Chad Morris' offense is giving kicker Nolan Hauser plenty of kicking opportunities.
That was the case again in the Clemson Tigers' 20-16 loss to the Virginia Tech Hokies when the junior from William Amos Hough High School in Cornelius, North Carolina, had another perfect night on the kicking tee.
For the second straight week, Hauser converted all three field goal attempts in the Tigers' loss to the Hokies, which dropped them to 4-3 overall and 2-2 in conference play.
Hauser made a 34-yard kick for Clemson's first points of the night early in the second quarter. He added a 49-yarder on the Tigers' first drive of the second half, and 36-yarder to end the third quarter.
For the fourth time this season, Hauser was named ACC Specialist of the Week as part
of the conference's Players of the Week honors Monday.
Hauser took home Specialist of the Week honors after a 5-for-5 night on field goal tries in the Tigers' 22-7 win over Georgia Southern in Week 2. A week later, Hauser earned the honors after finishing 3-for-3 on kicks in Clemson's 28-20 come-from-behind win over North Carolina.
He was named Specialist of the Week again after going 3-for-3 on field goal tries in the Tigers' 37-0 win over Charleston Southern in Week 7, a game in which he made a career-long 59-yard kick.
Clemson's Will Heldt named ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week
Heldt, a senior in his second season with Tom Allen's defense after transferring from Purdue in 2024, was named Defensive Lineman of the Week after registering four tackles, two sacks, and a pass defended in Clemson's loss to Virginia Tech.
According to a press release from the ACC:
"It marked the third game this season in which he has posted 2.0 sacks, tied with North Carolina's Xavier Lewis for the most in the nation."
Heldt, the ACC noted, also became the fifth player of the Dabo Swinney era at Clemson to record three or more games in a single season with 2.0 or more sacks. He joined Da’Quan Bowers in 2010, Andre Branch in 2011, Vic Beasley in 2013 and Clelin Ferrell in 2018.
Dabo Swinney incredibly critical of coaching after Clemson’s latest loss
— Clemson Wire (@Clemson_Wire) October 26, 2026
📸 Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network , USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co https://t.co/WlQ97bnvGW pic.twitter.com/iFMSHIhuZL
Clemson football schedule 2026
Clemson visits Florida State (3-4, 1-3) in Week 9 of the 2026 college football season Saturday at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee. Kickoff is 7 p.m. ET. The game can be seen on ACC Network.
All times Eastern.
- Sept. 5: at LSU Tigers (L, 51-10)
- Sept. 12: vs. Georgia Southern Eagles (W, 22-7)
- Sept. 19: vs. North Carolina Tar Heels (W, 28-20)
- Sept. 25: at California Golden Bears (W, 24-10)
- Oct. 3: vs. Miami Hurricanes (L, 41-13)
- Oct. 17: vs. Charleston Southern Buccaneers (W, 37-0)
- Oct. 24: vs. Virginia Tech Hokies (L, 20-16)
- Oct. 31: at Florida State Seminoles, 7 p.m., ACC Network
- Nov. 7: at Syracuse Orange, noon, ESPN2
- Nov. 14: vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, TBA
- Nov. 20: at Duke Blue Devils, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
- Nov. 28: vs. South Carolina Gamecocks, TBA
Record: 4-3 overall, 2-2 ACC.
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This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Clemson starters earn ACC Player of the Week honors after Virginia Tech loss
