Louisville’s 41-31 win over No. 16 SMU produced a clean sweep in the ACC weekly awards, with three Cardinals earning recognition on Monday.
Running back Keyjuan Brown, offensive lineman Eryx Daugherty and safety Kaleb Beasley were all honored after helping Louisville stack up one of its biggest wins of the season. The selections were made by a vote of a select media panel.
Brown headlined the group with a career night. The senior from Anniston, Alabama ran for 163 yards and two touchdowns on only 10 carries, powering a Louisville ground game that rolled for 265 yards. His second-play-after-halftime burst - a 58-yard touchdown - put the Cardinals in front, and he later broke loose for a 53-yard score in the fourth quarter to restore the lead for good.
Daugherty’s impact showed up in the trenches. The senior lineman from Troy, Michigan was part of an offensive front that opened the door for all that production on the ground, including touchdown runs of 58, 53 and 27 yards. Louisville’s 265 rushing yards were the most SMU had given up since the 2022 season, and Brown’s breakout day came with Daugherty helping clear the way.
Beasley made his mark on the other side of the ball. The junior defensive back from Nashville, Tennessee finished with a team-high 10 tackles and two interceptions.
He picked off a pass in the second quarter and added another late in the fourth to help finish off the win. Louisville’s secondary also held Kevin Jennings to 222 passing yards and one touchdown after he entered the weekend as the national leader in total offense.
Louisville wasn’t the only school with multiple winners. Miami quarterback Darian Mensah earned ACC Quarterback of the Week after completing 30 of 34 passes for 220 yards and three touchdowns in a 33-20 road win at Wake Forest.
He opened by hitting his first 24 throws, setting an ACC single-game record for consecutive completions. With the 24 straight completions in Week 3 and his final 11 from Week 2, Mensah reached 35 consecutive completions overall, one shy of the NCAA record.
NC State wideout Keenan Jackson took Offensive Receiver of the Week after a big day at Vanderbilt, finishing with nine catches for 102 yards and three touchdowns. His scoring grabs came from 30, 6 and 23 yards out, and both his receptions and touchdown total were career highs.
Clemson edge rusher Will Heldt and Duke defensive end Kevin O’Connor shared Co-Defensive Lineman honors. Heldt logged 2.0 sacks for the second straight game in Clemson’s ACC win over North Carolina, becoming the first Tiger to post consecutive 2.0-sack games since Jeremiah Trotter Jr. did it in 2022. O’Connor matched that with 2.0 sacks and a forced fumble in Duke’s 35-7 win over Stanford, including a strip sack that led to the Blue Devils’ first points off a turnover this season.
Pitt linebacker Alex Sanford Jr. was named Linebacker of the Week after matching his career high with 11 tackles and setting a new best with 2.5 tackles-for-loss in the Panthers’ 27-13 win over Syracuse. He also added three quarterback hurries as Pitt limited Syracuse to one touchdown and only three second-half points.
Clemson kicker Nolan Hauser claimed Specialist of the Week for the second straight time after going 3-for-3 on field goals and 1-for-1 on PATs in an eight-point win over North Carolina. His 49-yard make in the first quarter extended his streak of 40-plus-yard field goals to 12 straight, dating to last season, and he is now 9-for-9 on field goals to start the year.
Pitt running back Damon Ferguson Jr. rounded out the honors as Rookie of the Week. The freshman from Gwynn Oak, Maryland posted his first career 100-yard rushing game in the Panthers’ win over Syracuse, finishing with 102 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. He also added two catches and totaled 104 yards from scrimmage, while scoring a touchdown in each of his first three collegiate games.
In Other News...
Louisville Suddenly Has A Real Shot At Program History
Louisvilles win over SMU gave the program a boost it had been waiting for, and it came with some meaningful firsts attached. It was the Cardinals first victory over a top-25 opponent this season, and it also marked their first-ever win against SMU, a result that adds real weight to a team already building a case around its offense and the play of quarterback Lincoln Kienholz.
The bigger picture has started to shift, too, as one national projection now has Louisville in the mix for a 2026 College Football Playoff berth. With the schedule easing up on the back end and the Cardinals showing they can handle a quality opponent, the door has opened to something that once seemed far off for this program. Whether they can keep that path clear is another question, but Louisville has at least given itself a shot at a season that could change how the program is viewed. [Read more 🡒]
Louisville Is Forcing A Playoff Conversation Fans Have Wanted
Three games into the season, Louisville has done more than just build an early resume. The Cardinals have put together a fast-starting offense behind quarterback Lincoln Kienholz and running backs Isaac Brown and Keyjuan Brown, showing enough balance and explosiveness to make people around the sport take notice. After already seeing two ranked opponents, Louisville has at least given its supporters reason to think this group belongs in bigger October conversations than it was getting a month ago.
The respect is starting to extend beyond the fan base, too. College football analyst David Pollack recently singled out Louisville as a team worth watching in the playoff picture, pointing to both the offense and the schedule as reasons the Cardinals should be in the mix. It is still early, and the season will supply tougher tests, but Louisville has clearly reached the point where its path is no longer being discussed as a hopeful theory. [Read more 🡒]
Louisville's Offensive Line Might Be Peaking At The Perfect Time
Louisvilles win over SMU was built in the trenches, where the offensive line helped clear the way for 265 rushing yards and kept the quarterback clean all night. It was the kind of performance that showed how much the group can shape the Cardinals ceiling when the blocking is sharp, the communication is sound and the run game stays on schedule.
Cason Henry said the line has stayed disciplined and still sees room to grow, which is a promising sign this late in the season. The encouraging part for Louisville is that the group is no longer just holding together, it is starting to settle in, with pieces that had been unavailable for much of the year now back in the mix and the unit finally getting a chance to build some continuity. [Read more 🡒]