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
Week 0 already offered a glimpse of how quickly a backfield can change in college football, and Florida State may have come out of it with a fresh name to watch. Across a slate that featured several notable openers, the Seminoles got a strong showing from a sophomore running back who piled up 115 yards and scored a touchdown, the sort of early-season performance that can start to shift the conversation around a rotation.
For Stanford fans watching the broader college landscape, it is another reminder that the first weekend can reveal more than expected, especially when young players seize the moment. Florida State has plenty to sort out over the rest of the season, but if this runners opener is any indication, the Seminoles may have found a difference-maker who gives their offense a more dynamic edge moving forward. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Opens With One Pressure Point Fans Will Be Watching Closely
Miamis 2026 opener comes with an ACC matchup against Stanford, and the early focus is already obvious: how smoothly the Hurricanes new-look offense can function with Darian Mensah at quarterback. The former Duke transfer arrives with plenty of buzz after leading the conference in passing yards and passing touchdowns last season, which gives Miami a clear reason for optimism as it gets set to begin the year against a familiar conference opponent.
Stanford, meanwhile, will try to carry over the confidence it picked up in a recent win over Hawaii, a result that gave the Cardinal some needed momentum heading into a tougher assignment. Miami is still expected to be the favorite based on past performance and team rankings, but openers often sharpen the attention on one key matchup, and this one figures to say plenty about where both teams stand right away. [Read more 🡒]