbacks were a few plays away against Alabama from posting an 11-1 regular season, but 10 wins and a trip to the Sugar Bowl were nice consolation prizes. Mallett tragically passed away in 2023 at the age of 35, but he lives on forever in Arkansas lore.
Tyler Wilson
Wilson replaced Mallett as Arkansas' starter in 2011 and found immediate success. His 11-2 record in Year 1 as a starter was Arkansas' most in a single season since Lou Holtz's first year in 1977. That season was capped off by a Cotton Bowl win over Collin Klein. His second year as a starter came after Petrino was fired following "off-the-field" trouble. The Hogs went 4-8 that season under John L. Smith, and Wilson regressed in all statistical categories. Nonetheless, his 2011 campaign cemented his legacy here.
Just Missed: Clint Stoerner
Auburn Tigers
Jason Campbell
Ranking second all-time among Tigers in passing yards (7,299) and passing touchdowns (45), Jason Campbell is a lock on Auburn's Mount Rushmore. The Mississippi Native steadily improved throughout his four years on The Plains, leading up to his big-time 2004 season. He won the SEC Offensive Player of the Year Award behind 2,730 total yards and 23 total touchdowns. The Tigers went undefeated in the regular season, won the SEC Championship, and defeated five top-15 teams.
Yes, the undefeated SEC Champion did not get a chance to compete for a National Championship. Let that sink in. Had Campbell been able to compete for a title, his legend could've grown even more. Nonetheless, Auburn beat Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl, and Campbell finished his Tigers career with 15 consecutive wins. He was a first-round pick in the 2005 NFL Draft.
Nick Marshall
After Gene Chizik flamed out at Auburn, Gus Malzahn returned to the program as the head coach in 2013, and his first quarterback was Nick Marshall. Marshall wasn't the most polished passer in the conference, but he was one of the most exciting game-breakers and was made for the big moments. After an early slip-up against LSU, Marshall led Auburn to nine straight wins, including five against ranked opponents.
His involvement in the Prayer at Jordan-Hare and the win over No. 1 Alabama the following game are two of the biggest moments in Auburn history, and enough to have him make this list. Marshall's Auburn team fell just short against Jameis Winston's Florida State squad in the final BCS National Championship Game, but he left a lasting impact and created unforgettable memories for the fanbase.
Cam Newton
Not enough great things can be said about Cam Newton's lone season at Auburn. He had arguably the best individual season and performance of any player in college football history. He looked like a grown man playing against middle school squads. The 2010 Heisman Winner racked up 2,854 passing yards, 1,473 rushing yards, and a whopping 50 touchdowns in his first season as an FBS starter.
Auburn scored at least 35 points in nine games, including six games of at least 50 points. Most of the season seemed effortless for Auburn, thanks to having, by far, the best player in the country on their squad.
Big Congrats to @cam 🤟🏾on Officially being Nominated for the College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2027!
This is just step one of the voting process, but the legacy speaks for itself. Drop a 🏆in the comments and let ‘em know why QB1 belongs in the Hall! pic.twitter.com/rhePV7Gd6v
— Cam Newton 7V7 (@CamNewton7v7) June 4, 2026
When adversity finally hit hard, Newton was ready for the challenge. Trailing 24-0 with 8:01 remaining in the second quarter against Alabama, Newton rallied Auburn to a 28-27 win behind 255 yards and four total touchdowns.
That kept their title hopes alive, and Newton followed it up with a 408-yard, six-touchdown performance in a 56-17 win over Steve Spurrier's South Carolina Gamecocks in the SEC title game. Auburn would go on to beat Oregon in the BCS National Championship Game, cementing Newton's season as one of the greatest and most dominant QB seasons ever.
Pat Sullivan
Despite playing in the late 60s/early 70s, Sullivan remains Auburn's all-time leader in passing touchdowns (53). He was Auburn's first-ever Heisman Trophy winner and finished his career with 71 total touchdowns. In an era when quarterbacks weren't prolific, he was one of the best players in the nation. He was a three-time All-SEC performer, an SEC Player of the Year, and a unanimous All-American. He deserves his flowers.
Just Missed: Stan White
Florida Gators
Chris Leak
Chris Leak often gets overshadowed by Tim Tebow's incredible career that followed his, but don't forget he was a four-year starter and a BCS National Championship-winning QB in Gainesville. Leak played under Ron Zook and Urban Meyer, and he should get a ton of credit for the program's turnaround.
