Offensive Player of the Week Missing From Updated SEC QB Power Rankings

Aaron Murray, the former Georgia quarterback and current SEC Network analyst, released his updated SEC QB Power Rankings following Week 1. Ole Miss redshirt senior Trinidad Chambliss was slotted at No. 1, Mississippi State's Kamario Taylor at No. 2, Georgia's Gunner Stockton at No. 3, Texas's Arch Manning at No. 4 and Oklahoma's John Mateer at No. 5.

Yet Sam Leavitt, the LSU transfer, accounted for 343 yards of total offense and three touchdowns in a 51-10 blowout of Clemson, but did not appear in Murray's top five.

Sam Leavitt's LSU debut against Clemson

Leavitt completed 16 of 28 passes for 230 yards and a touchdown, then added a career-high 113 rushing yards and two scores on 12 carries as No. 11 LSU trampled No. 23 Clemson in front of 102,321 fans at Tiger Stadium.

The Tigers piled up 644 total yards and set a school record with 38 first downs. Leavitt's touchdown runs of 8 and 13 yards in the second quarter pushed LSU's lead to 28 points at halftime, and the Arizona State transfer left the game late in the third quarter with the outcome long decided.

The one blemish came on the opening drive, when a tipped pass turned into an interception. Leavitt said afterward, "Early on, you know, I can't put the ball in that position. Give our guy a bad ball placement. Got tipped up. Unfortunate, but you know, I really wasn't worried about it because of the demeanor of the team coming into it.

"I was pretty calm when it happened, so sometimes early on picks, it's because you're rattled. That wasn't the case. But can't have those mistakes early on in the future."

SEC Offensive Player of the Week honors

LSU Tigers quarterback Sam Leavitt (10) scrambles out of the pocket against the Clemson Tigers during the second half at Tiger Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Southeastern Conference named Leavitt Co-Offensive Player of the Week alongside Ole Miss receiver Deuce Alexander on Monday. The West Linn, Oregon, native was one of three LSU players to earn league weekly honors, joined by offensive tackle Jordan Seaton and defensive end Jordan Ross. All three players were making their LSU debuts.

Head coach Lane Kiffin praised the redshirt junior's ability to extend plays. "It's great when your quarterback can move around," Kiffin said. "The game is played out of rhythm a lot. The game is played out of rhythm a lot. The game is not in rhythm all the time as a quarterback, and one of the biggest things as a quarterback is: how do you play when it's out of rhythm? Because you don't block everybody right, and the receiver gets covered."

Why Sam Leavitt belongs in the top 5

LSU Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin talks to quarterback Sam Leavitt (10) against the Clemson Tigers. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Murray's top five leans heavily on Week 1 production against Power 4 opposition. Chambliss accounted for nearly 400 yards and four touchdowns in Ole Miss's 41-38 win over Louisville in Nashville. Taylor accounted for five touchdowns and 354 passing yards against Louisiana-Monroe. Stockton went 15-of-16 for 202 yards and three scores against Tennessee State. Manning threw for 305 yards, four touchdowns and one interception in a 59-7 win over Texas State. Mateer finished with zero turnovers in a 51-0 rout of UTEP.

Leavitt's opponent was the highest-ranked team in the bunch. The Arizona State transfer produced more rushing yards than Manning, Stockton, Mateer and Chambliss combined in Week 1.

LSU hosts Louisiana Tech on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET and later visits Ole Miss in Week 3.

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