CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) -- The Atlantic Coast Conference Football Players of the Week have been recognized following their standout performances in Week 13 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– Fernando Mendoza, California, QB, Miami, Florida
Mendonza completed 25-of-36 passes for 299 yards in Cal’s 24-21 come-from-behind win over Stanford in the Big Game. He also matched his career-high with three touchdown passes, including the game-winner on a 98-yard drive with 2:40 left in the contest.
RUNNING BACK– Jay Haynes, Clemson, RB, Roanoke, Alabama
Haynes rushed for a career-high 118 yards on five carries with two touchdowns against The Citadel. Haynes’ performance marked the fourth time in Clemson history in which a Tiger ran for 100 or more yards on five or fewer carries. The two rushing touchdowns are a career-high for the redshirt freshman, while his 70-yard rushing touchdown was Clemson’s second-longest rush of the season. He finished with 143 all-purpose yards after also logging a 25-yard kickoff return.
RECEIVER – Eli Pancol, Duke, WR, Pendleton, Indiana
Pancol caught five passes for 188 yards and three touchdowns as Duke beat Virginia Tech 31-28 on Saturday. He matched the Duke single-game record with two touchdown receptions of 50 or more yards, recording scores of 86 and 77 yards. Pancol’s 188 receiving yards marked the 13th-highest single-game total in Duke history while the 86-yard touchdown catch was the sixth-longest pass play in Duke history.
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN– Ozzy Trapilo, Boston College, RT, Norwell, Massachusetts
Trapilo and the Boston College offensive line paved the way for 228 rushing yards and 192 passing yards in a 420-yard day for the Eagles’ offense in a 41-21 win over North Carolina. The BC right tackle graded out at a team-best 85.9 from Pro Football Focus in pass blocking with zero pressures on 33 quarterback dropbacks.
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN – Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College, DE, Williamstown, New Jersey
Ezeiruaku led the Boston College defense that compiled a season-high seven sacks in its 41-21 win over North Carolina with two sacks of his own. The Eagles’ edge rusher pushed his season total to 13.0 sacks. Ezeiruaku also finished with six tackles and was credited with four quarterback hurries, which directly led to the Boston College secondary snagging three interceptions. Ezeiruaku and the Eagles’ defensive line limited the Tar Heels to 36 total rushing yards and held Omarion Hampton, the second-leading rusher in FBS, to 53 rushing yards.
LINEBACKER – Stanquan Clark, Louisville, LB, Miami, Florida
Clark recorded the first two interceptions of his career to go with seven total tackles, three of which were solo, in Louisville's 37-9 win over Pitt. With the help of Clark and the linebackers, the Cardinals held Pitt to 265 yards of total offense and just 75 yards on the ground. Clark is the first Louisville player with multiple interceptions in a game since Devin Neal logged two in the Cardinals’ win over Notre Dame in 2023.
DEFENSIVE BACK – Mishael Powell, Miami, DB, Seattle, Washington
Powell notched his career-best fifth interception of the season, running the pick back 76 yards for a touchdown. Powell’s interception return is the longest by a Hurricane since Kam Kinchens went 99 yards to the house against Georgia Tech in 2022. The sixth-year safety also recorded a sack and broke up two passes in Miami’s 42-14 win over Wake Forest. Led by Powell, Miami limited the Demon Deacons to 193 total yards, which marked the fewest the Hurricanes have allowed to an ACC opponent in nearly four years. The Hurricanes also shut out Wake Forest after the intermission, blanking a conference foe in the second half for the first time since November 27, 2021.
SPECIALIST – Aidan Birr, Georgia Tech, PK, Kennedale, Texas
Birr made all three of his field goal attempts and all three extra-point attempts in Georgia Tech’s 30-29 win over NC State. All 12 points from Birr proved to be critical as he became the first Yellow Jacket since 2010 to make three field goals from 40-yards or longer in a game. He also sent five of his six true kickoff attempts into the end zone for touchbacks.
ROOKIE – Aaron Philo, Georgia Tech, QB, Bogart, Georgia
For the second straight week, Philo split time with starting quarterback Haynes King. In the Yellow Jackets’ 30-29 win over NC State on Thursday, Philo logged career highs in passing yards (265), rushing yards (57) and total offense (322) to lift Georgia Tech to victory. Trailing by six with 90 seconds remaining in the game, he led Georgia Tech on a 7-play, 75-yard drive in just 1:08, capped by his 18-yard touchdown run with :22 left that lifted Tech to the win. His 265 passing yards and 322 yards of total offense were both the most by a Georgia Tech true freshman since 2020.