Is Sam Leavitt playing tonight vs. Ole Miss? LSU QB’s latest injury status ahead of SEC showdown

Sam Leavitt's status changed throughout the week. He was initially listed as doubtful Wednesday and later upgraded to questionable Thursday.

The marquee matchup of Week 3 in the college football season sees the No. 7 LSU Tigers travel to face the No. 8 Ole Miss Rebels.

LSU made Sam Leavitt a major priority in the transfer portal. (Getty Images via AFP)

While the SEC showdown features several major storylines, one of the biggest questions heading into Saturday night was the status of LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt.

Is Sam Leavitt playing tonight?

LSU raised eyebrows earlier this week when Leavitt appeared on the team’s initial injury report as doubtful. The designation immediately created uncertainty over whether the quarterback would be available against Ole Miss.

Those concerns have now been put to rest. Leavitt has been cleared to play Saturday night after being completely removed from the SEC injury report on game day.

The 21-year-old quarterback's status changed throughout the week. He was initially listed as doubtful Wednesday, upgraded to questionable Thursday and then cleared entirely Friday.

Did Leavitt get injured?

The initial injury designation was unexpected because Leavitt did not appear to suffer an obvious injury during LSU’s Week 2 victory over Louisiana Tech.

In that game, Leavitt completed 25 of 38 passes for 344 yards and a touchdown while also throwing three interceptions.

It remains unclear exactly when Leavitt sustained the issue or what specific injury prompted LSU to place him on the report. He also did not mention being hurt when speaking with reporters after the win over Louisiana Tech.

What happened to the LSU quarterback?

The situation initially appeared to raise questions about whether LSU was using the injury report as a form of gamesmanship ahead of its meeting with Ole Miss.

However, LSU insider Matt Moscona later provided some clarity, reporting that Leavitt was dealing with back spasms on Wednesday. That issue reportedly explains why the quarterback appeared on the injury report in the first place.

Leavitt does have a history of injuries. Before transferring to LSU from Arizona State, he suffered a season-ending foot injury last year with the Sun Devils. The subsequent procedure also kept him out throughout LSU's spring practices.

Kiffin’s first Ole Miss reunion

Lane Kiffin will face Ole Miss for the first time since leaving the program before last year’s College Football Playoff to take the LSU job. He also attempted to bring several Rebels players with him, adding another layer to the rivalry.

LSU landed Leavitt with $4.5M NIL deal

LSU made Leavitt a major priority in the transfer portal, reportedly committing $4.5 million in NIL money to land the quarterback.

With Leavitt now cleared to play, the Tigers will have their starting quarterback available for the high-stakes SEC showdown.