Six SEC quarterbacks to watch in Week 8

With a pair of ranked-on-ranked battles, Week 8 promises to be a big one for SEC quarterbacks. Here's a rundown on six SEC passers to watch for their key roles in SEC Week 9.

Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt

Pavia was a Heisman Trophy candidate who had enjoyed a near-flawless season. But Alabama proved him human, holding Pavia to a season-low 5.7 yards per pass attempt and forcing a pair of crucial turnovers in the red zone. A better performance may be key to his shot at redemption for Vanderbilt against No. 10 LSU in Week 8.

Garrett Nussmeier, LSU

While Pavia is looking to rebound from a bad game, Nussmeier has really had an ineffective season. He has yet to top 8.8 yards per pass attempt and he's thrown an interception in four of LSU's six games. Nussmeier is 13th in the SEC in QB rating. The good news for LSU is that they're 5-1 without much help from Nussmeier. But they'll need more down the SEC stretch.

Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss

The Division II transfer has been one of the stories of the season to date, but there's one glaring issue for him. Chambliss hasn't thrown a pass yet on the road. He saw a few snaps at Kentucky, but Austin Simmons did the heavy lifting in that game. Chambliss will get a road trial by fire at Georgia, and it does present a massive challenge.

Gunner Stockton, Georgia

The book on Stockton is that he tends to slide into the game manager role. On the season, his 7.5 yards per pass bespeaks a player who is generally being efficient, but not explosive. He has shown flashes-- 304 yards and two scores against Tennessee, for instance. But Georgia will likely need more than competence from Stockton to best Ole Miss.

John Mateer, Oklahoma

Much like Pavia, Mateer looked invincible... until he didn't. In four games, Mateer catapaulted the Sooners into national prominence and himself into the Heisman race. But after a hand injury caused him to miss a game, he rushed back for the Red River Shootout, only to get humbled by Texas. A season-low 5.3 yards per pass and a trio of interceptions set OU and Mateer back. His bounce-back opportunity starts against South Carolina.

DJ Lagway, Florida

A big feature in Florida's 2-4 debacle of a season is how lost Lagway has mostly looked since Week 1. That said, he still has flashes of NFL ability. Lagway passed for 298 yards and two scores against Texas in an upset. He'll likely need a similar performance to best Mississippi State and perhaps keep Billy Napier's sagging job chances alive for another week.