ACC Power Rankings: Week 7

This past weekend was a fairly light one in the ACC in terms of number of games. However, what it lack in quantity, it made up for in weirdness.

Both Pitt and Virginia Tech nearly blew double-digit leads only to pull out wins on late touchdown drives. Louisville won their first conference game in over a year. UNC beating Georgia Tech was the most normal game, and even that was just the Tar Heels second win at Bobby Dodd Stadium in two decades.

It may have been just four games, but they did cause a bit of movement in our power rankings. Here’s where things stand after the dust settled.

1. #2 Clemson Tigers (5-0, 3-0 ACC)

No movement at the top after the Tigers had the weekend off.

Next: Saturday vs. Florida State

2. #19 Wake Forest Demon Deacons (5-0, 1-0 ACC)

The Demon Deacons were also off this past week, but some telling games are coming up. If they truly deserve to belong up this high, then they’ll probably go into their November game against Clemson 8-1 or 9-0. However, some of their next four opponents are interesting at the very least.

Next: Saturday vs. Louisville

3. #20 Virginia Cavaliers (4-1, 2-0 ACC)

UVA was off, but thanks to results elsewhere, they became the lone team with an undefeated ACC record in the Coastal.

Next: Friday at Miami

4. North Carolina Tar Heels (3-3, 2-1 ACC)

Beating Georgia Tech in and of itself isn’t the best result, but that combined with the Clemson performance and getting back to .500 moves them up a bit.

Next: 10/19 at Virginia Tech

5. Florida State Seminoles (3-2, 2-1 ACC)

FSU has the top two teams in these rankings up next, so they have a chance to play a big part in how these rankings look in coming weeks. Or they could lose both games. We’ll see.

Next: Saturday at Clemson

6. Pitt Panthers (4-2, 1-1 ACC)

Thanks to a wild 33-30 win in Durham, Pitt still hasn’t lost to Duke since Pat Narduzzi took over. That hopefully keeps things balanced for when they take on UNC, the other game where they have a weird streak going.

Next: 10/18 at Syracuse

7. Duke Blue Devils (3-2. 1-1 ACC)

On the other side of that game was Duke, who nearly completed a massive comeback only to have the rug pulled out from under them. They have Georgia Tech up next, but after that, they have one of the tougher ACC schedules down the stretch, at least among teams who don’t play Clemson.

Next: Saturday vs. Georgia Tech

8. NC State Wolfpack (3-2, 0-1 ACC)

State had the weekend off, but still had some big news come out of their camp in the aftermath. The Wolfpack are making a change at quarterback and will start Bailey Hockman when they take the field on Thursday.

Next: Thursday vs. Syracuse

9. Virginia Tech Hokies (3-2, 1-2 ACC)

Virginia Tech is the most confusing team in the conference and I have no idea where to put them.

Next: Saturday vs. Rhode Island

10. Miami Hurricanes (2-3, 0-2 ACC)

Here is the other really confusing team that I have no idea where to rank. Considering that they lost to Virginia Tech, let’s just put them right under the Hokies.

Next: Friday vs. Virginia

11. Louisville Cardinals (3-2, 1-1 ACC)

Louisville won their first conference game since November 18, 2017 when they beat Boston College over the weekend. That, and the fact that the Cardinals have a winning record, is good and all, but I’m not sure who that result says more about.

Next: Saturday at Wake Forest

12. Syracuse Orange (3-2, 0-1 ACC)

Thankfully for the Orange, Maryland didn’t do anything to make Syracuse’s loss to them look even worse.

Next: Thursday at NC State

13. Boston College Eagles (3-3, 1-2 ACC)

They now have losses to Kansas and Louisville. At least they won their game against Rutgers.

Next: 10/19 vs. NC State

14. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (1-4, 0-2 ACC)

Their loss to UNC was just the second time they’ve cracked 20 points all season.

Next: Saturday at Duke