The new hats learned an old lesson: the SEC is tough.

Newcomers Chad Kelly and Greyson Lambert, both in their first seasons in the Southeastern Conference, had cracked the top five of our conference quarterback ranking last week. In Kelly’s case, he spent most of the first part of the season at No. 1. Now that the meat of the conference schedule has arrived, they both took steps back.

In fairness, it wasn’t a glamorous week for many of the league’s quarterbacks. Kyle Allen at Texas A&M and Dak Prescott at Mississippi State are the only two who have yet to have a bad game. Florida’s Will Grier could qualify for such, too, without much argument.

Here is this week’s SEC quarterbacking top 10.

10. Patrick Towles, Kentucky (last: 10)

Towles is the default choice at this point. He wasn’t great Saturday. And Kentucky needed overtime to beat Eastern Kentucky. Eastern Kentucky. Of the FCS. Who is there to move above the Kentucky junior? Missouri’s Drew Lock had a good debut, but it’s been one game. Towles did throw for more than 300 yards and had more touchdowns than interceptions against the Colonels. So there’s that…

Last week: 29-42, 329 yards, 3 touchdowns, 2 interceptions
Season: 96-156, 1,153 yards, 8 touchdowns, 6 interceptions

9. Brandon Harris, LSU (last: 8)

Brandon Harris was never able to wrestle the starting job in 2014. The Tigers struggled at quarterback the entire year. He won the gig this year, in part because of off-the-field issues elsewhere, but Saturday was a step back in time. LSU was sleepwalking against Eastern Michigan. It needed a late surge to double-up the northern visitors, 44-22. Harris was bad, although part of it was on his receivers. He completed just four passes, five if you count one to the opposition. It was Eastern Michigan, so it draws a pass, but it can’t continue if LSU truly has visions of keeping up its hot start.

Last week: 4-15, 80 yards, 0 touchdowns, 1 interception
Season: 33-62, 382 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception

8. Josh Dobbs, Tennessee (last: 7)

The game plan worked for a while – Dobbs was allowed to create in space. He was getting off short, quick throws and the Volunteers were moving the ball. Something happened at halftime, though, and Arkansas stifled him the final 30 minutes. Dobbs led Tennessee to just 90 second-half yards and three points as the Vols fell for the second straight week. Passing will never be his strong suit, but it was shown he can be modestly efficient in the right circumstances.

Last week: 20-36, 232 yards, 0 touchdowns, 0 interceptions; 7 carries, 7 yards, 1 touchdown
Season: 73-127, 789 yards, 5 touchdowns, 1 interception; 55 carries, 250 yards, 3 touchdowns

7. Greyson Lambert, Georgia (last: 4)

So much for being the most accurate quarterback in FBS. Lambert was downright bad against Alabama. In fairness, his substitute didn’t do much better. Eric Zeier or Aaron Murray would have trouble against that Crimson Tide defense Saturday. Lambert was yanked just over halfway through having thrown 10 completions for fewer than 100 yards.

Last week: 10-24, 86 yards, 0 touchdowns, 1 interception
Season: 62-92, 819 yards, 7 touchdowns, 1 interception

6. Jake Coker, Alabama (last: 9)

Welcome back, Coker. Nick Saban’s decision not to start Jake Coker against Ole Miss may be one he rues for a long, long time. Coker has handled himself quite well since, and arguably all season. He didn’t explode in Alabama’s blowout of Georgia, but he never probably will. He also didn’t wilt. Coker may carry a game-manager label, but he’s an awfully good one.

Last week: 11-16, 190 yards, 1 touchdown, 0 interceptions
Season: 79-139, 976 yards, 9 touchdowns, 4 interceptions

5. Brandon Allen, Arkansas (last: 6)

Allen had moments of pure brilliance against Tennessee on Saturday. He had a couple of questionable errors, too. Frankly, that’s been the story of his career. Finally, though, Allen and the Razorbacks were required to do something late in a tight game and they did. The fourth-quarter numbers still need improvement, but if Arkansas wins, that’s all anyone in the state will care about, especially after the team’s dreadful start.

Last week: 11-24, 219 yards, 1 touchdown, 0 interceptions
Season: 93-141, 1,360 yards, 8 touchdowns, 3 interceptions

4. Will Grier, Florida (last: 5)

Florida does not have a quarterback problem. At some point everyone else will begin to believe that, too. For some reason most of the nation has been slow to come around on Grier. We had him modestly pegged as the fifth-best quarterback in the league, but there are folks outside the Southeast who didn’t even know who he was. Now, after five games, the Gators are unbeaten and it’s not only because of their defense.

Last week: 24-29, 271 yards, 4 touchdowns, 0 interceptions
Season: 86-128, 996 yards, 10 touchdowns, 3 interceptions

3. Chad Kelly, Ole Miss (last: 2)

The sheen is officially worn from Chad Kelly’s Ole Miss career. That isn’t to say Kelly is some sort of failure, but only the new is off. Kelly was wildly mediocre against Florida. He threw for his fewest yards against an FBS opponent this year and needed his second-most passes to do it. In turn, Ole Miss gave back all the favor it earned after its win two weeks ago against Alabama.

Last week: 26-40, 259 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception
Season: 97-155, 1,478 yards, 11 touchdowns, 4 interceptions

2. Kyle Allen, Texas A&M (last: 3)

At some point the clamor for Kyler Murray will have to settle. Murray will always have his packages, but Texas A&M is, and should be, Kyle Allen’s team. He was good again Saturday against Mississippi State. In fact, he’s the only quarterback in the entire conference who has yet to have even an average game. The Aggies sit at 5-0 and top of the SEC West largely because of his efficiency. Allen hasn’t provided all that many ‘wow’ moments, but simply put, it doesn’t matter.

Last week: 25-41, 322 yards, 2 touchdowns, 0 interceptions
Season: 89-139, 1,274 yards, 13 touchdowns, 2 interceptions

1. Dak Prescott, Mississippi State (last: 1)

For the first time all season Prescott looked limited. His game against Texas A&M was mostly ordinary. He didn’t make any mistakes. He didn’t make any advances. Mississippi State had to score in bunches to keep up with the Aggies and it didn’t happen. It isn’t because Prescott ruined some chance for the Bulldogs. He just didn’t provide the ultimate punch. It’s more a telling sign of those around him than Prescott, but the quarterback will have to put up more numbers to continue at the top of this list.

Last week: 20-34, 210 yards, 0 touchdowns, 0 interceptions; 18 carries, 96 yards, 1 touchdown
Season: 115-176, 1,279 yards, 7 touchdowns, 0 interceptions; 48 carries, 217 yards, 3 touchdowns