Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele’s rough September took another hit in Week 4, and the ACC quarterback picture is starting to separate fast.
At California on Friday night, Sagapolutele and Tait Reynolds delivered a sluggish opener to the week. The two combined to go 29-of-50 for 227 yards and three interceptions, and Clemson rode special teams and the run game to a 24-10 win. For Sagapolutele, it was just the latest setback in a difficult start to 2026.
The rest of the weekend looked a whole lot livelier.
Gio Lopez helped Wake Forest spring the upset of the week, leading the Demon Deacons to a 30-27 road win over Lincoln Kienholz and Louisville. Then Davis Warren stole the spotlight in the nightcap, powering Stanford past Georgia Tech 34-27 with a 396-yard, three-touchdown performance that put the Cardinal offense squarely on his shoulders.
That sets up a busy Week 5 slate with several quarterback matchups worth watching. Friday night opens with Mason Heintschel and Ethan Grunkemeyer meeting in Lane Stadium, and both are guiding unbeaten teams. Saturday night’s lone ACC game brings Darian Mensah and Tait Reynolds to Clemson, a matchup of quarterbacks who are trending in opposite directions.
Inside the league, Stanford at Wake Forest and Louisville at NC State stand out as the most intriguing quarterback showdowns on Saturday. Outside ACC play, Billy Edwards gets a chance to rebound against a Notre Dame defense that has been prolific, while Sagapolutele will try to steady himself against Jackson Arnold and UNLV.
Here’s how the top eight ACC quarterbacks stack up heading into Week 5.
Warren has quietly put together a better start than Sagapolutele in the Bay Area. Against Georgia Tech, he threw dimes all afternoon and carried Stanford’s offense to the win. His 396-yard, three-touchdown night was the kind of performance that can carry a team when the game starts to tilt.
Stanford now heads to Wake Forest for a noon kickoff on ACC Network. That trip comes after a run of strong passing performances against the Demon Deacons, with Ryan Browne, Darian Mensah and Lincoln Kienholz all finding success against them.
Lopez was just as sharp in Wake Forest’s upset at Louisville. He finished with 225 passing yards, and 194 of them came through Carlos Hernandez. A big chunk of that production came on deep balls, with 125 yards coming on throws where Lopez found Hernandez well behind the Cardinals’ defense.
The Demon Deacons get Stanford at home in Week 5, and that matchup could again tilt toward the passing game. Opposing quarterbacks have already had success against the Cardinal early in the season, most notably Mensah’s 401-yard outing in Week 1.
Heintschel’s last game was a blowout, but it was also a statement. In Pittsburgh’s 59-point shutout of Bucknell, he finally worked in dry conditions and responded with 403 yards and six touchdown passes. As he did against Miami (OH), plenty of those scores came on high-difficulty throws off script.
Pittsburgh’s next test is a Friday night trip to Virginia Tech for the Panthers’ conference road opener. Heintschel hasn’t been asked to run much in September, but that could matter against a Hokie defense that just allowed Mason McKenzie to run for 138 yards.
Jennings had a messier start against Missouri State when he sailed a pass for a pick six in the first quarter, putting SMU in a 10-point hole. He recovered in a big way, finishing 33-of-39 for 464 yards and three passing touchdowns, plus another score on the ground. The night also showed off how dangerous he is when he’s throwing on the move.
SMU opens ACC home play against Boston College, and Jennings already has some history there. In the Mustangs’ 45-13 win at Boston College in 2025, he completed only 50% of his throws, but he still piled up 326 yards and three touchdowns.
Kienholz was productive in Louisville’s loss to Wake Forest, finishing 27-of-36 for 324 yards with one passing touchdown and two rushing scores. His only real mistake was an interception that bounced into a defensive back’s hands.
Now he heads to NC State for his first ACC road test, though he’s currently listed as “questionable” on the ACC’s availability report.
Mensah kept rolling in Miami’s 52-3 win over Central Michigan, playing three quarters and staying razor sharp. He went 23-of-27 for 338 yards and three touchdowns, pushing his season completion rate to 88.9%.
Clemson is next, and Mensah has already shown he can light up that defense. The last time he faced the Tigers, he threw for 361 yards and four touchdowns.
In Other News...
Pitt Brings One ACC Test Virginia Tech Can Finally Exploit
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For the Hokies, that split matters because this is the kind of test that can expose whether Pitts attack can travel. Quarterback Mason Heintschel, running back Damon Ferguson Jr. and wide receiver Cataurus Hicks headline a group that has flashed enough to keep Virginia Tech honest, though there is still uncertainty around the availability of JaKyrian Turner and some other receivers. In a matchup like this, depth and consistency may matter as much as star power, and the Hokies have a real chance to make Pitt answer questions it has mostly avoided so far. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Tech's Fast Start Faces Its Biggest Test Yet Against Pitt
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Pitt is the next marker, and it feels like the first game that will tell us a little more about how real this start might be. Virginia Tech has handled adversity better than it did before, but a fast start only matters if it can survive a stretch that asks more of the Hokies on both sides of the ball. Franklins early work has created optimism, now comes the kind of test that can either validate the progress or expose how much farther there is to go. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Techs Pitt Uniform Reveal Carries A Familiar Unbeaten Vibe
Virginia Tech is leaning into a familiar look for its Week 5 matchup with Pitt, unveiling maroon helmets, maroon jerseys and white pants for the Oct. 2 game in Blacksburg. It is a combination Hokies fans have seen often over the years, and the school paired the reveal with a healthy dose of tradition as it gets ready for a prime-time kickoff on ESPN.
Pitt visits at 7 p.m. ET, giving Virginia Tech a chance to take the field in one of its most recognizable home setups under the lights. The uniform choice does not guarantee anything, of course, but it does add a little extra edge to a game that already has the feel of a clean, classic conference night in Lane Stadium. [Read more 🡒]