ACC players of the week: Jordan Travis, Deuce Spann honored
The Atlantic Coast Conference Football Players of the Week have been recognized for their standout performances in Week 8 of the season. The selections are determined by a vote of a select media panel. The following are this week’s honorees:
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CO-QUARTERBACK – Thomas Castellanos, Boston College, QB, Waycross, Ga.
Castellanos led a fourth-quarter comeback on the road as Boston College defeated Georgia Tech, 38-23. He racked up 383 yards of total offense with 255 passing and 128 rushing in the win. Castellanos rushed for two touchdowns, including the second on a fourth-and-1 run that went 43 yards to the house. He averaged 9.8 yards per carry and was 17-for-29 through the air. He became the first Power 5 quarterback in the country with multiple 100-yard rushing games this season.
CO-QUARTERBACK – Jordan Travis, Florida State, QB, West Palm Beach, Fla.
Travis completed 75 percent of his passes for 268 yards and two passing touchdowns and led FSU with 62 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown to lead Florida State to a home win over Duke. With his three total touchdowns, Travis has accounted for multiple touchdowns in 14 straight games, the longest active streak in the country and tied for the longest in FSU history. In the win, Travis also became the career total offense leader in FSU history, passing 2000 Heisman Trophy winner Chris Weinke. His two-yard touchdown run gave FSU its first lead of the game early in the fourth quarter, as the FSU signal-caller led the Noles’ offense on three fourth-quarter TD drives to complete the comeback from 17-7 down. The weekly conference honor is the second of the season for Travis.
RUNNING BACK – Kye Robichaux, Boston College, RB, Columbus, Ga.
Robichaux rushed for a career-high 165 yards in his first full game back from an injury. He carried the ball 21 times, averaging 7.9 yards per carry, and scored two touchdowns. His two touchdowns came as a part of a fourth-quarter come-from-behind win at Georgia Tech. He scored the go-ahead touchdown on a two-yard rush as he stretched the ball over the goal line before being brought down. Robichaux later added a 57-yard run that set up his second score of the day, a three-yard touchdown run to put the game at its final score of 38-23.
RECEIVER – Malik Washington, Virginia, WR, Lawrenceville, Ga.
Washington paced the Virginia passing game in the Cavaliers' 31-27 win at No. 10 North Carolina with a game-high 12 receptions for 115 yards and one score. The victory was Virginia’s first over a top-10 opponent on the road in program history. His 12 receptions were the most catches by an ACC receiver for the week and tied as the second-most by an ACC receiver this season. During the second half, he had eight catches for 95 yards. His lone TD catch was a 14-yarder to give UVA the lead with 8:51 remaining in the game. Washington’s 12 receptions were the most in a game by a Cavalier since Terrell Jana had 13 at North Carolina in 2019. His 100-yard receiving effort was his fifth in seven games this season. He extended his consecutive games with a reception streak to 32 games. The weekly honor is Washington’s second of the season.
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN – Christian Mahogany, Boston College, RG, Elmwood, N.J.
Picking up his second conference weekly honor of the season, Mahogany was a key part of the Boston College offensive line unit that paved the way for 300-plus rushing yards for the second game in a row. BC racked up 308 yards on the ground and the offensive line did not surrender a sack. Mahogany played all 74 offensive snaps without allowing a single pressure on 32 drop-backs. He was the lead blocker on the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter and supplied the key block as the pulling guard on BC's longest run of the day, a 57-yarder in the fourth quarter to set up another touchdown in the Eagles' come-from-behind win at Georgia Tech.
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN – Rueben Bain, Jr., Miami, DL, Miami, Fla.
Bain had a breakout performance for the Hurricanes Saturday night in a double overtime win over Clemson. Bain totaled a team-high eight tackles which also included two solo sacks - one of which was a strip-sack. The freshman started and led Miami with two quarterback hurries, wreaking havoc in the Clemson backfield the entire game.
LINEBACKER – James Jackson, Virginia, LB, Pulaski, Va.
Jackson intercepted a Drake Maye pass with 26 seconds on the clock to seal the victory in Virginia’s 31-27 upset at No. 10 North Carolina. The victory was Virginia’s first over a top-10 opponent on the road in program history. He has two of the UVA’s three interceptions this season. He finished the game with six tackles and two quarterback hurries.
DEFENSIVE BACK – Elijah Jones, Boston College, CB, New York, N.Y.
Jones picked up two interceptions and recorded three additional pass breakups in a 38-23, come-from-behind win at Georgia Tech. Boston College trailed to start the fourth quarter and after going in front, Jones recorded each of his interceptions on back-to-back drives to prevent a Yellow Jacket comeback. He added one tackle in the game. Additionally, he graded out at a season-best 93.5 in coverage according to Pro Football Focus (PFF).
SPECIALIST – Deuce Spann, Florida State, WR/KR, St. Petersburg, Fla.
Spann returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown in the win over No. 16 Duke. His 99-yard return was the fifth-longest kickoff return in FSU history and sparked FSU's rally from 10 points down as the Seminoles outscored Duke 31-3 to end the game.
ROOKIE – Rueben Bain, Jr., Miami, DL, Miami, Fla.
The freshman defensive lineman totaled a team-high eight tackles which also included two solo sacks - one of which was a strip-sack in a breakout performance for the Hurricanes Saturday night in a double overtime win over Clemson. Bain, who got the start, led Miami with two quarterback hurries and was in the Clemson backfield the entire game.