The SEC’s path back to the top of college football could hinge on one position: quarterback.
With elite quarterback play often separating national championship contenders from the rest of the pack, the conference boasts several signal-callers capable of leading their teams to the College Football Playoff.
Six SEC teams return their starting quarterbacks. However, Florida added a new quarterback to the room in Georgia Tech transfer Aaron Philo, who is expected to compete for the starting job with Tramell Jones
The conference is rich in talent, so here’s how Florida’s quarterback situation ranks among the conference heading into the 2026 season.
Florida lands in the bottom three of this list, ranked No. 14. The only teams ranked below Florida are Arkansas (KJ Jackson) and Vanderbilt (Jared Curtis).
Florida’s quarterback competition remains unsettled with less than 20 days until the start of their season. Both Jones and Philo remain firmly in the mix.
Philo is the presumptive frontrunner due to his familiarity with offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner. However, at this point in the duel for starting quarterback, Jones could be as familiar with the playbook as he is.
Philo has also shown traits in his lone start last season against Gardner-Webb, including his decisiveness and quick release.
Jones was the backup for DJ Lagway in 2025, but has impressed thus far — particularly making this a real battle following the spring game in which he completed 76% of his passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns.
Quarterback play will be crucial for the Gators, given their surplus of offensive talent surrounding the position. Whoever can translate Faulkner’s offense into consistent production should win the job and outperform its spot in the conference rankings.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Where Florida football lands in 2026 SEC QB rankings