The ACC quarterback pecking order took a few hits in Week 6, but Darian Mensah is still sitting on top as Week 7 arrives.
Mensah and SMU were off last week, and the break did nothing to shake his hold on No. 1.
Through five games, he’s thrown for 1,438 yards and 15 touchdowns while leading college football with an 84.2% completion rate. The Mustangs return to action against Virginia on Saturday at noon EDT on the CW.
The other marquee name at the top of the league’s quarterback race is Kevin Jennings, who also came out of Week 6 idle. He opened the year with 1,588 passing yards, 14 touchdowns and five interceptions in SMU’s first five games, helping the Mustangs pick up conference wins over Florida State and Boston College.
Week 6 didn’t exactly produce many clean quarterback duels. Louisville turned Florida State’s Friday night trip into a runaway, storming back from a two-touchdown hole and then pounding away on the ground for 397 rushing yards in a 44-20 win.
The Cardinals scored 44 of the final 50 points, and quarterback Miller Kienholz did his part as a game manager, adding 40 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Louisville heads to Syracuse in Week 7 for a 7:30 p.m.
EDT matchup on ACC Network.
Florida State, meanwhile, stays in the rankings despite injuries around the position. The Seminoles jumped out fast, then saw the game swing hard the other way after a puzzling fourth-and-goal screen and a rough defensive stretch.
Daniels finished 21-of-37 for 209 yards with two passing touchdowns, a rushing touchdown and an interception. Florida State now heads to Miami for a 7 p.m.
EDT showdown on ESPN.
Wake Forest also made a statement in the most lopsided of the quarterback performances. Gio Lopez was sharp in the Demon Deacons’ 38-14 win at NC State, going 26-of-33 for 303 yards and three touchdowns.
He also added a rushing score late in the third quarter and hit Jack Foley and Carlos Hernandez on a pair of deep throws. Wake Forest crosses three time zones next, taking on California at 10:30 p.m.
EDT on ESPN2.
NC State’s CJ Bailey had a far quieter night after a first-quarter fumble put the Wolf Pack behind early. He helped engineer scoring drives on NC State’s next two possessions, but the offense vanished after that, and the Wolf Pack were shut out over the final 39 minutes.
Bailey finished 14-of-25 for 87 yards over the last six possessions. NC State is on its second bye this week because of its Week 0 trip to Virginia, and a matchup with a struggling Stanford defense waits afterward.
Georgia Tech’s Haynes Mendoza earned his first spot in the rankings after steering the Yellow Jackets to a game-winning drive against Duke. Georgia Tech is only 2-3, but Mendoza has kept the offense steady, completing just under 70% of his passes while averaging 238 yards per game.
The Yellow Jackets travel to Virginia Tech on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. EDT on ACC Network.
Virginia Tech’s quarterback situation got plenty of attention in Week 6, and Jackson Grunkemeyer was a big reason why. He nearly lifted the Hokies at California, finishing 21-of-30 for 288 yards with a touchdown to Ayden Greene and a late rushing score, but his final throw to Luke Reynolds in the end zone fell incomplete as time expired. Virginia Tech now returns to Lane Stadium for that date with Georgia Tech.
California’s Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele is trending toward a return from concussion protocol for the matchup with Wake Forest. Even with a rough start to his season, a strong showing against the Demon Deacons could push him back into the top eight next week. And after his own strong afternoon against Virginia Tech, Jackson Brousseau deserves mention as the real star of that upset win, finishing 29-of-43 for 321 yards and a touchdown in California’s 25-20 victory.
Syracuse also enters Week 7 with an eye on its quarterback situation. Former five-star prospect Malachi Nelson got the start for the injured Amari Odom and threw for 217 yards and a touchdown in the Orange’s 28-25 loss to Virginia. Syracuse goes home to face Louisville, still searching for its first ACC win and still having trouble slowing opposing run games through its first three conference contests.
In Other News...
Georgia Tech Faces A Familiar Problem Entering Virginia Tech Game
Georgia Tech is heading into its Week 7 matchup with Virginia Tech carrying the kind of injury uncertainty that has started to feel familiar this fall. The Yellow Jackets report features several notable absences, including offensive linemen Ethan Mackenny and Markell Samuel, along with Malachi Hosley and starting cornerback Daiquan White, while Noah Carter is expected back. For a team trying to settle into a rhythm, the availability picture matters on both sides of the ball, especially up front.
The depth chart could also get thinner if Haynes is unable to go, leaving another position group in question as Saturday approaches. And in a longer-term development for the program, Kyle Efford has medically retired because of injuries, a reminder that the roster turnover around the season is not only about game-day status but also about careers interrupted by health issues. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Techs Bowl Push Faces A Bigger Test Than Duke
Georgia Tech got the result it needed against Duke, its first Power Four win since Nov. 15, 2025, and the performance offered a glimpse of a more balanced attack. The run game was steadier, the offense found ways to finish drives and the win kept the Yellow Jackets moving in the right direction as they try to stay in the bowl conversation.
The challenge ahead looks tougher in a different way. Virginia Tech brings a more complete offensive test, with quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer steering the unit and a capable running back duo behind him, while Georgia Tech still has real issues to clean up on the other side of the ball. Third downs have been a trouble spot and the Jackets have yet to come up with a turnover this season, leaving little margin for error as the schedule tightens. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Tech Brings New Swagger Into A Suddenly Winnable Virginia Tech Game
Georgia Tech is carrying a little more confidence into its ACC matchup with Virginia Tech after the upset of Duke, and the timing feels important for a program trying to turn a good win into something more lasting. The Jackets also signaled a fresh look for the road trip, unveiling a uniform combination that fits the moment and adds to the sense that this is a team trying to show up with some edge.
Brent Key did not dismiss what Virginia Tech can still do, even with the Hokies coming off recent losses. In talking to the media, he pointed to the strength of Virginia Techs coaching staff and singled out the Hokies' tight ends and quarterback as major concerns, which is a reminder that Georgia Tech cannot treat this as a simple follow-up to its Duke breakthrough. The setup is there for the Jackets to make another statement, but the test is whether that new swagger holds up once the game starts. [Read more 🡒]