CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – The Atlantic Coast Conference Football Players of the Week have been recognized following their standout performances in Week 7 of the 2024 college football season. The selections are determined by a vote of a select media panel. The following are this week’s honorees:
QUARTERBACK – Cade Klubnik, Clemson, QB, Austin, Texas
Klubnik completed 31-of-41 pass attempts for 309 yards and three touchdowns as Clemson defeated Wake Forest 49-14 on the road. Klubnik became the first Clemson quarterback to throw multiple touchdown passes in five straight games since Trevor Lawrence in 2020. Accounting for 21 touchdowns already this season, Klubnik posted just the 19th individual season in Clemson history in which a player was responsible for 20 or more touchdowns. After the Tigers punted on their first two drives, Klubnik engineered seven touchdown drives on Clemson’s next nine possessions, including a 30-second scoring drive to close the first half. The Austin, Texas, native added seven rushing attempts for 30 yards.
RUNNING BACK – Jamal Haynes, Georgia Tech, RB, Loganville, Georgia
Haynes rushed for a career-high 170 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning 68-yard touchdown with 16 seconds left in the fourth quarter as Georgia Tech knocked off North Carolina 41-34. Haynes’ 170 rushing yards are the third-most by an ACC player this season and the most in a conference game. Both of his rushing touchdowns came in the fourth quarter on carries of four and 68 yards. The 170 rushing yards shattered his previous career high of 128, which he set in the 2023 Gasparilla Bowl and matched in last week’s win over Duke.
RECEIVER – Jackson Meeks, Syracuse, WR, Phenix City, Alabama
Meeks recorded a career-high 11 catches, the most by an Orange player since 2022, for 116 yards and a touchdown in a road win over NC State. His touchdown on a fourth-and-goal play in the fourth quarter, ultimately proved to be the deciding score in the Orange’s 24-17 win. It marks the third-straight game with eight-or-more catches for Meeks and fourth-straight game with a receiving score. He ranks second in the ACC in receptions per game at 6.3, trailing only his Syracuse teammate Trebor Pena.
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN – Keylan Rutledge, Georgia Tech, RG, Royston, Georgia
Rutledge headlined a Georgia Tech offensive line that paved the way for the Yellow Jackets to rush for 371 yards and five touchdowns in a 41-34 win at North Carolina. He cleared key holes throughout the day, both on the right side from his guard position and on the left side while acting as a pulling guard. Rutledge delivered a key block on Jamal Haynes’ game-winning 68-yard touchdown run with 16 seconds left in the fourth quarter. According to Pro Football Focus, Rutledge allowed just one quarterback pressure on 24 dropbacks, blocking at a 98-percent efficiency. For the seventh straight game to begin the season, Rutledge did not allow a sack.
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN – Jimmy Scott, Pitt, DE, Buffalo, New York
Scott spearheaded a dominant defensive effort for Pitt, collecting six tackles, including 3.5 tackles-for-loss, and three sacks in the Panthers’ 17-15 victory over Cal. Scott has been a crucial piece in Pitt moving to 6-0 for the first time since 1982. Scott’s trio of sacks went for a total loss of 17 yards with two of those sacks coming in a three-play span late in the third quarter. Scott also helped hold the Golden Bears to just 63 yards of rushing on 40 carries, logging a 1.6 yard per carry average.
LINEBACKER – Justin Barron, Syracuse, LB, Rocky Hill, Connecticut
Barron had two takeaways in Syracuse's 24-17 win at NC State. The senior linebacker recovered a fumble and had an interception, which he returned 41 yards, both of which set up touchdowns on the ensuing offensive possession. He added eight tackles, 2.0 tackles-for-loss, a sack, a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry to help the Orange to a road victory. Barron’s eight tackles were the most by a Syracuse player in the win.
DEFENSIVE BACK – Jonas Sanker, Virginia, S, Charlottesville, Virginia
Sanker led Virginia with 11 tackles, including eight solo stops, against Louisville. The performance marked his third double-digit tackle game of the season and sixth in his last 10 games dating back to the 2023 season. Sanker also combined for a tackle-for-loss and added a pass break-up against Louisville. The Cavaliers defense held the Cardinals to a season-low 24 points and the nation's 13th-best passing offense (303 passing yards per game) to a season-low 231 passing yards. Sanker’s 5.0 solo tackles per game and 30 total solo tackles are the second-most in the ACC.
SPECIALIST – Ben Sauls, Pitt, PK, Tipp City, Ohio
Sauls’ school-record tying 58-yard field goal provided the game-winning points for Pitt in a 17-15 win over Cal. The record-tying field goal came in the second quarter and capped off a perfect 3-for-3 day on attempts, including two extra points. He has now made 12 consecutive field goals, matching the Pitt program record and is the first Panther to reach the mark since Conor Lee did so in 2007. Sauls remains a perfect 38-for-38 on placements this season – 10-for-10 on field goals and 28-for-28 on point after tries – for a team-leading 58 points.
ROOKIE – Isaac Brown, Louisville, RB, Homestead, Florida
Brown led all Louisville rushers with 20 carries for 146 yards and two touchdowns in the Cardinals’ road win over Virginia. This season, Brown has rushed for 508 yards, the third-highest total by a true freshman in program history, trailing only Lamar Jackson (960) and John Brewer (573). Brown is the second true freshman in Louisville history to have three 100-yard rushing games, joining Lamar Jackson, who had five 100-yard rushing games in 2015.