College football grinds on into week 11, with eight SEC schools sitting in the AP Poll Top 25. No. 2 Georgia and No. 5 Texas are the only two teams in the top five, each boasting a 7–1 record. Georgia will take on Ole Miss and Texas will face Florida, each looking to improve their positions in the standings. Players continue to separate themselves statistically as SEC play heats up. Here’s a look at the players and teams that are at the top of the stat sheets.
Offensive rushing and scoring: Dylan Sampson, Tennessee running back
After his head coach Josh Heupel benched him during the first half of last Saturday’s game against Kentucky, running back Dylan Sampson made quite the comeback. In the third quarter, Sampson forced a fumble and scored a touchdown, leading the Vols to a 28-18 win over the Wildcats. The junior leads the SEC with 980 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns in eight games. He averages just over 14 points per game and is a major factor in every win Tennessee puts up.
Offensive passing: Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss quarterback
Jaxson Dart leads the conference with 3210 passing yards and a completion percentage just under 72%. The SEC chose Ole Miss’ senior quarterback as one of its offensive players of the week after he led his team to a resounding 63-31 win over Arkansas this past Saturday, throwing for 515 yards and six touchdowns. Dart has completed 21 touchdowns and thrown only three interceptions this season.
Receptions: Tre Harris, Ole Miss wide receiver
Another Rebel sits at the top of the stat sheet – this time it’s senior wide receiver Tre Harris. Although Harris hasn’t played the last two games due to a lower body injury, he still remains on top of the pack. The transfer from Louisiana Tech has hit his stride this season with Dart, racking up 987 receiving yards from 59 receptions, along with six touchdowns.
Tackles: Isaac Smith, Mississippi State safety
On the defensive side, Mississippi State sophomore safety Isaac Smith has shined. Although the Bulldogs are just 2–7, Smith has logged 33 solo tackles and 48 assisted, for a total of 81. Seven of those came in Mississippi State’s 45-20 triumph against the UMass Minutemen, its first win since the Bulldogs’ season opener in August.
Tackles for loss and sacks: Kyle Kennard, South Carolina edge
Edge rusher Kyle Kennard has been having an impressive senior season. The Georgia Tech transfer has 12.5 tackles for 89 yards lost this season, with 11 of them unassisted. He managed three in the 44-20 upset against Texas A&M this past weekend. To add to his accolades, Kennard also boasts the most sacks in the SEC. He has seven unassisted and averages just over one per game.
