Davey O’Brien Award’s Great 8 Announced for Week 8
FORT WORTH, Texas (Oct. 20, 2025) — The Davey O’Brien Foundation has selected the Great 8 quarterbacks for Week 8 of the college football season. The list includes Alonza Barnett III (James Madison), Ryder Burton (UAB), Drew Mestemaker (North Texas), Miller Moss (Louisville), Diego Pavia (Vanderbilt), Julian Sayin (Ohio State), Gunner Stockton (Georgia) and Conner Weigman (Houston).
All eight members are officially on the Davey O’Brien Midseason Watch List. With first-time Great 8 selections Barnett, Burton, Mestemaker and Weigman, 53 different quarterbacks have been honored through the 2025 season’s first eight weeks.
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 8
Alonza Barnett III, James Madison, Jr., 6-0, 217, Whitsett, N.C.
· Accumulated six touchdowns (four rushing, two passing) and 448 yards of total offense (295 passing, 153 rushing) in a 63-27 win over Old Dominion.
Ryder Burton, UAB, So., 6-2, 200, Springville, Utah
· Led UAB to a 31-24 upset win over No. 22 Memphis by completing 20 of 27 passes for 251 yards and three touchdowns in his first collegiate start.
Drew Mestemaker, North Texas, R-Fr., 6-4, 211, Austin, Texas
· Was 22-for-35 passing for 277 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for another score for a career-best five total TDs, as North Texas dropped UTSA, 55-17.
Miller Moss, Louisville, Sr., 6-2, 210, Los Angeles, Calif.
· Steered the Cardinals to a 24-21 win at No. 2 Miami by accounting for all three Louisville touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) and completing 23 of 37 passes for 248 yards.
Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt, Sr., 6-0, 207, Albuquerque, N.M.
· Was 14-for-22 passing for 160 yards and a touchdown and rushed 17 times for 86 yards and two TDs as the Commodores grabbed a 31-24 victory over No. 10 LSU.
Julian Sayin, Ohio State, So., 6-1, 208, Carlsbad, Calif.
· Connected on 36 of 42 passes (85.7 percent) for a career-best 393 yards and career-high-tying four touchdowns in a 34-0 win at Wisconsin.
Gunner Stockton, Georgia, Jr., 6-1, 215, Tiger, Ga.
· Completed 26 of 31 passes for 289 yards and four touchdowns, and carried 10 times for 59 yards and a score in a 43-35 win over No. 5 Ole Miss.
Conner Weigman, Houston, Jr., 6-3, 210, Cypress, Texas
· Was 15-for-23 through the air for 164 yards and three scores and rushed 14 times for 98 yards and a touchdown as Houston defeated Arizona, 31-28, on a last-second field goal.