Ranking the Top Five Quarterbacks Oklahoma Will Battle in 2026

Several of college football's best quarterbacks play in the SEC, and the Sooners will face a handful of them in 2026.

Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss passes against Oklahoma. | Carson Field / Sooners On SI

Oklahoma is less than three months away from its third season in the SEC.

For the first time, OU and the conference’s other 15 members will play nine conference games. The Sooners’ 2026 slate features marquee games against Georgia, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Texas and Michigan.

Throughout the season, the Sooners will be tasked with containing some of college football’s most electric quarterbacks.

Here are the top five signal callers who OU will face in 2026:

5. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina

South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers scrambles against Oklahoma. | Carson Field / Sooners On SI

LaNorris Sellers and the Gamecocks didn’t have the 2025 season that they dreamed of.

South Carolina finished the year 4-8 after being ranked No. 13 in the AP preseason poll. Sellers struggled throughout the season, completing only 60.8 percent of his passes for 2,437 yards, 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

Sellers was widely expected to be a Heisman Trophy contender, but he fell well short of those expectations — but he’s not entirely to blame.

South Carolina’s offensive line was one of the nation’s worst last year, as the quarterback was sacked 42 times. The Gamecocks added nine offensive linemen from the transfer portal after the season to solidify the unit ahead of 2026.

Sellers, who stands 6-3, weighs 240 pounds and is incredibly mobile, still has notable NFL upside, and — assuming the blocking in front of him improves — he should have a bounce-back campaign this year.

4. Marcel Reed, Texas A&M

Nov 8, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) throws a pass during the first half against the Missouri Tigers at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Marcel Reed was integral in helping Texas A&M reach its first College Football Playoff in 2025. 

The dual-threat quarterback put together big games against LSU, Missouri, South Carolina and several other squads to help the Aggies finish the year 11-2. Reed completed 62.1 percent of passes for 3,169 yards, 25 touchdowns and 12 interceptions last year while also rushing for 493 yards and six touchdowns.

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Reed’s best games are as good as anyone’s. But his worst games can take the Aggies out of games — his lackluster performances against Texas and Miami proved costly, as Texas A&M lost both of those contests.

With Mario Craver, Isaiah Horton, Ashton Bethel-Roman and Terry Bussey, Reed will have some of the SEC’s best wideouts at his disposal. If Reed can clean up the turnovers, he could be a problem — and a dark-horse Heisman candidate — in 2026.

3. Arch Manning, Texas

Texas quarterback Arch Manning competes against Oklahoma. | Carson Field, Sooners On SI

Arch Manning looked out of sorts in the first half of Texas’ 2025 campaign. Manning, the nephew of former NFL stars Peyton and Eli Manning, threw five interceptions in the Longhorns’ first five games, completing under 60 percent of his passes in three of those contests.

But down the stretch, Manning showed off his potential. He helped the Longhorns win seven of their final eight games and led them to wins against Oklahoma and Texas A&M, both of which reached the College Football Playoff.

Manning finished his first season as Texas’ starting quarterback with 3,163 yards, 26 touchdowns and seven interceptions on 61.4-percent passing.

Are the notions that Manning will suddenly win the Heisman Trophy or be selected first overall in the 2027 NFL Draft premature? Yes.

But between his late-season surge and the talent around him, Manning should be one of the SEC’s best quarterbacks in 2026.

2. Gunner Stockton, Georgia

Jan 1, 2026; New Orleans, LA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Gunner Stockton (14) passes the ball against the Mississippi Rebels in the second quarter during the 2026 Sugar Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at Caesars Superdome. | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

San Antonio Spurs legend Tim Duncan was famously nicknamed “the Big Fundamental.” An appropriate nickname for Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton would be “the Big Reliable.”

The 2025 season marked Stockton’s first year as the Bulldogs’ starting signal caller. He completed an efficient 69.7 percent of his passes for 2,894 yards, 24 touchdowns and five interceptions. The 6-1, 215-pound quarterback also rushed for 462 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Stockton wasn’t a “flashy” star. He was simply an accurate, productive arm that allowed Georgia to win its second SEC title in a row.

Georgia is widely considered a favorite to win the SEC again in 2026, and Stockton’s reliability is a big reason why.

1. Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss

Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss scrambles against Oklahoma. | Carson Field / Sooners On SI

Trinidad Chambliss, who transferred to Ole Miss from Division II Ferris State ahead of the 2025 season, was one of college football’s breakout stars last year.

Chambliss finished his first season of Division I football with 3,937 passing yards, 22 passing touchdowns, 527 rushing yards, eight rushing touchdowns and only three interceptions. He helped lead the Rebels to a CFP Semifinal appearance and a 13-2 record.

Ole Miss, of course, looks much different than it did last year, as former coach Lane Kiffin departed in favor of LSU prior to the CFP. Kiffin also brought several key pieces from that Ole Miss team with him to Baton Rouge, including edge rusher Princewill Umanmielen, linebacker TJ Dottery and wide receiver Winston Watkins.

Still, Chambliss’ combination of arm talent and ability to run make him the most electric quarterback from the SEC.

OU fans got the chance to see Chambliss in person on Oct. 25, when the Rebels defeated the Sooners 34-26 in Norman. Chambliss notched 315 passing yards, 53 rushing yards and one passing touchdown in that game.