LSU Quarterback: Sam Leavitt's Turnover Drought Drives Ranking Surge

College football quarterbacks are judged by their ability to protect the ball as much as their arm strength, a standard that separates the elite from the rest of the field. The latest CBS Sports power rankings released on Oct. 28 reflect this reality, with LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt jumping seven spots to No. 17 following a pair of clean games. His rise coincides with a sharp decline for USC’s Jayden Maiava, who fell five positions to No. 15 after a difficult week at Wisconsin.

Leavitt’s climb stems from a consistent performance against Mississippi State and Auburn. In those two contests, he completed 63 of 83 passes for 677 yards and seven touchdowns. More importantly for his ranking, he did not throw a single interception. This two-game stretch breaks a long trend of turnovers for the quarterback, who was considered one of the most interception-prone players in the first half of the season. The stability has allowed him to move from No. 24 last week to his current position.

The win at Auburn on Oct. 24 provided the decisive evidence for his upward movement. Early in the second quarter, Leavitt threw a pass that appeared to be caught by Auburn safety Eric Winters. The replay center overturned the call, ruling that the ball hit the ground before it was secured. Leavitt capitalized on the second chance, completing the drive with eight of his next ten passes. He guided LSU on a 14-play, 95-yard touchdown march that put the Tigers ahead 17-3. He finished the game with a season-high 388 passing yards despite managing a hamstring injury.

Coach Lane Kiffin noted that the team’s development has been gradual. He told Leavitt that the player was lucky to avoid the turnover against Auburn. Kiffin stated that the team planned to be where they are now, but acknowledged that the process would be slower because Leavitt missed his entire spring practice due to health issues. The quarterback is not yet at 100% health, but his improvement is visible in the statistics.

In contrast, Jayden Maiava’s season has taken a turn for the worse. He averaged a career-worst 5.1 yards per attempt in USC’s 24-7 loss at Wisconsin. He completed 31 of 50 passes for 257 yards and was intercepted twice. This was the first time all season that he was picked off in a single game. The performance ended his dark-horse Heisman Trophy hopes and dropped him from No. 10 last week.

The top of the rankings remains stable, though Darian Mensah of Miami maintains a lead in passing efficiency. He threw for 387 yards and four touchdowns in a 52-23 win over Pittsburgh. Braden Atkinson of Oregon State remains No. 2, leading the country in passing yards with 2,604. Gio Lopez of Wake Forest holds No. 3, while Drew Mestemaker of Oklahoma State moved up to No. 4 after a strong performance against Colorado.

The middle of the pack saw several shifts based on Week 8 results. Keelon Russell of Alabama rose to No. 9 after a 311-yard game against Texas A&M. He is second in the SEC in passing yards and prepares for a trip to LSU in Week 9. Kenny Minchey of Kentucky climbed to No. 10, keeping his team’s turnover margin positive. Noah Fifita of Arizona moved up five spots to No. 11 after leading the Big 12 in passer rating.

Leavitt’s next test comes when he faces Alabama in Week 9. The Tigers will travel to face the Crimson Tide, a matchup that will test his ability to maintain his current level of play. Kiffin expects the chemistry between Leavitt and his new receiving corps to continue improving as the season progresses.