(WSPA) – Three Clemson footballers were named “ACC Players of the Week” after the Tigers defeated a top 25 ranked Notre Dame team, 31-23.
Running back Phil Mafah, offensive lineman Will Putnam and linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. were honored as the top player in the conference in their respective positions after standout week 10 performances.
Mafah rushed for a career-high 186 yards on a school-record-tying 36 carries. He also tied his career-high with two rushing touchdowns in the win.
Mafah’s 186 yards is the most by any Tiger since Kobe Pace’s 191 yard performance against Wake Forest in 2021. The junior has now rushed for multiple touchdowns in back-to-back games for the first time in his career.
Mafah’s success was fueled by center Putnam who limited the Fighting Irish to just one sack despite a ton of movement along the offensive line over the last several weeks. Putnam graded out at 98% with six knockdowns and led the offense to more than double the average points surrendered by Notre Dame this season.
Trotter wrapped up the afternoon with a game-high 11 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, and a pick-six returned 28 yards for a touchdown. With his second pick-six as a Tiger, the linebacker became the first Clemson player since Dorian O’Daniel (2014-2017) with multiple interceptions returned for a touchdown in a career.
In addition, the junior became the first Clemson linebacker in the Dabo Swinney era to record two or more sacks in three career games. He led the defense that held the Irish nearly 100 yards below their season average.
Trotter is just the fifth FBS player since 2005 to put up double-digit tackles, at least 2.5 tackles for loss, two or more sacks and a pick-six in a single game.
Clemson is 5-4, 2-4. They stay home to host the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Memorial Stadium on Saturday at 12 p.m.
