Josh Pate updates SEC quarterback rankings through Week 3 of college football

We’re nearly a month into the season and that has given chances to play a handful of games to this point. That means it’s time for college football analyst Josh Pate to update his SEC quarterback rankings.

He did so on Tuesday night’s edition of Josh Pate’s College Football Show. And the results might surprise you.

Neither Florida quarterback DJ Lagway nor Texas quarterback Arch Manning made the cut for the top 10, despite those two leading the preseason quarterback rankings respectively. So who does make the cut? Let’s dive into Pate’s current top 10 below.

1. John Mateer, Oklahoma

The college football analyst picked Mateer to win the Heisman Trophy before the season but only had him ranked fifth in his initial quarterback rankings. That has changed at this point.

Mateer is no longer feeling things out with the Sooners, he’s fully locked in. He has thrown for 944 yards and five touchdowns (with three interceptions), while also rushing for 161 yards and four scores.

2. Taylen Green, Arkansas

The season hasn’t necessarily gotten off to the strongest start with a road loss at Ole Miss last week. But that’s through no fault of Green, who has been downright excellent through the first three weeks.

Green sits in the quarterback rankings about where you’d expect based on sheer statistical production. He narrowly trails Mateer with 866 passing yards and 11 touchdowns, as well as 307 rushing yards and two scores.

3. Joey Aguilar, Tennessee

Pate called this “maybe the most surprising result in the league so far.” He simply didn’t think Aguilar and the Tennessee offense would click this quickly, even given his respect for coach Josh Heupel.

Doing what he did against Georgia last weekend was a real eye-opener. Pate doesn’t see much chance of regression for Aguilar at this point, either.

4. Beau Pribula, Missouri

The Penn State transfer checks in fourth in the quarterback rankings. Per Pate, some at Penn State have noted that Drew Allar is struggling, wondering if they kept “the wrong guy.” That it’s even a conversation speaks to how good a fit Pribula is with the Tigers.

The college football analyst raved about the level of fit for Pribula. Pribula’s stats? How about 791 yards passing for seven touchdowns (with one interception), as well as 76 yards rushing and three scores on the ground.

5. Gunner Stockton, Georgia

The first two games he played weren’t going to be like the Tennessee game. Those two helped get him ready for the big one at Tennessee, and Stockton answered “any lingering question” Pate had about him.

Pate admits he doubted Stockton going into the year and he has since been proven wrong. A 304-yard, three-touchdown outing in a come-from-behind win at Tennessee will do that.

6. Marcel Reed, Texas A&M

The Aggies quarterback didn’t have the most efficient night throwing against the Fighting Irish, but he made the plays he needed to when it mattered. The downfield passing threat is the biggest factor, opening up the field for the rest of the offense.

You’ll take the accuracy issues if that’s what you get overall. Reed has run for 142 yards and a score while throwing for 869 yards and nine touchdowns, against just one interception.

7. Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt

All he’s doing is leading the football team in Nashville. Pate stresses that it’s more than one person leading to the success so far, but Pavia is the one driving the bus.

It’s clear that Pavia is the heart and soul of the Commodores, an emotional leader the rest of the team rallies around. Pavia has posted 645 passing yards and seven touchdowns, as well as 129 yards rushing.

8. Ty Simspon, Alabama

The level of competition hasn’t been great since the opener against Florida State, but we’ll find out more next week against Georgia. When he is given time, Pate said, he’s one of the best quarterbacks in the league.

Pate notes he’s pessimistic about Alabama because the Tide were his preseason national title pick. It’s about earning the prognosticator’s trust back, which Simpson and Alabama can do shortly against Georgia.

9. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU

Nussmeier has been dealing with a torso injury lately, and he won’t get a full chance to rest until the team’s bye week. Still, it’s something he’s been dealing with of late and might be impacting his performance a bit.

That LSU was able to go on the road and win at Clemson while playing hurt says a lot. He’s No. 9 in the SEC quarterback rankings because, despite the limitations, he’s done everything he has needed to do. Still, there’s an element of the offense that is “missing” with Nussmeier currently hurt.

10. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina

Down from No. 3 in Pate’s preseason quarterbacks ranking, Sellers has had quite the tumble. That he’s the pick over Lagway and Manning says a lot. Neither of those two grace the top 10.

Sellers just hasn’t quite seen it all click yet. In three games he’s thrown for 431 yards and two touchdowns, with one interception. He has also run for 45 yards and a score. Not quite the production many expected before the season.