Davey O’Brien Award Reveals Week 7’s Great 8

FORT WORTH, Texas (Oct. 13, 2025) — The Davey O’Brien Foundation has announced the Week 7 Davey O’Brien Great 8, a list that features Byrum Brown (South Florida), Carlos Del Rio-Wilson (Marshall), Blake Horvath (Navy), Tucker Kilcrease (Troy), Fernando Mendoza (Indiana), Kaidon Salter (Colorado), Demond Williams Jr. (Washington) and Dexter Williams II (Kennesaw State).

All eight members are now members of the Davey O’Brien Midseason Watch List. Through seven weeks of the 2025 season, 49 different quarterbacks have been honored.

The Davey O’Brien National Quarterback of the Week, selected from the Great 8 list, will be revealed Tuesday at 11 a.m. (CT).

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 $1.3 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.

—www.DaveyOBrienAward.com—

Davey O’Brien Great 8: Week 7

Byrum Brown, South Florida, Sr., 6-3, 232, Raleigh, N.C.

·      Accumulated 327 yards of total offense (245 passing, 82 rushing) and five touchdowns (three passing, two rushing) in a 63-36 win at previously-unbeaten North Texas.

Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, Marshall, Jr., 6-2, 219, Atlanta, Ga.

·      Was 17-for-24 through the air for 219 yards and two touchdowns, and added 95 rushing yards and two scores on 17 carries, in a 48-24 win over Old Dominion.

Blake Horvath, Navy, Sr., 6-2, 195, Hilliard, Ohio

·      Led Navy to a 32-31 final-minute comeback win over Temple after rushing for 155 yards and two TDs and throwing for 141 yards, including a touchdown as well as the game-winning 2-point conversion.

Tucker Kilcrease, Troy, Jr., 6-0, 205, Brantley, Ala.

·      Connected on 30 of 39 passes (76.9 percent) for a career-high 415 yards and a career-best five touchdowns as Troy rallied back from 21 points down to win at Texas State, 48-41, in overtime.

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

·      Steered the Hoosiers to an impressive 30-20 victory at No. 3 Oregon by completing 20 of 31 pass attempts (.645) for 215 yards and a score and adding 31 rushing yards on six carries.

Kaidon Salter, Colorado, Sr., 6-1, 190, Cedar Hill, Texas

·      Directed the Buffaloes to a 24-17 upset of No. 22 Iowa State by going 16-for-25 for 255 yards and two scores while carrying the ball nine times for 57 yards (6.3 yards per carry).

Demond Williams Jr., Washington, So., 5-11, 190, Chandler, Ariz.

·      Amassed 538 yards of total offense with 402 passing yards (21-for-27, 2 TDs) and 136 rushing yards (13 carries, 2 TDs) as Washington defeated Rutgers, 38-19. 

Dexter Williams II, Kennesaw State, Sr., 6-1, 218, Macon, Ga.

·      Was 27 of 36 passing (75.0 percent) for 290 yards and a school-record-tying four touchdowns during a 35-7 victory over Louisiana Tech.