You know your football team is coming off a rough week when all the PR people have to hype up is the punter having the game of his life.
Such is the case for UVA Football, whose punter, Daniel Sparks, averaged 56.7 yards per punt, on volume – Sparks had to punt seven times in Virginia’s 38-7 beatdown at Florida State on Sunday.
The output earned Sparks a spot on “Ray’s 8,” the top eight punters of the week, as designated by the Ray Guy Award committee.
Four of Sparks’ seven punts landed inside the 20, including a career-long 73-yarder in the third quarter.
Through five games in the 2026 season, Sparks leads the ACC and is third nationally with a 49.3-yard punting average.
Sparks leads all active FBS players in career yards punting (11,568) and total punts (257).