Bryce Young, Will Levis set for NFL showdown after not playing each other in SEC

Despite tearing up the SEC at the same time, rookie quarterbacks Bryce Young and Will Levis have yet to face off in their nascent careers. Although the Kentucky Wildcats played the Alabama Crimson Tide in 2020 and Young saw snaps to close out the game, Levis was still months away from transferring from Penn State to Kentucky for the 2021 season. On Sunday, the two will finally take the field together as the Panthers and Titans play in Nashville.

“I’ve definitely watched him from afar and been really impressed with his whole process, and he’s a heck of a quarterback,” Levis said of Young this week leading up to the game. “Was really fun watching him, comparing myself to the other quarterbacks in the draft class. (He) did some great things on Saturdays. He’s been doing some great things on Sundays.”

The Carolina Panthers drafted Young with the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and began starting him at the onset of the season. Meanwhile, the Titans snagged Levis at No. 33 overall, and Sunday’s game will be his fifth start after a sprained ankle sidelined veteran Ryan Tannehill. Despite the difference in starts so far, both quarterbacks have one win.

Young grabbed his first win of his NFL career three weeks ago against the Houston Texans. Levis did the same for the Titans against the Falcons.

The second-round pick is now 73-for-124 with 857 yards passing, six touchdowns and two interceptions. He’s also taken 12 sacks. His first-round counterpart has taken 36 sacks while throwing 198-for-316 completions with 1,683 yards, nine touchdowns and eight interceptions. Young also has 138 rushing yards with an additional rushing TD.

Bryce Young relying on ever-shuffling Panthers OL

Quarterback play will be a key factor in Sunday’s game, but certainly not the only one. Young will heavily rely on solid play from his offensive line, which he hasn’t had for most of the season. The Panthers have used four different players at left guard this season, making it hard for the line to have consistency. The former Crimson Tide star defended his

“It doesn’t affect anything, doesn’t affect our mentality,” Young said. “My mentality, us as a unit, again, it’s next man up, you know. We have to step up again.

“It’s tough and that’s the tough part about the sport, but we’re all professionals, the expectation doesn’t change. . . . That’s part of the league. You’re going to have shuffling around, you’re going to always have movement. But you keep the same communication, we all prepare like we’re ready to take every snap.”

Sunday’s game in Nashville kicks off at 1 p.m. ET on FOX.