Leavitt Leads Week 8 Heisman Rankings as Miami Duo Splits Credit

Sam Leavitt of LSU is the leading candidate for the Heisman Trophy following Week 8, according to a ranking system that tracks player performance across the season. The quarterback from Baton Rouge moved into the number one spot after a dominant performance against Auburn on Saturday. His play in the win marked a sharp contrast to earlier struggles in the season, where he had faced sacks and interceptions.

Leavitt completed 21 of 27 passes for 251 yards and three touchdowns in the first half alone. He also rushed for a score, helping LSU build a 31-10 halftime lead. The Tigers finished the game with a 38-17 victory. For the entire contest, Leavitt finished 32 of 45 for 378 yards and three passing touchdowns. He also carried the ball eight times for 54 yards and a touchdown.

His statistical profile places him fifth in the country in Total QBR. Only two other players currently in the Heisman conversation rank higher on that metric: Darian Mensah of Miami is first, and Gunner Stockton of Georgia is fourth. Leavitt now sits at 11th in DraftKings betting odds. He faces a schedule that includes Alabama, Texas, and Tennessee in his next three games.

Miami’s offense continues to split attention between two players. Malachi Toney, the wide receiver, recorded 16 catches for 194 yards and three touchdowns against Pitt. He also returned two punts for 28 yards. Darian Mensah, the quarterback, passed for 387 yards and four touchdowns on 31 of 37 attempts. He also rushed for 16 yards on non-sack attempts. Both players were part of a team that dominated the Pitt Panthers.

Toney has been the primary target for Mensah this season. He is the target of 38% of all passes and 40% of completions. He accounts for 44% of Mensah’s passing yards and 50% of his passing touchdowns. Before the matchup with Pitt, Toney averaged 5.3 yards per route run. That figure was nearly identical to the 5.4 average held by Jeremiah Smith of Ohio State. Toney caught 16 of the 17 passes thrown his way during the game.

Easton Messer of Florida Atlantic provided a standout performance in a 51-49 victory over Rice. He scored five touchdowns in the game. These included a rushing score, a receiving score, and an 82-yard punt return in the fourth quarter. The punt return secured the win for the Owls. Messer also had 162 receiving yards and 18 rushing yards.

Sebastian Cheeks of Wisconsin led the defense in a game where the Badgers held USC to just seven points. Cheeks recorded 5 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and 2 run stops. His performance was a key factor in limiting the offensive output of the Trojans. Keyone Jenkins of UCF also made the list after leading his team to a win over a top-2 opponent. He passed for 293 yards and three touchdowns.

Gael Ochoa of Rice had 267 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 11 carries. He scored on a 56-yard run 87 seconds into the game and a 52-yard run shortly after. Rasheem Biles of Texas had an interception and two pass breakups in a win over Ole Miss. John Mateer of Oklahoma completed 76% of his passes for 283 yards and two touchdowns against Mississippi State. Cole Tabb of Cincinnati rushed for 173 yards and a touchdown to help beat Texas Tech.

The points leader for the season remains Jeremiah Smith of Ohio State with 27.5 points. Toney is second with 27 points. Keelon Russell of Alabama is third with 25 points. Kamario Taylor of Mississippi State has 20 points and Michael Hawkins Jr. of West Virginia has 17 points. The rankings update weekly based on a points system that awards 10 points for first place in the weekly award.

The 24-team College Football Playoff is expected to begin in 2027. This change means teams with strong talent will have more opportunities to recover from early losses. LSU has already experienced this dynamic after losing two close road games earlier in the season. Those defeats would have been elimination blows in previous playoff formats, but the current 12-team structure allows for more flexibility. Leavitt’s recent form suggests the team is ready for the upcoming stretch of play.