Davey O’Brien Award Announces Postseason Great 8

Written By Drew Harris

FORT WORTH, Texas (Jan. 26, 2026) — The Davey O’Brien Foundation has announced the eight quarterbacks named to the Davey O’Brien Award’s Postseason Great 8. All individual performances during bowl games and College Football Playoff contests were eligible for inclusion.

The quarterbacks on the Postseason Great 8 list are Miami’s Carson Beck, Trinidad Chambliss of Ole Miss, Utah’s Devon Dampier, Arch Manning of Texas, Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, Dante Moore of Oregon, TCU’s Ken Seals and Conner Weigman of Houston.

The Davey O’Brien Foundation was created in 1977, and the National Quarterback Award, the oldest and most prestigious college quarterback award, was first issued in 1981. Over its time, the Davey O’Brien Foundation has given away more than $1.4 million in scholarships and university grants to help high school and college athletes transform leadership on the field into leadership in life.

In 1938, O’Brien, who wore No. 8 as a star quarterback for TCU, became the first player ever to win the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Award in the same year. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1955.

 

Davey O’Brien Postseason Great 8

Carson Beck, Miami, Sr., 6-4, 225, Jacksonville, Fla.

  • Was 23-for-37 for 268 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for the game-winning score in a 31-27 win over No. 6 Ole Miss in the CFP Semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl.

 

Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss, Sr., 6-0, 200, Grand Rapids, Mich.

  • Connected on 30 of 46 passes for 362 yards and two touchdowns and added 14 rushing yards in a 39-34 victory in the CFP Quarterfinal at the Sugar Bowl over No. 3 Georgia.

  

Devon Dampier, Utah, Jr., 5-11, 210, Phoenix, Ariz.

  • Amassed 458 yards of total offense (310 passing, 148 rushing) and five touchdowns (three rushing, two passing) in a 44-22 triumph over Nebraska in the Las Vegas Bowl.

 

Arch Manning, Texas, So., 6-4, 219, New Orleans, La.

  • Logged 155 rushing yards and two touchdowns on nine carries (17.2 per carry) and was 21-for-34 for 221 yards and two scores in a 41-27 over No. 18 Michigan in the Citrus Bowl.

 

Fernando Mendoza, Indiana, Jr., 6-5, 225, Miami, Fla.

  • Threw more touchdown passes (5) than incompletions (3), going 17-for-20 (.850) through the air as Indiana defeated No. 5 Oregon, 56-22, in the CFP Semifinal at the Peach Bowl.

 

Dante Moore, Oregon, So., 6-3, 206, Detroit, Mich.

  • Completed 19 of 27 passes for 313 yards and four touchdowns, and added a rushing TD, during a 51-34 win over No. 12 James Madison in the CFP First Round.

 

Ken Seals, TCU, Sr., 6-3, 225, Azle, Texas

  • Led TCU to a 30-27 come-from-behind overtime victory over No. 16 USC in the Alamo Bowl, finishing 29-for-40 for 258 yards and two total touchdowns.

 

Conner Weigman, Houston, Sr., 6-3, 210, Cypress, Texas

  • Was 28-for-37 (.758) for 230 yards and four touchdowns and rushed 13 times for 56 yards as Houston defeated LSU, 38-35, in the Texas Bowl.

Drew Harris
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