Week 3: Canes Have Highest Graded ACC Player on Both Sides of the Ball

The Miami Hurricanes are off to a hot start through three games and have multiple players sitting atop ACC statistical categories. One metric that has highlighted the Canes’ dominance through three games is the PFF grading system. Miami has multiple players grading out at or near the top of their position group every week. In Miami’s week three win over Bethune Cookman the Canes had the player with the highest PFF grade in the ACC on both the offensive and defensive side. 

Tyler Van Dyke had the highest grade of any ACC player and the second highest grade nationally in Miami’s 48-7 win over the Wildcats. Despite only playing about half of the game, Van Dyke racked up 247 yards and 2 touchdowns while completing an efficient 19 of 23 passing attempts. The junior QB also showed he is a little more mobile than he gets credits for, taking off twice for 16 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Van Dyke currently has the highest PFF grade of any QB in the country at 94.0, edging out Shedeur Sanders and Michael Penix Jr. 

On the other side of the ball, Canes’ LB Francisco Mauigoa continued to be one of the most impactful transfers in college football. The Miami middle linebacker had the highest week three PFF grade of any defender in the ACC. Mauigoa’s grade of 90.7 would also have been the highest grade in the SEC in week three. Mauigoa played limited snaps as the Canes opened up a sizable lead quickly, but still managed to lead the team in tackles. Mauigoa also added a tackle for loss and looked very good in coverage after getting beat for a touchdown against Texas A&M.

While Tyler Van Dyke narrowly beat him out for the top week three offensive grade in the ACC, Miami WR Xavier Restrepo managed to have the highest grade of any wide receiver in a power five conference. Restrepo graded out at 92.9, narrowly ahead of LSU’s Malik Nabers and Oklahoma’s Nic Anderson. Restrepo put up one of his best receiving performances, hauling in six catches for 120 yards despite not playing a majority of the second half. Through three weeks, Restrepo has the second highest grade of any wide receiver in the county.

The Canes looked dominant on the field during their 3-0 start and the PFF Grades certainly back up that eye test. As Miami takes on Temple before heading into ACC play, the Canes will hope to stay on top of the PFF rankings while continuing their undefeated run.