The 2003 SEC Freshman of the Year and three-time All-SEC performer finished his career by leading Florida's offense to 41 points against No. 1 Ohio State. He was excellent from start to finish and remains the program's all-time leading passer (11,213 yards).
Steve Spurrier
Spurrier, the 1966 Heisman Trophy winner, led the conference in passing yards twice and tallied 39 total touchdowns in 30 games. He led the Gators to two straight top-12 finishes and was the leading force in some of the program's best years until he took over as the head coach in 1990. The success he had as a head coach doesn't hurt his case for being on the list. Six SEC titles and one National Championship in 12 seasons at the helm speak for themselves.
Tim Tebow
Tebow is hands down one of the most legendary quarterbacks in college football history. Despite being a lefty with a "less-than-pure" throwing motion, the Florida native completed over 67% of his passes and accounted for 12,223 total yards, 145 total touchdowns, 35 wins, a BCS National Championship, and a Sugar Bowl ring.
He won the Heisman Trophy in his first year as a starter and was among the top five vote-getters in all three years in the QB1 role. He might be on the all-time QB Mount Rushmore regardless of program, so this was an easy choice.
.@TimTebow turns 35 today 🎈
We will never forget "The Promise" speech he made after Florida's loss to Ole Miss en route to their 2008 national championship. pic.twitter.com/KJytoov2RQ
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) August 14, 2022
Danny Wuerffel
The third and final Florida QB Heisman winner on this list is Danny Wuerffel. You win a Heisman... you make the list. Like Tebow, he had a good chance of being a multiple-time Heisman winner, but he lost out to Eddie George and Tommy Frazier in 1995. In 1996, he threw for 3,625 yards, 39 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions en route to a 12-1 season and a National Championship. He is one of just 10 quarterbacks to win a national title and Heisman Trophy in the same season.
Just Missed: Rex Grossman
Georgia Bulldogs
Stetson Bennett
Bennett was never supposed to belong on a list like this. After beginning his career as a walk-on at Georgia in 2017, he spent a season at Jones College in 2018. He wasn't all that impressive there, but he found his way back to Athens the following year. By 2020, he started a few games, but lost his job to JT Daniels. Even entering his fifth year as a collegiate athlete, he didn't crack the Week 1 starting lineup. But eventually, he couldn't be denied any longer.
He'd go on to start 27 games over his final two seasons, racking up 6,997 passing yards, 56 passing touchdowns, 11 rushing touchdowns, 26 wins, and back-to-back SEC and College Football Playoff National Championship victories. Only three starting quarterbacks have won multiple national titles in the 21st century, and the sub-six-foot walk-on who couldn't win the starting job until Year 5 is one of them. "The Mailman" developed into a game-changing quarterback and one of the SEC's most accomplished players of all time.
Aaron Murray
Murray is Georgia's all-time leader in passing yards (13,166) and passing touchdowns (121) by a wide margin. These also rank No. 1 in SEC history. He started in 52 games for the Dawgs and took the program to two straight SEC title games. Georgia has reached another level since the end of the Murray and Mark Richt era, but they were responsible for a great run in 2011 and 2012, winning 22 games and finishing as high as the No. 4 overall team. A two-time All-SEC performer, he's clearly on Georgia's list.
Matthew Stafford
This was a close call between Stafford and David Greene, but we'll give the slight edge to Stafford based on his legacy and career after his time in Athens. The Texas native had a rocky start as a freshman, posting just seven passing touchdowns to seven interceptions. He took a big leap as a sophomore and junior, tallying 5,982 passing yards, 44 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions over his final two seasons. He won 21 of his final 25 starts and was named an All-American in 2008.
After college, he'd become a No. 1 overall draft pick, a first-team All-Pro, a three-time Pro Bowler, an MVP, and a Super Bowl Champion.
Fran Tarkenton
Anytime you look at quarterback stats from the late 1950s, it ain't pretty. But Tarkenton was a two-time first-team All-SEC performer and was the top passer in most metrics during the 1960 season. He led Georgia to an SEC title in 1959 and won the Orange Bowl over Missouri. Now, he's looked back on as one of the early dual-threat quarterbacks in the NFL. He was selected to nine Pro Bowl rosters, two all-pro teams, and won an MVP at the next level.
Just Missed: David Greene
Kentucky Wildcats
Tim Couch
Couch owns two of the best Kentucky quarterback seasons of all time. He threw for 3,884 yards and 37 touchdowns in 1997 before a 4,275-yard, 36-touchdown season in 1998. He threw 34 interceptions during his two-year stretch as a starter, but he was a true gun-slinger and posted a respectable 67.1% career completion percentage.
