PITTSBURGH — Freshman running back Damon Ferguson Jr. earned Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Week honors after a career-high performance in Pittsburgh’s 34-11 bowl-clinching win over Georgia Tech.
The Gwynn Oak, Maryland, native rushed for 185 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries and added 11 receiving yards, for a game-high 196 all-purpose yards.
Ferguson led all ACC players and all Football Bowl Subdivision freshmen in rushing yards for the week, recording the sixth-highest national total. He surpassed the next-highest ACC rushing performance by 46 yards and the top freshman effort by 62 yards. Through nine games, Ferguson leads Pittsburgh with 662 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns.
In the first half against Georgia Tech, Ferguson rushed for 112 yards to help Pitt build a 17-3 halftime lead. He scored the Panthers’ first touchdown on a 3-yard run early in the second quarter and added a 1-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. He also recorded an 11-yard reception.
Ferguson’s performance accounted for nearly two-thirds of Pitt’s season-high 281 rushing yards, the team’s highest single-game rushing total since December 2024.
His 185 rushing yards were the most by a Panther player since Ja’Kyrian Turner recorded 201 rushing yards against Georgia Tech on last season. The game was Ferguson’s third 100-yard rushing performance of the season, following a 102-yard effort against Syracuse and a 119-yard game against Boston College.
Over the Panthers’ past three games, Ferguson has rushed for 343 yards and three touchdowns, averaging six yards per carry.
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