Two Tar Heels earned recognition from the ACC on Monday following standout performances in a win against Miami this weekend.

UNC sophomore linebacker Cedric Gray and sophomore receiver Josh Downs earned ACC Players of the Week awards following Carolina’s 45-42 victory against the Hurricanes.

Gray, who sealed UNC’s win by coming down with an interception in the game’s final seconds, won the award for the linebacker position. In addition to the interception, which was his second of the game, Gray tallied six tackles and a pass break-up on Saturday. He became the first UNC player to have two interceptions in the same game since Myles Wolfolk picked off two passes in the 2019 season opener against South Carolina.

Meanwhile, Downs continued his hot start to the season by reeling in a touchdown for the eighth consecutive game, dating back to last year’s Orange Bowl. The sophomore had a career-high 11 catches for 96 yards, extending his streak of having eight or more catches to now seven-straight games. Despite sharing the award with Virginia receiver Dontayvion Wicks this week, Monday does mark Downs’ third time earning the honor. He previously earned ACC Player of the Week awards following wins against Virginia and Duke.

Following the win, Carolina football is 4-3 on the season and 3-3 in conference play. The program will be on bye this week, with the Tar Heels planning for their return on the road against Notre Dame on October 30. Kickoff in that game is slated for shortly after 7:30 p.m.

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