The Wildcats didn't win at a high level, but Couch flashed as one of Mike Leach's early Air Raid products. He was an All-American, an SEC Player of the Year, and SEC Male Athlete of the Year in 1998, leading to him being the first overall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft.
Jared Lorenzen
Whether you're a Kentucky fan or not, how could you not love the "Hefty Lefty?" Lorenzen was listed between 260 and 280 pounds at Kentucky, but some say he played as heavy as 300 pounds. That didn't stop him from scoring 90 total touchdowns in 43 collegiate games and leaving campus as the all-time leading passer (10,354 yards) for the Wildcats.
The late Lorenzen is not remembered for his stats, though. He lives on forever as one of the most unique players in college football history. No one has or will have a game and play style like his.
#CFB returns in 192 days
Jared Lorenzen - Kentucky pic.twitter.com/cfZi41WhTm
— NCAAF Nation (@NCAAFNation247) February 18, 2026
Babe Parilli
With 4,351 passing yards and 50 passing touchdowns from 1949 to 1951, Parilli was one of the most productive quarterbacks of his time, resulting in him finishing as a top-5 Heisman candidate in his final two collegiate seasons. The 11-1 record capped off with a win over No. 1 Oklahoma in 1950 stands as one of the greatest campaigns in Kentucky history, and Parilli was one of the driving forces, which wasn't always the case for quarterbacks in his era.
Andre' Woodson
Among Kentucky QBs, Woodson ranks first in career passing touchdowns (79) and single-season passing touchdowns (40), second in career passing yards (9,360), third in single-season passing yards (3,709), and seventh in single-game passing yards (450). He led the Wildcats to consecutive eight-win seasons in 2006 and 2007, and Kentucky had not won eight games since 1984 before that.
He also won two consecutive bowl games, something Kentucky hadn't done since the 1950-51 seasons. He raised the bar at Kentucky and achieved tremendous relative team success. Easy choice.
Just Missed: George Blanda
LSU Tigers
Joe Burrow
When Burrow arrived at LSU following three seasons as a backup at Ohio State, expectations weren't all that high, and in his first season as a starter, he wasn't special. The Tigers went 10-3, but he completed under 58% of his passes for just 16 passing touchdowns and five interceptions.
He figured something out in the offseason, leading to one of the best single-season performances we've ever seen. As a part of arguably the greatest team of all time in 2019, Burrow completed over 76% of his passes for 5,671 yards and 60 passing touchdowns (five rushing touchdowns). He threw just six interceptions on 527 passing attempts.
When Joe Burrow accounted for SIX TDs to cap off LSU's magical season in 2019 😤
It was the Tigers' fourth national title! pic.twitter.com/b6yl7Sd2mt
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) August 8, 2025
In his final three games -- the SEC Championship, CFP Semifinal, and CFP National Championship -- he tallied 1,425 total yards, 18 touchdowns, and zero interceptions. Those were the three biggest games of his life up to that point, and they brought the best out of him. He's another player on the list with a Heisman Trophy and a National Championship in the same season. One season of dominance established him as a college football legend and No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick.
Jayden Daniels
Needless to say, LSU has had some fortune with second-year quarterback transfers. After showing flashes in 2022, Daniels took a Burrow-level leap in 2023 in Baton Rouge. The Tigers' defense prevented the program from having another historical run, but its Daniels-led offense ranked No. 1 nationally in points per game (45.5) and yards per game (543.5). Like Burrow, Daniels had a pair of future first-round wideouts to throw to, and he put up video game numbers.
In just 12 games, Daniels completed over 72% of his passes for 3,812 yards, 40 touchdowns, and just four interceptions. He also dominated on the ground to the tune of 1,334 rushing yards and 10 end zone trips. He won the 2023 Heisman Trophy and went from a Day 3 NFL prospect to a clear-cut top-5 pick. It's still mind-boggling that his team lost three games. This marked the beginning of the end for Brian Kelly.
Tommy Hodson
Hodson is the only man ahead of Burrow on LSU's career passing yards list. He led the SEC in passing yards and passing touchdowns three times in four years as a starter, totaling 9,115 yards and 69 touchdowns through the air in 44 career games. He earned first-team All-SEC nods in 1986, 1987, and 1989. He also led LSU to its first AP Top-10 finish and SEC title since 1970 as a freshman in 1986. Younger, non-LSU fans may not know much or at all about Hodson, but he was clearly one of the best signal-callers of his era.
Jamarcus Russell
Russell is well known by many for being one of the biggest NFL Draft busts of all time, but nothing can take away from his excellent career in Baton Rouge. Russell improved his accuracy every season, jumping from a 50.7% completion rate as a sophomore to 67.8% as a junior.
He was a first-team All-SEC selection in 2006 and took home the Manning Award. 22 wins over his final two seasons are impressive, and he still stands among the top five LSU QBs in single-season passing yards (3,129), career passing touchdowns (52), and single-season passing touchdowns.
Just Missed: Y.A. Tittle
Mississippi State Bulldogs
Nick Fitzgerald
Following Dak Prescott was never going to be easy, but Fitzgerald did a damn good job, all things considered. He never quite developed as a high-level passer, but he was an even better runner than his predecessor. In three seasons as a starter, he scampered for 3,377 yards and 43 touchdowns.
He holds program records for rushing yards in a game (258) and career rushing touchdowns (46). He's second all-time in Bulldog history in single-season (1,385) and career (3,607) rushing yards. Fitzgerald continued Mississippi State's bowl berth streak for three years and posted a respectable 22-15 record, despite Dan Mullen leaving before his final campaign.
Wayne Madkin
Madkin appeared in 42 games for the Bulldogs from 1998 to 2001, and he left the program with school records for passing attempts (887), completions (462), and passing yards (6,336). During his time in Starkville, he led Mississippi State to three straight bowl games and an SEC title game appearance. Both were program firsts. The 10-win season in 1999 was the program's first since 1940, and it was capped off by a Peach Bowl win over Clemson. He was the engine of one of the greatest Mississippi State teams of all time.
Dak Prescott
Prescott was a dominant wrecking ball of a quarterback and achieved great success during the strong Mullen era in Starkville. In 49 career games (33 starts), he totaled 9,376 passing yards, 70 passing touchdowns, 23 interceptions, 2,521 rushing yards, and 41 rushing touchdowns. He greatly improved as a pocket passer late in his career and developed into a two-time first-team All-SEC gunslinger. He played a significant part in leading Mississippi State to the first-ever No. 1 team in the College Football Playoff Rankings.
To make his career even more impressive, his teams had the talent disadvantage in most of their SEC games, and he was not surrounded by high-level pass-catchers with NFL futures. He didn't quite make the impact of Newton, but he's in the same category as a one-man show who elevated his team to great heights. He won 19 of his 26 final starts, a tremendous feat at Mississippi State.
Will Rogers
Mike Leach made an immediate impact on the Mississippi State program, and Rogers was his prolific quarterback in 2021 and 2022. He started six games in 2020 and eight games in 2023 (under Zach Arnett), but the height of his career came in the two full seasons under The Pirate.
In 26 games across his sophomore and junior seasons, he tallied a 16-10 record behind 8,713 passing yards, 71 passing touchdowns, and 17 interceptions. He broke tons of program passing records and will be remembered as a key piece of Leach's short but memorable run in Maroon and White.
Just Missed: John Bond
Missouri Tigers
Chase Daniel
Before a lengthy career as an NFL backup, Daniel was the man on campus in Columbia. He holds school records for career passing yards (12,515), single-season passing yards (4,335), and career passing touchdowns (101). More importantly, he won at a high clip, producing some of the best seasons in Mizzou history. Daniel won 30 games in three years as a starter, including two Big 12 North Division titles. The 2007 Tigers were the No. 1 team in the country at one point, and the 12-2 season was capped off with a Cotton Bowl win over Arkansas.
He raised the bar at Missouri, leading to more successful seasons in the years after.
James Franklin
Franklin took over the Missouri QB1 job in its final season in the Big 12, and a respectable 8-5 campaign behind 21 passing touchdowns and 11 interceptions was the result. He became Missouri's first primary quarterback in the SEC, but a 5-7 season led to many believing he and the program couldn't hang with the big dogs in the conference.
He put that to rest in 2023, leading Missouri to 12 wins, an appearance in the SEC title game, and a Cotton Bowl win over Oklahoma State behind nearly 3,000 yards of offense and 23 total touchdowns. He helped prove Missouri belongs, so he makes the list.
Drew Lock
Lock started in eight games in 2015 as a freshman, posting a 2-6 record with a negative touchdown-to-interception ratio. It wasn't a pretty beginning to his collegiate career, but things changed when Josh Heupel took over the Missouri offense in 2016. Lock threw for 3,399 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in Year 2, and although it still wasn't the greatest year, he got to showcase his improvement. In Year 3, he had a monster year, tossing up 3,964 yards, 44 touchdowns, and 13 picks. After a 1-5 start, the Tigers ripped off six straight wins.
