Sam Leavitt named one of Davey O'Brien Award's Great 8 Quarterbacks for Week Five

Davey O'Brien Award Great 8 Quarterback of the Week - Sam Leavitt

• Sun Devil Football won their fifth game over an AP Top 25 team in the past two seasons when they defeated No. 24 TCU on Friday night.
• Sam Leavitt has been the quarterback in each of those victories and has won 15 of his first 18 games as a starter.
• He has engineered several comeback efforts in that time, but none more significant than what he did against the Horned Frogs.
• Leavitt completed 69% of his passes (27-of-39) for 291 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. On the ground, he added 62 yards on 13 carries and a touchdown, showing off his dual-threat ability.
• Leavitt orchestrated an offense that put up nearly 500 yards of total offense (498) and featured an extremely balanced effort (250+ passing and 200+ rushing).
• Leavitt now has six career games with at least one passing and one rushing score. 
• The Sun Devils are now 6-0 when Leavitt has at least one passing and one rushing touchdown during the same game. 
• After an uncharacteristic three interceptions in his first two games this year, Leavitt has been flawless on his 96 attempts over the last three games with five touchdowns.
• ASU is now 10-0 when Leavitt doesn’t throw an interception. 
• His 291 passing yards were a new season high.
• That mark is tied for the second-most in a single game (291 @ Arizona, Nov. 30, 2024) falling just short of his career-best 304 @ Oklahoma State on Nov. 2, 2024.
• It was the second time this season and in Leavitt’s career where he passed for 250+ yards, 2 passing TDs and a rushing TD.
• It was the seventh time of his career recording at 250+ passing yards in his two seasons as a Sun Devil.
• Leavitt recorded his sixth game at ASU with 150+ passing yards and 50+ rushing yards.
• That ranks him ninth among all FBS quarterbacks in the last two seasons achieving that feat.
• Leavitt now improves to 9-1 in regular season Big 12 games as the starting quarterback.
• Only nine times this season has an FBS quarterback thrown for 250+ yards and 2+ touchdowns and also rushed for 50+ yards and 1+ touchdowns. However, Sam Leavitt is the only player in the country to do so twice.

The ASU Victory...

• Marked ASU’s first official 2-0 start in conference play since 2012 in the Pac-12 (all ASU’s victories in a 3-0 Pac-12 start in 2021 were later vacated).
• Gave ASU its second consecutive 4-1 start to a season, marking the first time the Sun Devils have done it in back-to-back years since the 2011 and 2012 campaigns.
• Extended ASU’s home winning streak to nine consecutive victories, which would matches its longest in the regular season since a nine-game stretch between the 2012-14 seasons (lost to Stanford in 2013 Pac-12 Championship game at home). It is the longest overall home win streak since a 14-game run spanning the 1980 and 1982 seasons.
• Gave ASU its eighth straight victory over an opponent from the Big 12
• Moved ASU to 8-6 against schools from the state of Texas since the 2000 season, while giving the Sun Devils their third victory over a Texas school in as many weeks.
• Ended TCU’s seven-game winning streak dating back to last season, which was currently tied for the second-longest active winning streak in the nation behind Memphis (8).
• Gave the Sun Devils their sixth win over a Top-25 program in a home Blackout game since the 2011 season.
• Became the first win in the Dillingham era while trailing at halftime. 
• Is the first time the program has won with the exact same score in back-to-back weeks (2025, 27-24, 27-24) since 1963 (35-6, 35-6)
• Was the largest come-from-behind win against a ranked opponent at home in school history

Biggest comebacks for Sun Devil Football (1965-present)
22- ASU 39, at San Diego State 28 (Sept. 14, 2002)/trailed 22-0 in the second quarter
21- ASU 45, at No. 6 Oregon 42 (Oct. 19, 2002)/trailed 21-0 9:15 left in the second quarter
21- ASU 42, at UCLA 34 (Oct. 12, 1996)/trailed 28-7 in the first quarter
21- ASU 26, Colorado State 21 (Nov. 23, 1974)/trailed 21-0 at halftime
21- ASU 63, New Mexico 28 (Nov. 2, 1968)/ASU trailed 28-7 at halftime
19- ASU 41, at Arizona 40 (Nov. 24, 2018)/ASU trailed 40-21 entering the fourth quarter
19- ASU 44, Oregon State 24 (Sept. 22, 2007)/trailed 19-0 6:20 in the first
17- ASU 27, No. 24 TCU 24 (Sept. 26, 2025)/trailed 17-0 6:24 in second quarter

