Charlotte, NC – The Atlantic Coast Conference Football Players of the Week have been recognized following their standout performances in Week 2 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:
CO-QUARTERBACK – Kyle McCord, Syracuse, QB, Mt. Laurel, New Jersey
McCord notched new career highs for the second week in a row in multiple statistical categories to lead Syracuse to a victory over No. 23 Georgia Tech. McCord completed 32-of-46 passing attempts for 381 yards and four touchdowns. His completions, attempts and yards were all career highs, and the four touchdown throws matched his career high, set in Week 1 versus Ohio. McCord currently leads the nation with eight touchdown passes through two weeks of the season and has 735 yards passing, which leads the ACC and is third in the FBS. McCord was named one of the eight Manning Award Stars of the Week.
CO-QUARTERBACK – Cade Klubnik, Clemson, QB, Austin, Texas
Klubnik completed 24-of-26 passes for a career-high 378 yards and five touchdowns, while only playing in the first half against Appalachian State. He also added a pair of rushing touchdowns to finish as the only FBS quarterback in the last 25 years with five passing touchdowns, multiple rushing touchdowns, and a completion percentage of 90.0-percent or better in a game. Despite playing only one half, his 378 passing yards were tied for the 19th-most in a game in school history. It was the most by a Clemson quarterback since Trevor Lawrence’s 400 passing yards against Ohio State to end the 2020 season. He became the first ACC quarterback to record at least four passing touchdowns and multiple rushing touchdowns in a single half since Louisville’s Lamar Jackson in 2016, according to ESPN Stats & Info. Alongside McCord, Klubnik was also named a Manning Award Star of the Week.
RUNNING BACK – Desmond Reid, Pitt, RB, Miami Gardens, Florida
Reid became the first player in Pitt history to compile 100 rushing yards and 100 receiving yards in the same game, sparking Pitt’s dramatic comeback win at Cincinnati. Reid ran for 148 yards on 19 carries, while hauling in six passes for 106 yards and a touchdown. It was Reid’s second consecutive 100-yard rushing game since his offseason transfer to Pitt from Western Carolina, becoming the first Pitt player to log two consecutive 100-yard rushing games to start a Pitt career since Dion Lewis in 2009. Reid helped Pitt complete its largest comeback since October 9, 1971, when the Panthers rallied from a 25-point deficit to defeat Navy, 36-35.
RECEIVER – Konata Mumpfield, Pitt, WR, Hoschton, Georgia
Mumpfield played a crucial role in Pitt’s 28-27 comeback victory at Cincinnati, logging five catches for a game-high 123 receiving yards. While the Panthers were trailing 27-6 in the third quarter, Mumpfield hauled in touchdown catches of 11 and 38 yards on consecutive drives to bring Pitt within eight points. On Pitt’s final possession, the Hoschton, Georgia, product caught a 34-yard pass to set up the Panthers’ game-winning field goal. His performance lifted Pitt to its largest comeback win since October 9, 1971, when the Panthers rallied from a 25-point deficit to defeat Navy, 36-35.
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN – Da’Metrius Weatherspoon, Syracuse, LT, Clairton, Pennsylvania
Weatherspoon was the Orange’s highest-graded offensive lineman in Syracuse’s conference win over No. 23 Georgia Tech. He helped keep a clean pocket and pave the way for the ‘Cuse offense to put up 515 yards of offense, including 381 through the air. The left tackle had one knockdown, did not allow a sack and graded at 85-percent overall during his 76-play effort.
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN – Tyler Baron, Miami, DL, Knoxville, Tennessee
Baron delivered another impressive performance in Miami’s win over Florida A&M. In just 27 snaps, Baron became the eighth Hurricane to mount three sacks in a game over the last 20 years. The sixth-year defensive linemen finished with a co-team-best five tackles, including a 3.5 tackles-for-loss. The Knoxville, Tennessee, product helped the Miami defense limit Florida A&M to just 194 yards of total offense, including just 52 rushing yards.
LINEBACKER – Teddye Buchanan, Cal, ILB, San Francisco, California
Buchanan recorded a team-high 11 tackles – including three tackles-for-loss with two sacks – while also forcing a fumble in Cal’s 21-14 road win at Auburn. Buchanan stripped running back Jarquez Hunter which led to a Golden Bear fumble recovery. The San Francisco, California, native also recorded two quarterback hurries in the win.
DEFENSIVE BACK – Nohl Williams, Cal, DB, Oxnard, California
Williams picked off two passes that he returned for 14 yards in Cal’s 21-14 road win over Auburn. The pair of interceptions gives Williams three on the season – tied for the most throughout FBS football. Williams’ second pick of the day came with 2:15 left in the game while Auburn was looking for a potential game-tying drive. The Oxnard, California, native added two tackles in the victory.
