Bill Connelly names LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt his Heisman of the Week for Week 8, after Leavitt completed 32 of 45 passes for 378 yards and 3 touchdowns, plus 8 carries for 54 yards and a touchdown, in a win over Auburn.
The weekend was a strange one for the Heisman race. Several top contenders were either on a bye, like Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith, injured, like Texas' Colin Simmons, or sharing the spotlight with a teammate, like Miami's Malachi Toney and Darian Mensah. That opened the door for Leavitt, whose performance against Auburn was controlled and brilliant. He threw for 251 yards and three touchdowns in the first half alone as LSU surged to a 31-10 halftime lead, eventually winning 38-17.
Leavitt has also been consistent across the season. Despite early sacks and interceptions, he has posted a Total QBR in the 80s or 90s in seven of eight starts and ranks fifth in Total QBR for the season. Only two current Heisman candidates sit ahead of him on that list. He has climbed to 11th in DraftKings Heisman odds, and while a serious run at the trophy may be too late, his series of marquee games ahead could change the conversation.
LSU's path to the 12-team College Football Playoff is also more open after two chaotic weeks. The Tigers lost tight road games to Ole Miss in Week 3 and Kentucky in Week 6, but recent upsets have given them room for error. Their next three games against Alabama, Texas and at Tennessee will test whether the form they showed in blowouts of Mississippi State and Auburn holds.
In the weekly Heisman points system, Toney sits second for Week 8 after catching 16 passes for 194 yards and 3 touchdowns against Pitt, with 2 punt returns for 28 yards. The race remains close, and Leavitt's rise shows how quickly it can shift.
Source: ESPN General · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing