Football

Week 13 ACC Football Players of the Week

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – The Atlantic Coast Conference has announced its Football Players of the Week following standout performances in Week 13. Honorees were selected by a vote of a select media panel.
 
QUARTERBACK – Carson Beck, Sixth Year, QB, Miami (Jacksonville, Florida)
  • Delivered an elite performance in the Hurricanes’ 34-17 win over Virginia Tech, completing 27-of-32 passes (84%) for 320 yards and four touchdowns.
  • Posted a 209.6 passer rating, completing 19 straight passes dating back to last week to extend the longest streak of his Miami career.
  • Directed an offense that totaled 418 yards in Saturday's ACC road win.
 
RUNNING BACK & ROOKIE – Ja’Kyrian Turner, Fr., RB, Pitt (Wildwood, Florida)
  • Rushed for 201 yards on 21 carries and scored one touchdown—a game-clinching 56-yarder—in the Panthers’ ranked road win at No. 16 Georgia Tech.
  • His 201 rushing yards are a single-game high by a true freshman nationally this season.
  • Became the first Pitt running back to eclipse 200 rushing yards since Israel Abanikanda in 2022.
  • Added four receptions for 12 yards, totaling 213 all-purpose yards.
  • Led all ACC players last week in rushing yards, rushing average (9.6), and all-purpose yards.
  • His rushing and all-purpose yardage totals were both single-game highs among all ACC freshmen this season.
  • His rushing total is the most by a Pitt freshman since Qadree Ollison’s 207 yards versus Youngstown State in 2015 and the third most by a Pitt freshman since at least 1995 (James Conner, 229 vs. Bowling Green). It also stands as the most by a Pitt freshman against a Power 4 opponent.
 
RECEIVER – Carlos Hernandez, Jr., WR, Wake Forest (Alhambra, California)
  • Recorded a huge day offensively for the Demon Deacons in the win over Delaware, with five catches for 197 yards and two touchdowns.
  • His 197 receiving yards are the third-highest mark for a single game in Wake Forest history.
  • Finished with 137 yards after catch, highlighted by a 93-yard pass and catch from Robby Ashford, the longest touchdown pass in program history.
  • Also had a 79-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter in the home win.
  • Set a career high with 202 all-purpose yards in the win over the Fightin’ Blue Hens.
 
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN – Logan Parr, Gr., OG, SMU (Helotes, Texas)
  • Played 70 of 74 snaps for the SMU offense in the win over Louisville on Saturday.
  • Posted an 83.2 pass block grade by Pro Football Focus (PFF).
  • Powered the way for the team to record 485 yards of total offense (307 pass, 178 rush).
  • Did not allow a sack in the home win.
 
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN – Akheem Mesidor, Sixth Year, DL, Miami (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada)
  • Recorded five tackles, including three solo stops, with 1.5 tackles-for-loss and 1.0 sack in Miami’s 34-17 win over Virginia Tech.
  • Added one quarterback hurry, contributing to a Hurricanes defense that totaled 9.0 tackles-for-loss, 5.0 sacks and held Virginia Tech to 17 points.
 
LINEBACKER – Braylan Lovelace, Jr., LB, Pitt (Leechburg, Pennsylvania)
  • Recorded four tackles and a 100-yard pick-six that flipped the momentum of the second half in the Panthers’ ranked road win at No. 16 Georgia Tech.
  • His interception return was Pitt’s longest interception return for a touchdown since 1908, when Homer Roe posted a 105-yard pick-six against West Virginia.
  • It marked the second interception return touchdown of Lovelace’s career and his second interception of the season.
  • It was the longest interception return for a touchdown by an ACC linebacker since at least 1996.
  • It also stood as the longest interception return by any linebacker in the nation this season.
  • Only six FBS linebackers have recorded a 100-yard interception return touchdown since 1996, including Lovelace, who is the first to do so since 2021.
 
DEFENSIVE BACK – Devon Marshall, Sr., CB, NC State (Boston, Massachusetts)
  • Notched eight passes defended in the Wolfpack's 21-11 win over Florida State.
  • Those numbers included a school record six pass breakups.
  • Also pulled down two interceptions while matched up against the ACC's leading receiver.
  • In 14 targets, allowed just four receptions and zero TDs, earning a 7.7 passer rating and 90.4 PFF grade for his play.
  • Also tallied four tackles in his 71 snaps played.
 
SPECIALIST – Todd Pelino, Sr., PK, Duke (Cornelius, North Carolina)
  • With Duke trailing 25-24 with 2:26 remaining at North Carolina and facing a fourth-and-three from the Tar Heel 27-yard line, Pelino ran a fake field goal 26 yards to the North Carolina one-yard line, which set up a touchdown and two-point conversion to account for the final points.
  • The fake marked the first time Pelino had run the ball during his Duke career.
  • Also scored six points on a 33-yard field goal and three PATs.