Recent FBS QBs to Win 15 of First 18 Starts
Sam Leavitt, ASU (15-3; 8/31/2024-9/26/2025)
Maddux Madsen, Boise State (15-3; 11/11/2023-9/20/2025)
Drew Allar, Penn State (15-3; 9/2/2023-10/5/2024)
Kyle McCord, Ohio State/Syracuse (16-2; 9/25/2021-10/4/2024)
Jalen Milroe, Alabama (16-2; 10/8/2022-9/28/2024)
Carson Beck, Georgia (16-2; 9/2/2023-9/28/2024)

Sam Leavitt is in some strong company on the list of recent FBS quarterbacks to start their career with at least 15 wins in their first 18 games. Since 2003, he is just the ninth Big 12 quarterback to go 15-3 or better to start their career. He is joined on that list by some of the greatest quarterbacks in college football history. Leavitt has equaled the starts of eventual Heisman Trophy winners Baker Mayfield (TTU/OU) and Sam Bradford (OU) as well as 2012 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year Collin Klein. He is only one game behind the pace set by legends like Vince Young (Texas), Brandon Weeden (OKST), Bryce Petty (Baylor), and Todd Reesing (KU). 
 

Recent Big 12 QBs to Win 15 of First 18 Starts – Since 2003*
Sam Leavitt, ASU (15-3; 8/31/2024-9/26/2025)
Spencer Rattler, Oklahoma** (15-2; 9/12/2020-10/9/2021)
Baker Mayfield, Texas Tech/Oklahoma (15-3; 8/30/2013-11/21/2015)
Bryce Petty, Baylor (16-2; 8/31/2013-10/11/2014)
Collin Klein, Kansas State (15-3; 11/6/2010-9/22/2012)
Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State (16-2; 9/4/2010-10/8/2011)
Todd Reesing, Kansas (16-2; 9/1/2007-10/4/2008)
Sam Bradford, Oklahoma (15-3; 9/1/2007-9/27/2008)
Vince Young, Texas (16-2; 10/18/2003-11/26/2004)
*all first 18 starts came in Big 12; career started in 2003 or later
**15 wins in 17 games in Big 12

Dual Threat
There are seven FBS players with at least 1000 passing yards and 250 rushing yards this season. Arizona State's Sam Leavitt and Utah's Devon Dampier are the only two Big 12 representatives.

FBS, Most Rushing Plays of 10+ Yards - 2025
1. Cam Cook, Jacksonville State 23
2. Taylen Green, Arkansas 22
3. Ahmad Hardy, Missouri 21
4. Hollywood Smothers, NC State 17
5. Sam Leavitt, ASU 16
6. Bryson Barnes, USU 15
Raleek Brown, ASU 15

Most Rushing Plays of 10+ Yards - 2025 (Big 12 Players)
1. Sam Leavitt, ASU 16
2. Raleek Brown, ASU 15
3. LJ Martin, BYU 13
Bryson Washington, Baylor 13
5. Jalon Daniels, Kansas 11
Ismail Mahdi, Arizona 11

Milestone watch
- Sam Leavitt is only 152 total yards of offense short of 5,000 career yards of offense (currently at 4,848).
- Sam Leavitt is only six total touchdowns shy of 50 career total touchdowns (currently at 44)

National Players of the Week in 2025 (4)
Week 1
Jordyn Tyson - East-West Shrine Bowl Offensive Player of the Week; Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Player of the Week (Honorable Mention)
Week 4
Jesus Gomez - Lou Groza Award Star of the Week
Week 5
Sam Leavitt - Davey O'Brien Award Great 8 Quarterback of the Week
Jordyn Tyson - Senior Bowl Offensive Player of the Week; Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Player of the Week (Honorable Mention)

Ten Sun Devils took home a National Player of the Week honor last year and the program is off to another strong start in the category this year. Sam Leavitt and Jordyn Tyson received recognition this week, giving ASU four honorees already in the 2025 campaign.

National Players of the Week in 2024 (10)
Week 12
Jordyn Tyson - Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Player of the Week (Honorable Mention)
Sam Leavitt - Shawn Alexander Freshman of the Week
Sam Leavitt - Davey O'Brien Great 8 Quarterback of the Week
Week 11
Jordyn Tyson - Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Player of the Week (Honorable Mention)
Week 10
Cam Skattebo - Doak Walker Running Back of the Week
Week 7
Cam Skattebo - Doak Walker Running Back of the Week
Caleb McCullough - Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player
Week 6
Jordyn Tyson - Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Player of the Week (Honorable Mention)
Week 2
Cam Skattebo - Doak Walker Running Back of the Week
Cam Skattebo - Associated Press Offensive Player of the Week

Sun Devils on Social
Follow and congratulate Sam Leavitt via his social media platforms.
X: @S_leav10
IG: @samleavitt10