More often than not, it takes strong quarterback efforts to prevail in SEC competition. In Week 8, two passers took their game to an even higher level to deliver big victories.
The Davey O’Brien Award recently revealed its Great 8 for Week 8. LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt and South Carolina signal-caller LaNorris Sellers earned recognition following wins over Auburn and Tennessee, respectively, last Saturday.
Leavitt snagged a spot in the Great 8 for the second consecutive week with his performance in a Tiger-on-Tiger matchup. The former Arizona State Sun Devil completed 71.1% (32/45) of his passes for a season-high 387 passing yards and three touchdowns against Auburn. The showing gives Leavitt 676 passing yards, seven touchdown passes and no interceptions in his last two games and has SEC Network dreaming big for Lane Kiffin’s squad.
Meanwhile, in Columbia, Sellers literally carried his Gamecocks to a 27-24 win vs. No. 11 Tennessee. The senior quarterback’s passing numbers — 210 yards, one touchdown, one interception — weren’t mind-boggling, but his game-tying rushing touchdown late in regulation certainly was.
Sellers posted 96 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground against the Vols. He set up Malik Orsan’s game-winning field goal with a nine-yard carry to get in much more manageable kicking range. Now, South Carolina (4-3, 2-3 SEC) has back-to-back conference wins on its mantle ahead of a trip to Oklahoma on Halloween (4:15 p.m. ET, SEC Network).