He would go on to regress a bit as a senior, throwing for fewer yards and touchdowns. But he cut down on the interceptions (eight) despite setting a career high in passing attempts (437). Missouri wasn't a great team during Lock's tenure, but he was an exciting gunslinger who ranks first or second among Missouri QBs in career passing yards (12,193), single-season passing yards (3,964), single-game passing yards (521), career passing touchdowns (99), single-season passing touchdowns (44), and single-game passing touchdowns (seven).
Brad Smith
A four-year starter, Smith isn't one of the winningest quarterbacks in Mizzou history, but he is one of the most memorable thanks to his overall production. In 48 career games, he accumulated 8,799 passing yards, 4,289 rushing yards, and 102 total touchdowns. He was the first player in FBS history to tally at least 8,000 passing yards and 4,000 rushing yards. He set the stage for many of the great dual-threat quarterbacks in this article that came after him.
Just Missed: Brady Cook
Oklahoma Sooners
Sam Bradford
Kicking off the Oklahoma Mount Rushmore is the first of four Heisman Trophy winners. Think about all the great quarterback seasons from Oklahoma quarterbacks. Statistically speaking, Bradford had the best of all time in 2008. His school records for single-season passing yards (4,720) and passing touchdowns (50) hold today, and although he didn't win a National Championship, he got to the game against one of the greatest football teams ever (2008 Florida Gators).
Baker Mayfield
After becoming the first true freshman walk-on to start at the FBS level in 2013 at Texas Tech, Mayfield left Lubbock and walked onto Oklahoma. After sitting out the 2014 season, he hit the ground running for the Sooners in 2015, tossing for 3,700 yards and 36 touchdowns en route to an 11-2 record. His next two seasons at the helm were even more prolific. In 27 games in his final two seasons, he completed over 70% of his passes and amassed 8,592 passing yards, 83 passing touchdowns, 488 rushing yards, and 11 rushing touchdowns.
When Oklahoma came into Columbus and left with a W pic.twitter.com/Z6l7Mt1bs4
— College Football Report (@CFBReport) October 27, 2023
He won 33 total games in three seasons as a Sooner, and he finished third in the 2016 Heisman Trophy voting behind Deshaun Watson and Lamar Jackson before winning the award in 2017. Not a bad career for an undersized walk-on.
Kyler Murray
After a season as a backup at Texas A&M and two years as Mayfield's backup, Murray made his one season as a starter count. In 2018, Murray became just the second quarterback in college football history to pass for 4,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in a single season. He added 54 touchdowns to boot.
Murray is one of the most talented players in Oklahoma, if not college football, history, and he continued the Sooners' streak of making the College Football Playoff. Even though he started just one year, his prolific season and Heisman Trophy put him on this list.
Jason White
Oklahoma quarterbacks winning the Heisman Trophy isn't rare these days, but White was the first to do it in 2003. In his first full year as a starter, he threw for 3,846 yards and 40 touchdowns, leading Oklahoma to the Big 12 title and BCS National Championship Games. Oklahoma lost both of them, but White proved his four years waiting in the wings were worth it as he dominated college football.
He finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting in 2004 after 3,205 passing yards and 35 touchdowns. Oklahoma won the Big 12 Championship that year and headed into the BCS National Championship Game undefeated. Going 24-3 over two seasons as a starter is impressive, and had he won the two national title games he played in, he'd probably be considered one of the college football GOATs.
Just Missed: Josh Heupel
Ole Miss Rebels
Jaxson Dart
After a six-game freshman season at USC, Dart moved to Oxford to play quarterback for Lane Kiffin, and his production was off the charts. Matt Corral set a high bar, but Dart exceeded it. In 39 games, Dart set the school passing yards record (10,617), and in his final season, he broke the single-season passing yards record (4,279). Dart was an underrated runner, too, totaling 1,513 yards and 12 rushing scores as a Rebel. He also led Ole Miss to its first consecutive double-digit wins seasons (2023, 2024) since the 1959 and 1960 campaigns.
Jake Gibbs
Gibbs' passing numbers won't blow you away, as he threw for just 1,850 yards and 19 touchdowns in 30 career games. But he added 14 rushing touchdowns and, most importantly, won two National Championships (depending on the publication). Led by Gibbs, the Rebels went 20-1-1 in 1959 and 1960 and captured two Sugar Bowl wins. He has to make this list.
