ACC Power Rankings: Week 13

We’ve reached the final week of the college football regular season. This week will seen a bunch of rivalry battles all over the country, including North Carolina, who are set to take on NC State. While there’s still a lot of important games for big picture stuff like the playoff, the ACC is pretty much settled.

With that in mind, let’s do one last look at the ACC Power Rankings for the regular season.

1. Florida State (11-0, 8-0 ACC)

Last Week: beat North Alabama 58-13

FSU handled business on the scoreboard against FCS North Alabama, but the big story coming out of this game was quarterback Jordan Travis’ season-ending gruesome leg injury. While they’ve clearly been the best team in the ACC this season, Travis being out could affect their ACC title game and playoff hopes.

This Week: Saturday at Florida

2. Louisville (10-1, 7-1 ACC)

Last Week: beat Miami 38-31

It went right down to the last play, but Louisville came out with a win over Miami to seal a spot in the ACC title game and possibly keep some outside playoff hopes alive. With the aforementioned Travis’ injury, you certainly can’t count out the Cardinals against FSU in a couple weeks.

This Week: Saturday vs. Kentucky

3. Clemson (7-4, 4-4)

Last Week: beat North Carolina 31-20

Their record’s probably not good enough to calm Tyler from Spartanburg down, but the Tigers have been better of late. It’s just come a little too late to make a great out of it.

This Week: Saturday at South Carolina

4. NC State (8-3, 5-2 ACC)

Last Week: beat Virginia Tech 35-28

After a meh opening month or so this season, the Wolfpack have now won five consecutive games, and have a chance to finish with a better record than UNC, should they win this weekend. Sigh.

This Week: Saturday vs. North Carolina

5. North Carolina (8-3, 4-3 ACC)

Last Week: lost to Clemson 31-20

The Tar Heels remain a flawed and deeply annoying team.

This Week: Saturday at NC State

6. Georgia Tech (6-5, 5-3 ACC)

Last Week: beat Syracuse 31-22

The Yellow Jackets got bowl eligible when they knocked off Syracuse. You might’ve expected that based on the way they played against UNC, but it’s a long way off their early struggles that saw them lose to Bowling Green.

This Week: Saturday vs. Georgia

7. Miami (6-5, 2-5)

Last Week: lost to Louisville 38-31

I truly do not know what Miami’s “deal” is at this point.

This Week: Friday at Boston College

8. Duke (6-5, 3-4 ACC)

Last Week: lost to Virginia 30-27

Welcome to the “We lost to Virginia” club, Blue Devils.

This Week: Saturday vs. Pitt

9. Virginia Tech (5-6, 4-3 ACC)

Last Week: lost to NC State 35-28

Until a couple weeks ago, the Hokies still had an outside ACC Championship Game chance. Now, they’re set to have to beat their cross-state rival to get to a bowl.

This Week: Saturday at Virginia

10. Boston College (6-5, 3-4 ACC)

Last Week: lost to Pitt 24-16

BC still has one of the stranger résumés around. They’re bowl eligible, but with no truly good wins and now a Pitt loss to add onto their Northern Illinois one.

This Week: Friday vs. Miami

11. Syracuse (5-6, 1-6 ACC)

Last Week: lost to Georgia Tech 31-22

Remember when Syracuse came to Chapel Hill with a 4-1 record, arguably looking like a top half team in the conference? Well, they’ve won one game since, and Dino Babers has now been fired.

This Week: Saturday vs. Wake Forest

12. Virginia (3-8, 2-5 ACC)

Last Week: beat Duke 30-27

Tobacco Road has collectively helped Virginia to their only two conference wins, and very nearly a third in the NC State game.

This Week: Saturday vs. Virginia Tech

13. Pitt (3-8, 2-5 ACC)

Last Week: beat Boston College 24-16

Pitt’s three wins this season have come against an FCS team, a bowl eligible BC, and Louisville. What a weird team.

This Week: Saturday at Duke

14. Wake Forest (4-7, 1-6 ACC)

Last Week: lost to Notre Dame 45-7

You could certainly make an argument that Wake should be a couple places higher. None of their losses are truly awful. That being said, they have one win since September, and have generally just been the most uninteresting team in the conference.

This Week: Saturday at Syracuse