CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – The Atlantic Coast Conference Football Players of the Week have been recognized for their standout performances in Week 13 of the season. The selections are determined by a vote of a select media panel. The following are this week’s honorees:
QUARTERBACK –
Brennan Armstrong, NC State, QB, Shelby, Ohio
Armstrong earned the weekly honor for the second straight week, as he led the Wolfpack to 504 yards of total offense in the 39-20 win over North Carolina. That was the Pack's highest total offense in an ACC game since 2018. Despite being unable to throw in practice all week due to a rib injury, Armstrong passed for a season-high 334 yards, three touchdowns, and connected on 71 percent of his throws (22-of-31) in the win. He also added another 22 yards on the ground, setting a new NC State single-season record for rushing by a quarterback. His 544 yards on the ground this season broke the mark set by Jacoby Brissett in 2014.
RUNNING BACK – Trey Benson, Florida State, RB, Greenville, Miss.
Benson scored all three of Florida State’s touchdowns in the Seminoles’ 24-15 win at Florida. Benson tied his career-high rushing touchdowns with three and has scored three rushing touchdowns in both career games versus Florida. He is the only Seminole in series history with a three-rush touchdown game versus Florida. With his three scores, Benson is seventh in FSU history with 14 rush touchdowns this year, which ranks second in the ACC, and is 13th in FSU history with 23 career rushing touchdowns.
RECEIVER – Kevin Concepcion, NC State, WR, Charlotte, N.C.
Picking up his first Receiver of the Week honor, Concepcion posted his third 100-yard receiving game of the year with 131 yards on seven catches. He also hauled in a pair of touchdown catches to give him 10 for the season and was also the Wolfpack’s leading rusher with 11 carries for 55 yards in the win over North Carolina. His 10 receiving touchdowns are second in the ACC and the top mark in the FBS among freshmen. He finished the regular season as the only player in FBS with 750-plus receiving yards and 250-plus rushing yards this season. He is the first FBS player to do that since 2021 and the first ACC player since 2015.
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN – Matt Lee, Miami, C, Oviedo, Fla.
Among Miami's top performers on the offensive line, Lee was a key factor in the offensive domination by Miami on a cold day in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, that ended with a 45-20 victory. A veteran on the line, Lee was a captain for a game where the Hurricanes did not surrender a single sack, rushed for 242 yards, and outgained Boston College 532-294 in an ACC win.
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN – Jared Verse, Florida State, DE, Dayton, Ohio
Verse recorded six tackles, 2.5 sacks, and 3.0 tackles-for-loss in the win at Florida, which was a career-high for sacks, and a season-high tackles-for-loss and tackles. His 2.0 sacks came on Florida's final fourth-quarter drive.
LINEBACKER – Payton Wilson, NC State, LB, Hillsborough, N.C.
Wilson picked up his fifth conference weekly honor of the season, as he led NC State in tackles for the 10th time this season with 15 as the Wolfpack defense held North Carolina to its lowest point total of the season. He also tallied 2.0 tackles-for-loss, a sack, a forced fumble, and an interception in the rivalry win.
DEFENSIVE BACK – Khalil Barnes, Clemson, S, Athens, Ga.
Barnes became the first Clemson player to record a takeaway on consecutive plays from scrimmage by an opponent since Brian Dawkins against Duke in 1995. He opened the scoring in the win over South Carolina on a 42-yard fumble return touchdown 35 seconds into the game. On South Carolina’s next play from scrimmage, he recorded his third interception of his freshman season. He became the first Clemson player with a fumble recovery and an interception in the same game since Dorian O’Daniel at Virginia Tech in 2017. With his performance, he became only the second FBS player — and the only FBS freshman — to record three or more interceptions, multiple forced fumbles, and a scoop-and-score this season.
SPECIALIST – Jonathan Weitz, Clemson, PK, Charleston, S.C.
Weitz went 3-for-3 on field goals in Clemson's nine-point rivalry win at South Carolina. He converted field goal attempts of 50, 49 and 42 yards after entering the day with a career long of 41. His three field goals of 40-plus yards tied a school record, shared by Bob Paulling (vs. North Carolina in 1982), Nelson Welch (vs. NC State in 1991), Mark Buchholz (vs. Wake Forest in 2007) and Chandler Catanzaro (vs. Troy in 2011). Weitz’s career-long 50-yard field goal in the first quarter was Clemson’s longest field goal since a 52-yarder by B.T. Potter in the 2022 ACC Championship Game. His three field goals tied the Clemson record in a single game against South Carolina, set most recently by Potter in 2021. An initial walk-on at Clemson from 2019-22, Weitz had concluded his playing career and was prepared to start a job on a trading desk in New York City while finishing graduate school before instead returning to Clemson midseason at the behest of head coach Dabo Swinney.
ROOKIE – Kevin Concepcion, NC State, WR, Charlotte, N.C.
In the regular-season finale versus North Carolina, Concepcion posted his third 100-yard receiving game of the year with 131 yards on seven catches. He also hauled in a pair of touchdown catches to give him 10 for the season and was also the Wolfpack’s leading rusher with 11 carries for 55 yards in the win over North Carolina. His 10 receiving touchdowns are second in the ACC and the top mark in the FBS for all freshmen. He finished the regular season as the only player in FBS with 750-plus receiving yards and 250-plus rushing yards this season. He is the first FBS player to do that since 2021 and the first ACC player since 2015. It marks his fourth Rookie of the Week honor this season.