Archie Manning
The oldest of the three Mannings in this article, Archie, is arguably the most legendary player in Ole Miss history. From 1968 to 1970, Manning put up 5,576 total yards and 56 touchdowns. That's monster production for the era, and his 14 rushing touchdowns in 1969 led the conference.
He finished as a top-5 Heisman vote-getter twice, and his record for total offense in an SEC game (540 against Alabama in 1969) stood until 2012. He was a two-time All-SEC selection and is a College Football Hall of Famer. It doesn't hurt that his household is full of SEC legends, as we'll discuss below.
Eli Manning
Living up to the hype as Archie's son and Peyton's brother couldn't have been easy, but Eli Manning did it about as well as you could have. After becoming the team's primary starter as a redshirt sophomore, Manning was a prolific passer immediately in David Cutcliffe's offense. In 11 games as a first-year starter, he completed over 63.5% of his 408 passing attempts for 2,948 yards, 31 touchdowns, and nine interceptions.
He took a step back in his second season, but in Year 3, he led Ole Miss to 10 wins behind 3,600 passing yards, 29 touchdowns, and 10 picks. He set a career high for passer rating (148.1) and became the obvious No. 1 pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. Manning remains the program leader in career passing touchdowns (84), single-season passing touchdowns (31), and single-game passing touchdowns (six). He sits just behind Dart in career passing yards (10,119).
Just Missed: Bo Wallace
South Carolina Gamecocks
Todd Ellis
Ellis remains South Carolina's all-time leading passer (9,953 yards) despite playing in the 1980s. His 49:66 touchdown-to-interception ratio is far from excellent, but he led the Gamecocks to back-to-back eight-win seasons and bowl game appearances. For a program without a rich history of QB play, Ellis cracks the list.
Connor Shaw
Shaw was the starting quarterback for the brightest age of South Carolina football in modern history. In three years with Shaw as the primary starter, South Carolina won 33 games, three bowl games, and finished as no worse than the No. 9 team in the AP Poll. He went 3-0 against rival Clemson and beat eighth-ranked opponents. He finished his career with 7,757 total yards and 73 touchdowns to just 16 interceptions. If you want to say he's the greatest quarterback in South Carolina history, I won't stop you.
Tommy Suggs
Suggs is another less-than-impressive passer on the list, but he was the starting quarterback for the program's only conference title (ACC in 1969). He also held the record for the most single-game passing touchdowns (five in 1968 against Virginia) before Spencer Rattler threw six against Tennessee in 2022. He wasn't prolific, as many quarterbacks weren't during that era, but he had a handful of big-time performances and achieved something South Carolina has yet to do again.
Steve Taneyhill
Among Gamecocks' passers, Taneyhill ranks second in career passing yards (8,782) and first in career passing touchdowns (61) and single-season passing touchdowns (29). He began his career with a team with a 0-5 record, but steered South Carolina to a 5-1 record in its final six contests. He's now a member of the South Carolina Sports Hall of Fame after being its first quarterback in the SEC era.
Just Missed: Stephen Garcia
Tennessee Volunteers
Casey Clausen
Clausen took over for two Tennessee quarterbacks on this list, which couldn't have been easy. But he held his own, taking the starting QB job midway through his freshman season and achieving great success. The Vols won 37 games during his four years on campus, and he threw for 9,707 yards and 75 touchdowns, which both rank second in program history today.
He was close to leading the Vols to a National Championship Game in 2001, but LSU got the best of them in the SEC Championship Game. A 45-17 Citrus Bowl win over Lloyd Carr's Michigan was the consolation prize.
Hendon Hooker
After being named the backup quarterback to start his Tennessee career, he came in for Joe Milton III in Week 2 and nearly brought Tennessee back against Kenny Pickett's Pitt team. He seized the starting role thereafter and immediately became one of the SEC's best quarterbacks.
Hooker finished Year 1 with 2,945 passing yards, 616 rushing yards, and 36 total touchdowns. But the team's success wasn't there yet. In 2022, that changed, and Hooker became an even more efficient passer, completing just under 70% of his passes for 3,135 yards, 27 touchdowns, and just two interceptions.
Run it back #Hooker pic.twitter.com/ePXkcHMpvR
— CHANNEL TN (@CHANNEL_TN_) December 13, 2021
He added 430 yards and five touchdowns. His 2022 season was headlined by the Vols' win over No. 3 Alabama, snapping a 15-game losing streak for Tennessee in the Third Saturday of October series. Hooker was considered the Heisman front-runner as the Vols took the No. 1 spot in the College Football Playoff Rankings. Tennessee didn't get to the CFP, and Hooker suffered a torn ACL in the team's 11th game, but he helped put Tennessee back on the map after a long stretch of misery in Knoxville.