SPECIALIST – Ben Sauls, Pitt, K, Tipp City, Ohio
Sauls kicked three field goals, including the game-winning 35-yard try with 17 seconds left, to help Pitt complete its largest comeback win in 53 years. Sauls connected on field goals of 47, 53, and 35 yards, while adding a PAT. The Tipp City, Ohio, native has yet to miss this season, going 5-for-5 on field goals and 8-for-8 on PATs for a team-leading 23 points.
ROOKIE – Eli Holstein, Pitt, QB, Zachary, Louisiana
Holstein earned his second consecutive ACC Rookie of the Week honor after orchestrating Pitt’s dramatic 28-27 comeback at Cincinnati. Holstein completed 20-of-35 passes for 302 yards with three touchdowns, adding 36 rushing yards. Showing no signs of being phased by pressure, Holstein directed Pitt’s game-winning drive, completing two passes for 42 yards and adding a key seven-yard run to set up the clinching 35-yard field goal with 17 seconds left. Holstein became the first Pitt freshman, true or redshirt, to pass for 300 yards in consecutive games since Alex Van Pelt in 1989.
ACC Football Notes
Through Week 2 of the 2024 season:
Week 0 – Florida State versus Georgia Tech saw 5.0 million viewers and was the most-watched Week 0 game on any network since 2019.
College GameDay from Ireland was the most-watched Week 0 episode ever – 41 percent over the previous most-watched Week 0 show (2022) and averaged 1.6 million viewers, including 2.0 million in the final hour.
Week 1 – ACC was part of a historical day on Saturday, August 31, as it was ABC’s second-most-watched Kickoff Saturday on record
7.9 million viewers – The Clemson versus Georgia Aflac Kickoff Game in Atlanta was the most-watched Week 1 Noon Game on record, peaking at 9.5 million viewers.
6.6 million viewers – The in-state rivalry contest between Miami and Florida in Gainesville, Florida, was the most-watched Week 1 Late Afternoon Game since 2017.
The ACC has four teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll this week – Miami (No. 10), Louisville (No. 19), Clemson (No. 22) and Boston College (No. 24).
Three other teams received votes in the poll – Syracuse (63), North Carolina (7) and California (3).
The ACC has three teams ranked in the US LBM Coaches Poll this week – Miami (No. 12), Clemson (No. 20) and Louisville (No. 21).
Six other ACC teams received votes in the coaches poll – Boston College (36), Syracuse (33), NC State (10), California (5), North Carolina (5) and Pitt (2).
The ACC is 23-5 overall in non-conference play and has posted the second-best winning percentage in non-conference action among all Power 4 conferences at 82.1 percent.
The ACC has five non-conference road wins versus fellow Power 4 conference foes (5-5), which is tied for the most among all four leagues.
All five of the ACC’s non-conference Power 4 wins have come on the road.
Week 3 features 12 non-conference games – including four against P4 opponents.
The ACC is the Conference of Quarterbacks once again this season:
Seven quarterbacks are ranked in the top 25 of FBS in passing touchdowns – the most of any conference.
Six quarterbacks are ranked in the top 15 of FBS in total passing yards – the most of any conference.
Five quarterbacks are ranked in the top 15 of FBS in passing yards per game – the most of any conference.
Five quarterbacks are ranked in the top 15 of FBS in total yards per game – the most of any conference.
Five quarterbacks are ranked in the top 15 of ESPN’s Total QBR – the most of any conference.
ACC had the most of any conferences on the following QB preseason watch lists: Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award (13); Maxwell Award preseason watch list (10); and Davey O’Brien Award (8).
The ACC has the top-ranked group of quarterback transfers in 2024 by CBS Sports.
13 QBs in the league enter the 2024 season with over 20 career touchdown passes and 3,500 career passing yards.
Since 2018, the ACC has had at least one quarterback drafted in the first round in five different drafts — the only conference to do that.
The ACC’s non-conference schedule continues to be the most challenging in the country:
26 games against Power 4 opponents, including Notre Dame, the most of any conference.
Nine non-conference games against teams ranked in the final 2023 Associated Press Top 25 Poll, the most of any conference.
10 non-conference games against teams in ESPN’s 2024 Way-Too-Early Top 25, the most of any conference.
ACC Features Elite Coaching Leadership:
Six ACC head coaches named to the 2024 Dodd Trophy Preseason Watch List – no conference has more.
Two of the three active coaches in the country to win a national title reside in the ACC (Mack Brown and Dabo Swinney).
Four current ACC head coaches have recorded over 100 career wins at the collegiate level (only 26 active FBS coaches have reached this mark).
Proven veterans and dynamic young coaches.
The 2024 ACC Football Championship Game will kick off in primetime at 8 p.m. ET on ABC on Saturday, Dec. 7, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. Tickets for the 2024 Atlantic Coast Conference Football Championship Game are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com and through the ACC’s official website at theACC.com.