The Atlantic Coast Conference announced its Football Players of the Week following standout performances in Week 8. The honorees were selected by a vote of a select media panel.

QUARTERBACK – Darian Mensah, Sr., QB, Miami (San Luis Obispo, California)
Completed 31-of-37 passes (83.8%) for 387 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions in No. 1 Miami’s 52-23 win over Pitt. Finished with a 207.3 passer rating, connecting with Malachi Toney for three touchdowns of 19, 53 and 11 yards, while also finding Gavin Mueller for a 3-yard score. Helped lead Miami to 52 points as the Hurricanes improved to 7-0 overall and 5-0 in ACC play. Picked up his second ACC Quarterback of the Week honor of the season.

RUNNING BACK – Bo MacCormack III, So., RB, Boston College (Westford, Massachusetts)
Finished with a career-high 155 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries in the Eagles’ win at Georgia Tech. Posted his first career multi-touchdown game with his third, fourth and fifth career touchdowns as an Eagle. Also caught two passes for 13 yards in the conference road win. He was the starting running back in a game in which the Eagles rushed for 399 yards, the most Boston College has rushed for in a game since totaling 496 rushing yards at Syracuse on November 2, 2019.

OFFENSIVE RECEIVER – Malachi Toney, So., WR, Miami (Liberty City, Florida)
Set a Miami single-game record with 16 receptions for 194 yards and three touchdowns in No. 1 Miami’s 52-23 win over Pitt. Broke his own program record of 13 receptions, which he set against Pitt in 2025. Caught 12 passes for 159 yards and two touchdowns in the first half alone. Finished the game with touchdown receptions of 19, 53 and 11 yards. His performance helped Miami improve to 7-0 overall and 5-0 in ACC play. Picked up his second ACC Offensive Receiver of the Week honor of the season.

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN – Veguer Jean-Jumeau, Jr., OL, Boston College (Nashville, Tennessee)
Started at tackle and helped a Boston College offense rush for 399 yards and account for 500 yards of total offense in the road win at Georgia Tech. The 399 rushing yards are the most the Eagles have rushed for since running for 496 yards on November 2, 2019, at Syracuse.

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN – Will Heldt, Sr., DE, Clemson (Carmel, Indiana)
Recorded a career-high-tying 2.0 sacks, the fourth such game of his career — and his third game this season with 2.0 sacks, tied for the most in the nation. Led Clemson as it recorded a season-high six sacks, and his pass rush helped the Tigers hold Virginia Tech to a season-low 234 yards of total offense and 164 passing yards after the Hokies entered the week ranked 11th nationally in passing offense. Picked up his second ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week honor of the season.

LINEBACKER – Derek McDonald, 6th, LB, North Carolina (Atlanta, Georgia)
Totaled a game-high 16 tackles with a tackle-for-loss versus Syracuse, his fifth game of the year with 10 or more tackles. Recorded five tackles in the first half, eight in the second half and three in overtime, including a three-yard tackle-for-loss among three huge overtime stops. Played 81 of the team’s 89 defensive snaps and leads the ACC in tackles on the season with 72. Picked up his second ACC Linebacker of the Week honor of the season.

DEFENSIVE BACK – Charlie Comella, Jr., CB, Boston College (Wellesley, Massachusetts)
Recorded two interceptions, including a pick-six, in the Eagles’ win at Georgia Tech — his first career multi-interception game and his first career touchdown. Added a 47-yard interception return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter and finished with five tackles. He has a team-leading four interceptions on the season, the second-most in the ACC.

SPECIALIST – Nolan Hauser, Jr., PK, Clemson (Cornelius, North Carolina)
Went 3-for-3 on field goal attempts, including field goals of 34, 49 and 36 yards, and also punted twice, including a career-long 63-yard punt. Became the first FBS player to kick three or more field goals and register a 60-plus-yard punt in a single game since 2021. Picked up his fourth ACC Specialist of the Week honor of the season.

ROOKIE – Calvin Russell III, Fr., WR, Syracuse (Opa Locka, Florida)
Hauled in eight catches for 86 yards and a touchdown in Syracuse’s overtime victory at North Carolina. Five of his eight catches came in the final seven minutes of regulation and overtime, including three catches for 46 yards on the 75-yard drive that tied the game at 23-23 late in regulation, a 16-yard reception on third-and-11 in overtime, a touchdown on fourth-and-goal, and the game-winning 2-point conversion reception. The game was just his fourth collegiate game after returning earlier this month from an Achilles tear in spring practice.

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