Peyton Manning
One of the easiest choices on the list, welcome in, Peyton Manning. Manning didn't follow in his dad's footsteps to play at Ole Miss, instead carving his own path in the Orange and White. He began his freshman year season behind Jerry Colquitt and Todd Helton (yes, that one), but eventually locked up the starting role due to injuries in the quarterback room. He went 7-1 as a starter in Year 1 (1994), and although he wasn't prolific, he showed flashes of things to come in the future.
He was inarguably one of the SEC's best quarterbacks in the three years that followed, totaling 10,060 passing yards and 89 total touchdowns from 1995 to 1997. Manning was a three-time All-American, SEC Male Athlete of the Year, and Heisman Trophy runner-up (he was robbed). His legendary NFL career has only made him more beloved by Vols fans, but even if he never played a down in the NFL, he'd be Tennessee's quarterback GOAT. He remains their all-time leading passer by a wide margin with 11,201 yards.
Tee Martin
You won't find Tee Martin's name all over the school recordbook, but you will find a BCS National Championship ring on his finger. In fact, he was the winning quarterback of the first-ever "official" college football national championship game. Manning was great, but he was never able to capture a national title. A year after he left, Martin led Tennessee to a 13-0 record with wins over No. 17 Syracuse, No. 2 Florida, No. 7 Georgia, No. 10 Arkansas, No. 23 Mississippi State, and No. 2 Florida State.
The Vols offense was run through the three-headed monster of Travis Henry, Jamal Lewis, and Travis Stephens, but Martin made plays when it mattered. Most notably, he connected on a 79-yard touchdown strike to Peerless Price in the fourth quarter to effectively put the Noles away in the title game.
Just Missed: Heath Shuler
Texas Longhorns
Sam Ehlinger
Ehlinger was not a big-time winner like several other Texas quarterbacks, but he helped turn the program back around under Tom Herman. He led the Longhorns to 10 wins in 2018, snapping eight years of seasons with nine or fewer wins. That season was capped off with a Sugar Bowl victory over the 11-win Georgia Bulldogs. Texas won four straight bowl games during Ehlinger's time on campus, and he ranks No. 2 in school history for career passing yards (11,436) and passing touchdowns (94).
Bobby Layne
Layne was a four-time All-SWC and two-time All-American performer in the 1940s. He finished among the top 10 Heisman Trophy finalists twice and tallied 3,145 passing yards in his four-year career. Yes, that's impressive for the era. He's one of the few players in this list to become a College Football and Pro Football Hall of Famer, and making six All-Pro teams and winning three NFL Championships surely doesn't hurt his legend status in Austin.
Colt McCoy
While McCoy never won a National Title as a starter, his 45-8 career record speaks for itself. He was a four-year starter who put up a whopping 14,839 total yards and 132 touchdowns in 53 career games. Needless to say, he sits at or near the top of many Texas school records.
He also never won a Heisman, but he has a Maxwell, Davey O'Brien, Manning, and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Awards in his trophy case. Texas had a special 2009 campaign, starting 13-0, and winning 11 of those games by at least two scores. Unfortunately, McCoy was knocked out of the BCS National Championship Game against Alabama on the fifth snap. Had he played a full game, who knows what would have happened?
Vince Young
Like many others on this list, Young's one elite season earned him legend status on campus. Young was an elite runner from the moment he began his career, putting up at least 998 yards on the ground in each of his three seasons. However, he threw for just 18 touchdowns and 18 interceptions in his freshman and sophomore seasons combined. As a junior, he put it all together, throwing for 3,036 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 10 picks. He rushed for 1,050 yards and 12 scores across 13 games.
Texas went undefeated in 2005 and defeated mighty No. 1 USC in the BCS National Championship Game. In that game against one of the most talented rosters of all time, Young exploded for 467 total yards and three touchdowns. His touchdown run on 4th and 5 to give Texas the lead late in the fourth quarter is one of the most legendary single plays in college football history, and that won't change. Reggie Bush won the Heisman Trophy that year, but Young got the last laugh as he took the hardware home to Texas.
Just Missed: James Street
Texas A&M Aggies
Jerrod Johnson
Johnson kicks off our Texas A&M section thanks to his overall production as an Aggie. He left campus in 2010 with the school records for career passing yards (8,011) and touchdowns (67) after three seasons as a starter. The Aggies didn't achieve great team success with Johnson at the helm, but he held up his end of the bargain.
