Davey O’Brien’s Great 8 for Week 7 Announced
FORT WORTH, Texas (Oct. 19, 2026) — The Davey O’Brien Foundation has selected its Great 8 quarterbacks for week seven, a group that combined to account for 33 touchdowns. This week’s list includes Bear Bachmeier of BYU, Auburn’s Byrum Brown, Trinidad Chambliss of Ole Miss, West Virginia’s Michael Hawkins Jr., Cale Hellums of Army, Texas State’s Brad Jackson, Sam Leavitt of LSU and Houston’s Conner Weigman.
All quarterbacks who are named to the Great 8 during the first nine weeks of the season officially join the Davey O’Brien Midseason Watch List. Through seven weeks, 47 different quarterbacks have now 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 is celebrating its 50th anniversary season this year. 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 Great 8: Week 7
Bear Bachmeier, BYU, So., 6-2, 230, Murrieta, Calif.
· Led BYU to a 28-24 triumph over No. 2 Notre Dame by totaling four touchdowns (two rushing, one passing, one receiving) and 284 yards of offense (224 passing, 45 rushing, 15 receiving).
Byrum Brown, Auburn, Sr., 6-3, 235, Raleigh, N.C.
· Steered Auburn to a 27-24 road win over No. 1 Georgia by finishing 15-for-26 for 150 yards and a TD and rushing 26 times for 115 yards and another score.
Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss, Sr., 6-0, 210, Grand Rapids, Mich.
· Completed 20 of 36 throws for 241 yards and three touchdowns and added 14 rushing yards and a score as Ole Miss defeated No. 13 Missouri, 31-3.
Michael Hawkins Jr., West Virginia, So., 6-1, 205, Dallas, Texas
· Amassed 541 yards of total offense (464 passing, 77 rushing) and five touchdowns (three passing, two rushing) in a 45-42 victory over Cincinnati.
Cale Hellums, Army, Sr., 5-11, 208, Tomball, Texas
· Matched the school’s all-time single-game record with five rushing touchdowns and had 25 carries for 195 yards (7.8 per rush) in a 56-24 win over Florida Atlantic.
Brad Jackson, Texas State, So., 6-0, 197, San Antonio, Texas
· Carried 13 times for 181 yards and three touchdowns and was 14-for-19 passing for 213 yards and a score as Texas State dropped Colorado State, 66-27.
Sam Leavitt, LSU, Jr., 6-2, 207, West Linn, Ore.
· Helped LSU to a 31-0 win over No. 16 Mississippi State by completing 31 of 38 passes (.816) for 289 yards and four touchdowns.
Conner Weigman, Houston, Sr., 6-3, 210, Cypress, Texas
· Was 24-for-33 for 343 yards and five touchdowns and carried 11 times for 52 yards in a 35-32 victory over No. 18 Oklahoma State.