College Football Power Rankings: SEC Quarterbacks After Week 1
The first week of college football is over with, and it’s time to take a look back at that quarterback play in the Southeastern Conference.
On many football teams, the field general is the most important player on the field. This is even more apparent in the power conferences such as the SEC.
This power ranking will break down each quarterback in the SEC and rank them according to their performance in the week prior. This can include a variety of things to include stats, victories, and intangibles.
Here are the first week's college football power rankings for quarterback play in the SEC.
12. Ole Miss: Jeremiah Masoli
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After getting to play with Houston Nutt and the Rebels this season it looked like Jeremiah Masoli would be a steal for this team at quarterback. An experienced play maker would most certainly bring Ole Miss a few victories and perhaps lead them to a bowl game, right?
All of that is an afterthought after the upset loss to Jacksonville St., 49-48.
He was 7-of-10 passing for 109 yards and one interception, adding 29 yards on the ground. He took charge of the offense late in this game and led the team in overtime, putting up 14 points.
Sophomore Nathan Stanley threw for 133 yards and three touchdowns and may have had the better performance, but with this type of loss, they deserve to be at the bottom of the rankings.
11. Tennessee: Matt Simms
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The Tennessee Volunteers blanked Tennessee Martin on opening day, 50-0, but quarterback play was not a particular highlight for this group.
The defense scored on more than one occasion and put the clamps down, assuring victory from the very start. Matt Simms and the rest of the Volunteer offense looked very young.
Simms was 14-of-24 for 181 yards and had one touchdown on the day. The numbers were not particularly outstanding, and he had plenty of missed opportunities, overthrowing open receivers. The offense sputtered at times and was covered in penalties, but with the big win it will go unnoticed.
The quarterback play by Simms was nothing to write home about.
10. LSU: Jordan Jefferson
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LSU played in one of the biggest games in the SEC on Saturday night and staved off North Carolina to win by a 30-24 score.
Jordan Jefferson completed 15 of 21 for 151 yards for LSU and put up two touchdowns to just one interception. He managed a good game and was backed by the great special team’s play of Patrick Peterson, and a solid defensive effort.
Jefferson was not flawless, but after being on the hot seat for the way he manages games, this one showed signs of promise. It’s too early to call him calm, cool, and collected, but it was a big win for LSU.
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9. Vanderbilt: Larry Smith
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The Commodores lost in a close game to Northwestern, 23-21, but the quarterback play was not to blame.
Larry Smith finished 19-of-33 with 240 yards passing and a touchdown. Plays on special teams, including a botched extra point and a missed field goal, eventually led to the loss for the Commodores. The offense played as well as could be expected, outgaining Northwestern in total offense by a 432-365 margin.
Smith also contributed on the ground by gaining 48 yards in the loss, but it was not enough to get Vanderbilt in the win column.
8. Florida: John Brantley
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Florida and their fans were very excited about unveiling a new Gator offense led by John Brantley in the absence of Florida icon Tim Tebow.
That excitement turned to frustration and boos from the crowd in the season opener against Miami (Ohio). The offense was out of sync from the start, and filled with fumbles, penalties, and poor execution. The Gators offense was so inept that entering the final quarter the offense managed to put up just 26 total yards.
Brantley was 17-of-25 for 113 yards and two scores.
All of the blame cannot fall on Brantley, but it will cost him in the power rankings.
7. Kentucky: Mike Hartline
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You have to feel for senior quarterback Mike Hartline. He led his team to a victory over rival Louisville on Saturday, 23-16, capturing the Governor’s Cup. Yet it seems like he if he makes one mistake he will be pulled as the starter. For now he will remain under center after the spotless performance against the Cardinals.
He connected on 17 of 26 passes for 217 yards and did not turn over the ball once. These are the kind of games that new head coach Joker Phillips will need from his starting quarterback if he hopes to have a successful first season in Kentucky.
6. Alabama: Greg McElroy
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Alabama pounded San Jose St. on Saturday, by a score of 48-3 in a game that looked more like a scrimmage than a regular season game.
Greg McElroy had a decent game as he completed 13 of 15 passes for 218 yards and a TD. The performance could have been much better, but with the game well in hand, Alabama could let others get some playing time. McElroy only played one series in the second half and then the Crimson Tide turned to the running game and coasted to an easy victory.
McElroy won’t be penalized in the rankings for playing on a good team that faced a cupcake in Week 1.
5. Georgia: Aaron Murray
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Aaron Murray led No. 23 Georgia to a 55-7 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette in the season opener. He did this with a great combination of making plays happen with his arm and his feet.
This was his first college game, and he looked very impressive, completing 16 of 24 passes for 194 yards with three scores. He added another score on the ground, where he amassed 42 yards.
What may be even more impressive is that Murray put up these numbers without the help of Georgia’s best offensive weapon, wide receiver A.J. Green.
For a young kid he seems very poised, and he's learning with every snap. He will face a more challenging test when he faces South Carolina this week.
4. South Carolina: Stephen Garcia
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Garcia led the Gamecocks to a season-opening victory by the score of 41-13 over Southern Mississippi.
He got his team on the scoreboard with a 22-yard touchdown run that showed guts and got his team fired up. Instead of running out of bounds he put his head down and fought to get in the end zone. That is the kind of intangible that will get a quarterback a high placement in the power rankings.
Freshman Connor Shaw may be pressuring him for playing time, but, after Week 1, the starting spot looks secure with Garcia. Garcia finished 16-of-23 for 193 yards through the air and scampered for 58 yards on the ground, scoring twice in the Week 1 victory.
A successful performance in the game against Georgia this week would keep him atop the rankings of SEC quarterbacks.
3. Mississippi St.: Tyler Russell
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The Bulldogs look like they have a two-headed monster at quarterback to start the college football season.
Chris Relf started the game and was 7-of-9 from the field, amassing 116 yards and one touchdown. He added 20 yards on the ground, and his only blemish was an interception.
Tyler Russell came in and was clearly the player of the game. He broke a school record by passing for four touchdowns in his playing debut with the Bulldogs. The redshirt freshman made it look like he had played for years, as he led the Bulldogs to a 49-7 victory over Memphis.
It will be interesting to see how this duo performs against Auburn, but the future looks bright in Starkville.
2. Arkansas: Ryan Mallett
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Ryan Mallet is a serious contender for the Heisman Trophy, and he made a strong early case for consideration with his play on Saturday. Mallett was flawless as he precisely picked apart the defense of Tennessee Tech by completing 21 of 24 passes for 301 yards and three scores in a 44-3 Razorback victory.
Mallet had an amazing 87.5 completion percentage, and it actually should have been better. One of his passes was dropped and the other tipped for his only interception of the night. Basically, Mallett was responsible for just one incompletion in the game.
This game is worthy of a high power ranking for Mallett, and if he continues on this pace he might just walk away with the Heisman.
1. Auburn: Cameron Newton
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Auburn has to be excited about the future after watching Cameron Newton play in the first game. It’s no surprise that they won, beating Arkansas St. 52-26, but Newtown looked spectacular.
Newton is a dual threat with the potential to score on the ground or in the air. On Saturday he gained 171 yards and scored twice, while through the air he passed for 186 yards and three touchdowns. Auburn coach Gene Chizik praised his efforts and realizes that he has a superstar on his team.
This offense is made for Newton, and his stock will rise as long as Auburn keeps winning.
Matt Regaw is a B/R Featured Columnist and the founder of BookieBlitz.com, your one-stop shop for sports articles, preview, and predictions. Feel Free to contact Matt at mregaw@gmail.com
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