This year’s regular season of college football is fully underway, with half of the schedule done and dusted as teams head into week nine. Just two teams from the SEC remain within the top five of the latest AP Poll, No. 2 Georgia and No. 5 Texas, but a number of players across the conference continue to put up notable numbers in their respective roles. Here are the top statistical leaders coming out of week eight:
Total offensive yards – Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss QB
Senior starting quarterback for the No. 18 Ole Miss Rebels Jaxson Dart has maintained a spot at the top of the offensive charts in the SEC since the beginning of the season. He leads the conference in total offense with 2,567 yards and takes the reins in total passing yards with 2,384 yards. Dart currently sits at a near-perfect 70% pass completion rating and averages 340.57 passing yards per game, also having the highest pass efficiency.
Total rushing yards, rushing attempts and rushing touchdowns – Dylan Sampson, University of Tennessee RB
Dylan Sampson received this week’s SEC Offensive Player of the Week in then-No. 11 Tennessee’s win over then-No. 7 Alabama, and for obvious reason. The junior running back is the frontman for a three-headed monster of conference accolades, leading with 838 total rushing yards on 144 attempts and 17 touchdowns for the Volunteers. Assisting in defeating the Crimson Tide, Sampson ran for a career-high-tying 139 yards on 26 carries, the most by a player against Alabama since Jayden Daniels in 2023, and two touchdowns.
Total receptions, total receiving yards and average receiving yards per game – Tre Harris, Ole Miss WR
Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart has found his partner in crime with fifth-year wide receiver Tre Harris. He has outshined the runner-up in the conference in reception yards by nearly 300 yards, with a whopping 987 total yards on 59 catches. He averages 141 yards per game across seven matchups and is second in receiving touchdowns with six. Harris has undoubtedly solidified himself as a dangerous target in his second year with the Rebels.
Interceptions caught and total yards returned – Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina DB
Entering his third year with South Carolina, Nick Emmanwori was a crucial asset in the Gamecocks’ 35-9 win over Oklahoma this past weekend. The defensive back recorded a season-high 11 tackles and two interceptions against the Sooners, returning one for 65 yards and a touchdown in the first quarter. Emmanwori has snagged four interceptions and returned them for 107 yards and two touchdowns this season.
Total sacks and tackles for loss – Kyle Kennard, South Carolina EDGE
Kyle Kennard has been wreaking havoc on his opponents in his first stint with South Carolina. The transfer out of Georgia Tech has racked up seven solo sacks and assisted on three more while also garnering 12.5 tackles for loss. Although his performance versus Oklahoma wasn’t as impressive as his standing suggests, having just two tackles, one sack and one tackle for loss, Kennard has made his presence known within the Gamecocks defense.
Tackles per game – Isaac Smith, Mississippi State Safety
Having played in one less game than the player who’s seen the most tackles in the conference, Isaac Smith still averages the most tackles per game with 11.33. The sophomore safety has 68 tackles on the season across six games in comparison to the 69 tackles across seven games that Whit Weeks from LSU has, cutting Weeks short of the best average per game. Smith has played in every game for the Mississippi State Bulldogs except for their matchup against Texas during week five, most recently making 12 tackles against No. 14 Texas A&M.
