We have our first installment of ACC Football Players of the Week from the limited four-game slate of Week 0 games.
The guys were picked by a vote of a select media panel.
Something tells me that I will never be selected for this select media panel.
In fact, if they were to try to select me at this point, I would decline, out of spite.
QB: Beau Pribula, Virginia (York, Pennsylvania)
- Accounted for 265 yards of total offense (155 passing and 110 rushing) and two touchdowns in UVA’s 34-8 season-opening win over NC State.
- Was 9-for-11 passing (81.8%) and connected on touchdown passes of 45 yards and 47 yards in the contest.
- Just the ninth time an ACC player has recorded at least 150 passing yards and 100 rushing yards in a season opener over the last 30 seasons.
Running back: Micah Ford, Stanford (Toms River, New Jersey)
- Carried the ball 25 times for 99 yards with three rushing touchdowns and added one reception for one yard in Stanford’s season-opening win over Hawai’i.
- Recorded his first career multi-touchdown game on the ground with his three scores.
- Became the first Stanford running back since Bryce Love in 2017 to rush for over 90 yards with three touchdowns in a game.
Receiver: Samuel Singleton, Florida State (Charleston, South Carolina)
- Recorded a career-high and team-high four catches for 54 yards in the Seminoles’ season-opening 34-17 win over New Mexico State.
- Caught his first career receiving touchdown.
- Also recorded a career-long 35-yard catch in the win.
- Added 42 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in the season opener.
- Totaled 68 kick return yards, including a 46-yard return that was FSU’s longest since Singleton’s 95-yard kickoff touchdown return in 2024.
O line: Monroe Mills, Virginia (Columbia, Missouri)
- Did not allow a sack in 11 pass protection opportunities against the Wolfpack defensive front.
- Posted the highest overall grade by any offensive lineman (86.5) and the highest grade in the ACC in Week 0 according to Pro Football Focus (PFF).
- His PFF run block grade of 81.4 was the highest of any ACC offensive lineman and was tied for the third highest in the country for Week 0.
D line: Xavier Lewis, North Carolina (Rolesville, North Carolina)
- Turned in the best game of his collegiate career to date to lead the Tar Heels to a 15-10 win against TCU in Dublin, Ireland.
- Tallied seven tackles, 4.5 tackles-for-loss and two sacks — each of which were a career high.
- His 4.5 tackles-for-loss are the most by a Tar Heel since 2024.
- Graded out at 88.2 to lead all defensive players in the game.
Linebacker: Derek McDonald, North Carolina (Atlanta, Georgia)
- Logged a game-high 11 tackles in the 15-10 win over TCU.
Defensive back: Brandyn Hillman, Virginia (Portsmouth, Virginia)
- Had a hand in both turnovers forced by Virginia, recording an interception and a forced fumble to go along with four tackles, including two solo stops, in the win.
- His interception in the first quarter set up UVA’s first touchdown of the year and put the Cavaliers up 10-0.
- In NC State’s only red zone appearance of the first half, Hillman punched the ball out of CJ Bailey‘s hands at the 7-yard-line to give the ball back to the Cavaliers’ offense.
Special teams: PK Will Bettridge, Virginia (Miami, Florida)
- Matched his career long with a 47-yard field goal to score the first points of the season for Virginia.
- Was 2-for-2 in UVA’s dominating victory over conference foe NC State with makes from 47 and 42 yards, while going perfect on four extra point attempts.
Rookie: Atticus Joseph, WR, Stanford (Snellville, Georgia)
- Caught four passes for 52 yards and a touchdown in his collegiate debut.
- Scored on a 6-yard pass from Davis Warren in the second quarter.
- Was the first Stanford player to record at least 50 receiving yards and a touchdown in his collegiate debut since Christian McCaffrey in 2014.
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Chris Graham
