The Atlantic Coast Conference Football Players of the Week have been recognized following their standout performances in last weekend’s games.
The selections are determined by a vote of a 15-member media panel. The following are this week’s honorees:
QUARTERBACK – Kenny Pickett, Pitt, Jr., QB, Oakhurst, N.J.
Pickett was an all-around offensive threat in the Panthers’ 35-34 victory over No. 15 UCF • Threw for 224 yards and a touchdown, rushed for 61 yards on 12 carries and caught a 3-yard touchdown pass off a gadget play from receiver Aaron Mathews for the Panthers’ winning score • Did not throw an interception for the third consecutive game, and his 139 straight passing attempts without an interception is the second longest streak among FBS passers • Pickett ranks fifth in the nation with an average of 26.75 completions per game.
CO-RUNNING BACK – AJ Dillon, Boston College, Jr., RB, New London, Conn.
Dillon earned ACC weekly running back honors for the second consecutive week with 150 yards on 32 carries in BC’s 30-16 win at Rutgers • Second consecutive game of at least 150 rushing yards for Dillon and the ninth of his career, which is second among active players in the country • Dillon’s two rushing touchdowns moved his career total to 30, tied for fourth-most among active players and third all-time at BC.
CO-RUNNING BACK – Cam Akers, Florida State, Jr., RB, Clinton, Miss.
Akers set a career-high with three rushing touchdowns in FSU’s 35-24 win over Louisville • Ran for 112 yards, his third 100-yard rushing game of the season (most in the ACC) • Nationally, Akers ranks fourth in rushing yards (499), fourth in touchdowns (8), fifth in total points (48), sixth in rushing touchdowns (6), seventh in points per game (12.0), ninth in rushing yards per game (124.8) and 11th in all-purpose yards per game (149.0) • He leads the ACC in all seven of those categories.
RECEIVER – Trishton Jackson, Syracuse, Jr., WR, West Bloomfield, Mich.
Jackson made six catches for 141 yards and two touchdowns for the Orange in a 52-33 victory over Western Michigan • Averaged 23.5 yards per reception and had touchdown grabs of 59 yards and 46 yards in the third quarter • It marked his second 100-yard receiving game in the last three weeks • Jackson ranks fourth in the ACC in receiving yards per game at 83.8 per contest.
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN – Bryce Hargrove, Pitt, Jr., OG, Akron, Ohio
Pitt’s starting left guard, Hargrove was the Panthers’ highest-graded offensive lineman in Saturday’s 35-34 victory over No. 15 UCF • Hargrove was air-tight in pass protection and the spearhead up front for a running game that produced 196 yards on 37 carries (5.3 avg) • Pitt compiled 439 total yards against a UCF squad that entered the game giving up only 85.7 yards on the ground and 253 total.
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN – Marvin Wilson, Florida State, Jr., DT, Houston, Texas
Wilson set career-highs with 10 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks in FSU’s 35-24 win over Louisville • He also recovered the first fumble of his career on the final play of the game • Wilson’s 10 tackles are the most for an FSU defensive tackle since Timmy Jernigan had 10 against Duke in the 2013 ACC Championship Game • Wilson led a defense that allowed Louisville to run for less than half its per-game rushing total and just 2.6 yards per carry • Wilson and the Seminoles recorded a season-high 11 tackles for loss.
LINEBACKER – Charles Snowden, Virginia, Jr., OLB, Silver Spring, Md.
Also named the Walter Camp FBS National Defensive Player of the Week, Snowden caused havoc throughout the game as the Virginia defense helped the Cavaliers score 28 unanswered points in their come-from-behind 28-17 victory against Old Dominion • Snowden finished with a career-high 15 tackles with two sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss • Virginia held ODU to just 46 yards of total offense in the second half • Snowden’s pressure on the quarterback led to a poor throw on the Monarch’s first drive in the second half, and linebacker Zane Zandier picked off the pass and returned it for a touchdown that brought UVA within 17-14.
DEFENSIVE BACK – Chris Ingram, NC State, Jr., CB, Salisbury, N.C.
Ingram played a career-high 89 snaps in the Wolfpack’s 34-23 win over Ball State • Helped hold the Cardinals to just three explosive plays on offense (10 yards or more running/20 yards or more passing) • Registered a career-best nine stops, all on solo hits • Ingram picked off a pass in the end zone to seal the win and broke up two other passes.
SPECIALIST – Aaron Mathews, Pitt, Sr., WR, Clairton, Pa.
A receiver by trade, Mathews was responsible for critical plays in three different facets to lift Pitt to a 35-34 win over UCF • With Pitt facing a fourth down at the UCF 3 and just over a minute remaining, Mathews passed to quarterback Kenny Pickett off a gadget play (known as the “Pitt Special”) for the game-winning score• Mathews also blocked a punt that was returned by teammate Wendell Davis for an 18-yard touchdown and had a spectacular 24-yard catch-and-run reception in which he hurdled two defenders to set up a short touchdown.
ROOKIE – Jarren Williams, Miami, R-Fr., QB, Lawrenceville, Ga.
Earning ACC Rookie honors for the second week in a row, Williams finished 17 for 24 for 250 yards and one touchdown in a 17-12 win over Central Michigan • Williams has completed at least 70 percent of his passes in each of his last three starts • Has not thrown an interception yet this season and has seven touchdown passes • Williams is the first Miami quarterback to not throw an interception over the first 100 passes of his career. As devoted fans, Ghostwriter Hausarbeit looks forward to new games.