The ACC wasted no time handing out hardware in Week 0, and Virginia walked away with a pile of it after its 34-8 win over North Carolina State.
Quarterback Beau Pribula earned the conference’s quarterback of the week honor after a sharp dual-threat outing for the Cavaliers. The Missouri transfer threw for 155 yards and ran for 110 more, needing just 11 pass attempts to help power the blowout.
Virginia’s dominance showed up all over the weekly awards sheet. Monroe Mills was named offensive lineman of the week after helping the Cavaliers pile up 413 yards of offense. A seventh-year player, Mills missed last season at Virginia because of injury and has also spent time at Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, and Louisville.
The Cavaliers also landed defensive back of the week Brandyn Hillman and specialist of the week Will Bettridge. Hillman picked off a pass and forced a fumble as Virginia held NC State to 168 yards and eight points. Bettridge drilled a pair of field goals from 40-plus yards and outscored the Wolfpack by himself.
North Carolina also came out of Week 0 with multiple honors after its 15-10 upset of TCU. Xavier Lewis was named defensive lineman of the week, while Derek McDonald took linebacker of the week.
Lewis piled up 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks and was named the game’s Most Valuable Player. McDonald, a Syracuse transfer, finished with 11 tackles.
Stanford’s Micah Ford claimed running back of the week after rushing for 99 yards and three touchdowns. He was the only running back in Week 0 to score multiple times on the ground. The Cardinal also had rookie of the week Atticus Joseph, who caught four passes for 52 yards and a touchdown in Stanford’s 37-27 win.
Florida State’s 34-17 victory over New Mexico State wasn’t especially clean, but Samuel Singleton still earned receiver of the week. He caught four passes for 54 yards and a touchdown, added 42 rushing yards and another score, and chipped in 68 kick return yards.
In Other News...
Florida State May Have Found Its Next Difference Maker At Running Back
Florida State got an early look at the kind of backfield boost every season opener hopes to uncover, and it came from a sophomore who wasted little time making himself part of the conversation in Week 0. With the Seminoles still sorting out roles and rhythm, he led the offense on the ground with 115 yards and a touchdown, giving Florida State a much-needed source of explosiveness while the rest of the sport was opening its season.
For a team looking to build momentum in 2026, that kind of debut matters because it hints at more than just one productive afternoon. It suggests Florida State may have found a runner who can change the feel of an offense, especially if that early burst carries into the tougher tests ahead and turns a promising opener into something more lasting. [Read more 🡒]
FSU Heads Into SMU Week With One Lineup Battle Still Unsettled
Florida State got through its season opener with the same five offensive linemen on the field, but Mike Norvell made it clear the depth chart up front is still very much alive. As the Seminoles turn their attention to SMU week, the coaching staff is using both practice and game tape to keep evaluating the group, with Norvell saying the competition remains open and that performance will keep driving the decisions.
The approach leaves one of the more important parts of the roster in a state of flux heading into the conference opener. Norvell pointed to areas that still need improvement while also praising specific efforts he saw, which suggests the staff is looking for more consistency before settling on a long-term combination. For a team about to step into league play, the final call on the line could carry real weight. [Read more 🡒]
FSU Snap Counts Just Raised A Bigger Depth Concern
Florida States recent snap counts told a familiar story for a roster still trying to sort itself out: when the game got tight, the Seminoles leaned hard on transfer players on both the offensive line and defense. For a team that has spent plenty of time talking about development and building sustainable depth, the numbers from that matchup offered a clear look at who the staff trusted most and how quickly that trust was put into action.
Tony Whites comments about conditioning and managing snap totals for certain defenders only added to the sense that this is about more than a single rotation choice. The bigger question for Florida State is what those usage patterns say about the players who were supposed to grow into larger roles, and whether the gap between the transfers and the homegrown talent is becoming a depth issue the Seminoles have to address sooner rather than later. [Read more 🡒]