He was a second-team All-Big 12 selection in 2009 and holds the Big 12 record for most consecutive passing attempts without an interception (242). He eventually lost his starting job to Ryan Tannehill in the middle of the 2010 campaign, but preseason shoulder surgery seemed to have played a part in that.
Johnny Manziel
One of two players in college football history to win the Heisman Trophy as a freshman, Manziel hit the ground running in the program's first season in the SEC. He threw for 3,706 yards and 26 touchdowns while adding 1,410 yards and 21 scores on the ground en route to an 11-2 season, the program's most wins in a single campaign since 1998.
He established Texas A&M as a contender in the SEC and even took down No. 1 Alabama on the road in Year 1. Neither the team nor Manziel was as great in his sophomore year, but he still totaled 4,873 yards and 46 end zone trips in 2013 and led the Aggies to nine wins.
Manziel's reputation and legacy are complicated after a failed NFL career, but there's no taking away what he did in his two seasons in College Station. He was one of the most exciting and electric players the sport has ever seen.
Kellen Mond
There has been some great quarterback play at Texas A&M, but no Aggies quarterback can say they have more career passing yards (9,661) or passing touchdowns (71) than Mond. Mond began his career under Kevin Sumlin before quarterbacking the best stretch of the Jimbo Fisher era.
In three seasons under Fisher, he won 26 games and threw for 63 touchdowns, rushed for 19 touchdowns, and tallied nearly 10,000 total yards. Texas A&M was narrowly left out of the 2020 College Football Playoff, but there was a real argument that they should have been in the field.
Kevin Murray
The father of Kyler Murray, Kevin, led the Aggies to consecutive Southwest Conference titles and Cotton Bowl appearances in 1985 and 1986. Across 22 games during those seasons, Murray netted 4,428 passing yards and 30 passing touchdowns.
He wasn't the runner his son is and was, but he was good enough as a passer to become a two-time All-SWC and one-time All-American performer. Texas A&M finished as the No. 7 and No. 12 teams in the AP Poll to close out Murray's career.
Just Missed: Ryan Tannehill
Vanderbilt Commodores
Jay Cutler
Jay Cutler is most known by many for his NFL career, but he was a Vanderbilt star in the early 2000s. It was viewed as nearly impossible to win at Vandy, and that's demonstrated by the program's 11-35 record in four seasons with Cutler as the primary starter. But by his senior campaign in 2005, he led the Commodores to five wins, their most in 11 years.
He also snapped the 22-game losing streak against in-state rival Tennessee. He left Nashville with the most career passing yards (8,697) and passing touchdowns (59) before someone else on this list passed him.
Diego Pavia
Pavia is the most recent active player in this article, and for good reason. After four seasons playing college football in New Mexico, Pavia arrived on Broadway without a ton of hype. But he quickly announced his presence to the rest of the SEC after defeating No. 1 Alabama in his fifth game in the conference.
Pavia posted over 300 yards of total offense in that game and became a college football star overnight. Vandy finished the 2024 campaign with a 7-6 record, which is an incredible feat in its own right. But Vandy can't get much better than that, right? Wrong.
DIEGO PAVIA 🤯
Imagine if this play counted 😳 pic.twitter.com/FvONlabc0c
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 25, 2025
As a senior in 2025, Pavia finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting after leading the Commodores to a 10-win regular season, a school record. He flashed with 3,539 passing yards, 29 passing touchdowns, 862 rushing yards, and 10 rushing touchdowns. The 5'10" Super Senior dominated the best conference in college football and became one of the greatest players in Vanderbilt history, seemingly out of nowhere. Oh, and he dominated Tennessee in Neyland Stadium in the regular season game of his career.
Kyle Shurmer
Shurmer's career didn't get off to a hot start, as he threw just 14 touchdowns to 13 interceptions through his first 19 career games. Something flipped heading into his junior year, and he became one of the better quarterbacks in the conference.
He led a less-than-flashy Vanderbilt program under Derek Mason to 11 wins over his final two years and passed for 5,953 yards, 50 touchdowns, and 16 picks in 25 games. The talent around him wasn't good enough to win at a higher level, but Shurmer did more than enough to set Vandy up for success. He broke Cutler's career passing yards and passing touchdowns records in the end.
Billy Wade
Wade is the only Vanderbilt player to ever be selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft. The Nashville native was a two-time All-SEC selection, an All-American, and an SEC Player of the Year in the early 1950s. He was the first SEC quarterback to throw five touchdowns in a game (1950), and he set the record for single-season passing yards (1,597).
Just Missed: Bill Spears
