We often rank SEC starting quarterbacks on week-by-week basis using our ‘QB Rating Index’, but here we’ll look at an overall grade at the season’s halfway point. We take everything into account — individual passer rating, rushing statistics, team success, etc.

Dak Prescott’s a Heisman contender while Kenny Hill, though cooling off a bit, has continued a passing surge that began in the opener at South Carolina. Several others are having stellar seasons but after the first five, the pickings are a bit slim.

As for the grades …

14. Patton Robinette, Stephen Rivers, Wade Freebeck and Johnny McCrary, Vanderbilt: Derek Mason’s musical quarterbacks have been an embarrassment this season, a position group almost single-handedly responsible for a league-worst 16 turnovers as a team. Robinette’s the most reliable option, but he’s been hampered by injuries. Rivers is ineffective, Freebeck’s a freshman and McCrary’s shown sporadic flashes of success for the SEC’s worst team.

  • In three games, Robinette’s completed 23 of 32 passes for 240 yards and two touchdowns. He’s also ran for a score.

13. Jeff Driskel, Florida: Tied for the SEC-lead in interceptions with eight, Driskel’s the league’s only starting quarterback who has accounted for more turnovers than touchdowns. He hasn’t seemed to fit into what first-year playcaller Kurt Roper’s trying to do offensively and crucial mistakes have cost the Gators. Will Muschamp’s job hinges on how Florida finishes and the offense could be better-suited moving forward with freshman Treon Harris.

  • 90-164 (54.9 percent), 878 yards, 6 TD, 8 INT; 53 carries, 184 yards, 2 TD

12. Anthony Jennings, LSU: Too often, Zach Mettenberger’s sophomore understudy has relied on long completions to Malachi Dupre and Travin Dural bail out the LSU offense. Routine throws have been a challenge at times, evidenced by a West-worst completion percentage. Jennings’ true freshman backup, Brandon Harris, has six touchdowns and one interception in limited action.

  • 57-114 (50.0 percent), 928 yards, 6 TD, 3 INT; 50 carries, 75 yards

11. Hutson Mason, Georgia: Safe, underneath throws and passes to the flat have been near automatic completions for this senior, but Georgia’s offense has been handcuffed downfield with a quarterback lacking a full deck of wide receivers. Mason hasn’t done anything spectacular this season thanks to a dominant run game led by Todd Gurley and freshman Nick Chubb.

  • 91-129 (70.5 percent), 843 yards, 8 TD, 3 INT; 24 carries, 24 yards, 3 TD

10. Maty Mauk, Mizzou: No player in the SEC has seen a steeper decline in productivity than Mauk over his last three starts. Five interceptions and a 48.5 completion percentage have spoiled an MVP-caliber opening stretch that featured FBS leads in passing yardage and touchdowns. One of the SEC’s highest-rated returning passers coming into the season, the sophomore’s lost his confidence from the pocket behind an injury-riddled offensive line and is forcing the issue.

  • 98-180 (54.4 percent), 1,207 yards, 14 TD, 8 INT; 49 carries, 110 yards, TD

9. Brandon Allen, Arkansas: Allen’s shown major improvement during his second season as a starter, avoiding the unnecessary throws into coverage and bad decisions that plagued his 2013 campaign. His 5:1 touchdown to interception ratio is an SEC-best among starters and his Week 2 outing against Nicholls State this season — 4 for 5, 117 yards and 4 TD — earned him a perfect 100.0 adjusted QBR.

  • 79-137 (57.7 percent), 997 yards, 10 TD, 2 INT; 22 carries, 35 yards, 2 TD

8. Justin Worley, Tennessee: Worley’s exceeded expectations in his final season after winning the starting job over two others quarterbacks during fall camp. He’s been wrestled to the turf more than any passer in the SEC, but has still managed to complete 63.3 percent of his throws and account for 15 touchdowns behind an inexperienced offensive line.

  • 138-218 (63.3 percent), 1,388 yards, 12 TD, 5 INT; 37 carries, minus-64 yards, 3 TD

7. Dylan Thompson, South Carolina: It’s difficult to argue with the raw numbers Thompson’s put up this season from the pocket, but consecutive below average outings through the air have soured the fanbase’s view of this fifth-year senior. The Gamecocks have missed their previous multi-year starting quarterback, Connor Shaw, on the ground, specifically on third down.

  • 132-216 (61.1 percent), 1,577 yards, 13 TD, 6 INT; 31 carries, 4 yards, 2 TD

6. Patrick Towles, Kentucky: Mark Stoops and offensive coordinator Neal Brown appear to have made the right choice selecting Towles as the No. 1 guy in a much-improved Kentucky offense. He’s been the SEC East’s most consistent quarterback this season and that’s been reflected through his team’s 5-1 start.

  • 120-192 (62.5 percent), 1,541 yards, 10 TD, 4 INT; 60 carries, 112 yards, 2 TD

5. Blake Sims, Alabama: Sims squashed all quarterback controversy talks early this season after a Heisman-caliber and nearly school record-setting performance against Florida. He gives Alabama a mobile option under center and has looked great in spurts. We’re going to still see Jacob Coker at some point this season, coach Nick Saban just doesn’t know when.

  • 101-149 (67.8 percent), 1,480 yards, 10 TD, 3 INT; 36 carries, 154 yards, 3 TD

4. Nick Marshall, Auburn: After shaking off minor struggles early and redirecting talks of Jeremy Johnson deserving more playing time, Marshall’s showcased his dual-threat abilities in recent weeks and is second only to Dak Prescott in rushing yards at the quarterback position.

  • 72-130 (55.4 percent), 964 yards, 10 TD, 3 INT; 75 carries, 492 yards, 4 TD

3. Bo Wallace, Ole Miss: The SEC’s most accurate quarterback (with at least 130 attempts) has lessened his penchant for forcing the issue in recent games and has made himself a more effective passer overall. Over the last two weeks, Wallace has accounted for six touchdowns — and no turnovers — against nationally-ranked competition and has helped the Rebels rise to No. 3 in the polls.

  • 124-181 (68.5 percent), 1,700 yards, 15 TD, 6 INT; 50 carries, 89 yards, 2 TD

2. Kenny Hill, Texas A&M: The first-year starter and sophomore replacement for Johnny Manziel has thrown for 801 more yards than his nearest competitor in the SEC and leads the league in touchdown passes by a sizable margin. A top Heisman candidate through the season’s first month thanks to a nationally-televised 500-yard explosion against the Gamecocks, Hill’s overall worth was over-inflated early. Over his last three starts against league competition, Hill’s thrown 10 touchdown passes with six interceptions.

  • 197-295 (66.8 percent), 2,511 yards, 23 TD, 7 INT; 42 carries, 167 yards

1. Dak Prescott, Mississippi State: One of only five quarterbacks in college football history to beat three Top 10 teams in consecutive weeks, Prescott is arguably the nation’s best player at the midway point. He’s handled the pressure of being the full-time starter with maturity for the Bulldogs and is remarkably more reliable as passer than he was at this junction in 2013. Prescott’s true strength is his running ability, shades of Tim Tebow in a Dan Mullen-coached offense.

  • 96-156 (61.5 percent), 1,478 yards, 14 TD, 4 INT; 106 carries, 576 yards, 8 TD