Virginia named National Team of the Week, has two players among ACC Football Players of the Week

The recognitions are flowing in after Virginia’s stunning upset of #10 North Carolina on Saturday, with the Football Writers Association of America naming UVA the Cheez-It National Team of the Week, and the ACC honoring wideout Malik Washington and linebacker James Jackson among the conference’s players of the week.

First, to the team honor: Virginia was a 24-point underdog going into Saturday night’s game, making the win the biggest against the spread in an ACC game since way back in 1998.

The win was the first for the Virginia program over a Top 10 opponent since 2005, and the first-ever for Virginia against a Top 10 team on the road.

The honor marks the second time UVA has won the National Team of the Week Award. The Cavaliers earned the honor back in 2019 after a 39-30 win over Virginia Tech that clinched UVA’s first ACC Coastal Division championship, a berth into the ACC Championship Game and ultimately the first-ever appearance in the Orange Bowl in program history.

(Ahem, so technically, it was the second time Virginia had been invited to an Orange Bowl; but Colgate Darden wasn’t around in 2019 to turn the bid down this time.)

Next, to the player honors: Jackson was named the ACC Linebacker of the Week, and Washington earned the ACC Receiver of the Week Award, as announced by the league office on Monday.

Jackson intercepted a Drake Maye pass with 26 seconds on the clock to seal the victory in UVA’s 31-27 upset at No. 10 North Carolina.

He finished the game with six tackles and two quarterback hurries.

Washington claimed the ACC’s top wide receiver weekly honor for the second time this season.

Washington, who scored UVA’s go-ahead touchdown with 8:51 remaining in the game at UNC, caught 12 passes for 115 yards in the contest, his fifth 100-yard receiving effort in seven games this season.

The 12 catches were the most by an ACC receiver in Week 8 and the second most in single game this season by an ACC receiver.

Washington, who leads the ACC in receiving yards (783), receptions (56) and receptions per game (8.0), is ranked in the Top 5 in FBS in all three categories.

Washington was also recognized as the East West Shrine Bowl Breakout Offensive Player of the Week by the game’s representatives on Monday. The honor goes to an all-star game eligible offensive player that displayed the most NFL traits that week.