Syracuse’s Mikel Jones won the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Linebacker of the Week award after his 11-tackle performance against Rutgers this past Saturday.

Jones had 2.5 tackles for loss, a career-high, and SU held Rutgers scoreless in the first half. He led a Syracuse defense that recorded 13 tackles for loss against Rutgers — the fourth-most in a single game this season and the most against a Power Five opponent. In the Ohio season-opener, Jones recorded 10 tackles.

“It made us feel good, it gave us confirmation that we are what we think we are — a great defense,” Jones said when asked about the defensive unit after the Rutgers game.

The Syracuse defense held Rutgers to just 145 passing yards and 50 rushing yards. The unit didn’t give up any points until more than halfway through the third quarter.

“It bothers me that we can play that well on defense and we can’t help them (offensively),” head coach Dino Babers said on Monday. “It frustrates me, and I don’t get frustrated very easily. So my hat’s off to them (on defense) … That’s a heck of a job, that’s a heck of a job.”

The Orange play against Albany next, an FCS team, on Saturday in the Carrier Dome. Syracuse has never lost to a Football Championship Subdivision program.