A sloppy Thursday night opener at Pittsburgh set the tone for another uneven week for ACC quarterbacks, but the top of the league’s pecking order is starting to sharpen. Through three weeks, Darian Mensah has been the cleanest operator, Lincoln Kienholz has kept climbing, and the Week 4 slate brings a few more chances for movement before conference play starts to bite.
Mensah remains the standard at the top. His completion percentage through three weeks sits at 89.9%, the best in college football, and the bulk of his 30 completions against Wake Forest came on shorter throws that his receivers turned into bigger gains, including Malachi Toney.
Miami now gets Central Michigan in its second non-conference game of the season on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. EDT on CW, and Mensah’s day should end early for the third time this year.
Kienholz has been the biggest riser. After outdueling Kevin Jennings and SMU last week, he keeps moving up because he’s doing damage in more than one way.
He has made plays with his legs, threaded passes into tight windows, and delivered one of the prettier throws of the week on a first-half over-the-shoulder touchdown to Lawayne McCoy. Louisville opens ACC play against Wake Forest on Saturday at noon EDT on ESPN, and the Demon Deacons have already shown they’ve struggled to slow down quarterbacks over the last two weeks.
Kienholz is also the first one they’ve seen who can threaten them on the ground.
Jennings, meanwhile, was busy but costly in Louisville’s 41-31 win. He flashed plenty of arm talent, but the mistakes mattered more.
His first interception sailed too far for the receiver to do anything with it, then he lost the ball while crossing the goal line on a drive that would have trimmed the margin to a field goal, and he ended the night by throwing the game-sealing interception on the next series. SMU hosts Missouri State in its second non-conference game of the season at 9 p.m.
EDT on ACC Network, and Jennings likely won’t need to play long with the conference opener against Boston College looming.
Gio Lopez still holds the No. 8 spot despite a costly game-sealing interception. The mistake was bad, but other quarterbacks in the mix have been rougher through three weeks.
Lopez has already shown enough to matter in wins over Akron and Purdue, and his 312-yard outing helped make Wake Forest’s loss to Miami look more respectable. Wake Forest heads to Louisville for its ACC road opener at noon EDT on ESPN, with the Cardinals’ defense already having seen Trinidad Chambliss and Kevin Jennings this season.
At Virginia, Beau Pribula couldn’t get much going on the ground against West Virginia, which is a key part of both his game and the Cavaliers’ offense. He did finish 21-of-33 for 197 yards and two touchdowns, with the second one squeezed through traffic to tight end John Rogers.
Virginia closes non-conference play at home against Delaware at 6 p.m. EDT on ACC Network.
The Blue Hens faced Vanderbilt in Week 2, though the Commodores didn’t turn to Jared Curtis as their permanent starter until last week.
Ethan Grunkemeyer helped Virginia Tech cruise past Maryland, 35-26, in the Hokies’ non-conference finale. His 339-yard, three-touchdown night featured several high-difficulty throws along the sideline and an 18-yard touchdown run that showed off his movement early in the second quarter. Virginia Tech starts ACC play at Boston College on Saturday at noon EDT on ACC Network, and the Eagles split their non-conference games against Cincinnati and Rutgers.
Pittsburgh’s Mason Heintschel dealt with wet conditions again and never really found a rhythm against Syracuse. He finished 10-of-23 for 123 yards and threw an interception right to a Syracuse defender, though he still managed 41 rushing yards and a touchdown. The Panthers finish non-conference play against Bucknell at noon EDT on ACCNX, and if they build a big enough lead, Heintschel may not need to finish the game.
Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele’s day was cut short in California’s 49-7 win over Wagner, ending in the middle of the third quarter. The Golden Bears didn’t need much from the passing game, with their longest completions coming on screens, but Sagapolutele did connect with Cooper Perry on a fade to the back right corner of the end zone late in the first half.
California hosts Clemson in its ACC home opener on Friday at 10:30 p.m. EDT on ESPN, and the Tigers have already played Sam Leavitt and Billy Edwards at quarterback in sloppy conditions this season.
The Week 4 ACC quarterback board is still fluid, but the early shape is clear: Mensah is setting the pace, Kienholz is pushing upward fast, and several others are still trying to clean up the mistakes that have already changed games.
In Other News...
Virginia Tech Heads Into ACC Opener With Two Huge Availability Worries
Virginia Tech spent part of the week getting ready for more than just Boston College. With severe weather expected for the ACC opener, the Hokies worked with wet balls in practice to mimic the kind of messy conditions that could shape how the game is played, and coach James Franklin had to juggle those preparations while also tracking the health of his roster.
The ACC availability report added another layer of uncertainty, with defensive tackle Emmett Laws ruled out and several key players listed as questionable, including leading receiver Ayden Greene and left tackle Justin Terry. For a team trying to open league play on the right foot, the combination of weather and injuries turns this into a game where lineup decisions may matter as much as the matchup itself. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Tech Suddenly Needs Logan Howland More Than Expected
Logan Howlands arrival at Virginia Tech has been one of the quieter developments of camp, but it has become a meaningful one after the Oklahoma transfer missed spring reps while recovering from shoulder surgery. The offensive lineman was able to get on the field for training camp, and that alone has helped the Hokies get a better sense of where he fits as they keep sorting out their front.
Howlands integration matters because Virginia Tech is still building cohesion up front, and every healthy body in that room carries weight for the offense. Alongside quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer and left tackle Justin Terry, Howland is part of the mix the Hokies are relying on as camp unfolds, and the interest now is less about where he came from than how quickly he can settle in and handle a bigger role than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Tech Faces A Costly ACC Test In Its 4-0 Push
Virginia Tech heads into ACC play at Boston College with a chance to match the kind of start it has not enjoyed since 2017. The Hokies are 3-0 and will try to keep that momentum rolling at Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill, where the early-season progress finally gets tested against a league opponent and the first real conference weather wrinkle of the fall.
Boston College, meanwhile, has made a habit of living off turnovers, picking off six passes over its last two games. Add in the possibility of a noreaster bringing heavy rain and wind, and this opener could turn into a game where patience matters as much as execution. For Virginia Tech, the push for 4-0 may come down to how well it protects the ball and handles a night that could get ugly in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]