CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Ray Guy Award committee listed Virginia punter Daniel Sparks on “Ray’s 8” for his performance in week five. Sparks is on the “Ray’s 8” list for the second time in three weeks and was the recipient of the week three Ray Guy National Punter of the Week on Sept. 21.
Each punter named to Ray's 8 is eligible to be selected as the Ray Guy Award Punter of the Week which will be announced on Tuesday (Oct. 6). The winner must be a current nominee for the Ray Guy Award and must display leadership, self-discipline and have a significant, positive impact on his team's success. Character and educational excellence are considered as factors in determining the weekly winner.
Sparks totaled seven punts for 397 yards at Florida State on Saturday and his game punting average of (56.7) shattered his own school record of 53.0, which he set in last year’s 22-20 thriller over Washington State. He matched his career-high with four punts landing inside the 20 including a career-long, 73-yarder that trickled out of bounds at the FSU 8-yard line midway through the third quarter. The 73-yard boot was tied for the seventh longest in school history, the longest punt by a Cavalier since 2019 (Nash Griffin 78 yards vs. Louisville), the sixth longest by an FBS punter this year and the longest by an ACC punter in 2026.
After five games, Sparks ranks third in the country and tops in the ACC with a 49.3 punting average. His 11 punts inside the 20 this season are the most among ACC punters. Sparks, who leads all active FBS players in games played (63), also surpassed 10,000 punting yards for his UVA career. He now has 10,231 yards as a Cavalier.
Sparks leads all active FBS players in career yards punting (11,568) and total punts (257).