Back when the ACC use to be in two divisions there was a yearly thing known as Coastal Chaos. Basically the Atlantic side of the conference was always pretty straight forward with Clemson or Florida State
usually coming out on top fairly easily (those two won it 13 out of 17 times), while the Coastal was always a different team every season (from 2012 to 2022 no Coastal team won the division two seasons in a row and every Coastal team won it once) often one with a less than stellar record (UNC won the last time the Coastal existed even though they lost four straight games to end the season).
So with four of the remaining five undefeated in conference ACC squads all being from that now defunct division (the other is SMU who is a completely different type of chaos) going into this past week’s games, it should have been no surprise when the chaos returned (four upsets and two almost upsets), flipping the apple cart and throwing the otherwise neat conference up for grabs.
So with all that explained, here are this week’s ACC Power Rankings.
The Contenders
1. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (7-0, 4-0)
Last Week: Beat Duke 27-18
The Yellow Jackets remain undefeated thanks to a fourth quarter where they outscored Duke 17-8. Georgia Tech opened the game with a 95-yard fumble recovery that turned what was probably going to be a seven-point deficit into a seven-point lead, didn’t score again until there was only less than three minutes left in the third, and then scored 20 unanswered to remain as the conference’s only unbeaten team. They will look to keep it that way when they host the hapless Orange on Saturday.
This Week: vs Syracuse
2. Virginia Cavaliers (6-1, 3-0)
Last Week: Beat Washington State 22-20
The Cavaliers came awfully close to losing to a Cougars team that was five little points away from having two of the most impressive road wins of the season. Luckily for Virginia, Washington State remembered who they were calling for a fair catch at the one-yard line of a tied game. That snafu allowed the Cavaliers to sack the Cougars for a safety and then run out the clock after getting a first down on the ensuing kickoff. Their reward? Bowl eligibility and a revenge game for Chandler Morris as he gets to show Mike Lombardi, that though he may not be NFL big, he is big enough for the ACC.
This Week: at North Carolina
3. SMU Mustangs (5-2, 3-0)
Last Week: Beat Clemson 35-24
Speaking of revenge games, the Mustangs got their revenge for the only team to beat them since joining the ACC, Clemson in last season’s ACC Championship game. The win is the eleventh straight ACC regular season win for SMU, who remains undefeated in regular season play since joining the conference. This week they will look to make it 12 straight over 11 different ACC teams (they have beaten Stanford twice) when they travel to take on Wake in attempt to become bowl eligible for the sixth straight season.
This Week: at Wake Forest
Why Not Us?
4. Louisville Cardinals (5-1, 2-1)
Last Week: Beat Miami 24-21
The Cardinals make a move this week by beating the Hurricanes for the second time in a row in Miami (last season they lost 52-45 in Louisville). Louisville also got themselves back into the ACC title conversation by picking Carson Beck off four times (he had three total in his previous five games) including a game clincher with 32 seconds remaining and Miami in field goal range. The Cardinals will look to avoid a major let down, while becoming bowl eligible, when they host Boston College this week.
This Week: vs Boston College
5. Miami Hurricanes (5-1, 1-1)
Last Week: Lost 24-21 to Louisville
The Hurricanes did what the Hurricanes do, find a way to lose when everybody believes in them. For the second straight season, Miami looked like a shoe in for the CFP (and they still are a strong at large team currently), but just like last season they found a way to lose a winnable game and now will need some help to make the ACC Championship game. They will look to get back on track and become bowl eligible against Stanford this week as nearly 30-point favorites.
This Week: vs Stanford
6. Duke Blue Devils (4-3, 3-1)
Last Week: Lost 27-18 to Georgia Tech
The Blue Devils saw their three game winning streak come to an end, as they allowed Georgia Tech to score 20 unanswered points before a late touchdown made the score a little closer than it was. Duke will now get a bye week before travelling to face a Clemson team that has lost five straight home games to Power Four schools.
This Week: Bye
7. Pittsburgh Panthers (5-2, 3-1)
Last Week: Beat Syracuse 30-13
The Panthers were the only ACC team to thoroughly thrash their otherwise overmatched opponent. Pittsburgh forced three interceptions and seven punts against a Syracuse team that has not won since they beat Clemson back in September. The Panthers will look to become bowl eligible this week when they welcome in a Wolfpack team that also hasn’t beat a FBS school in over a month.
This Week: vs NC State
8. California Golden Bears (5-2, 2-1)
Last Week: Beat North Carolina 21-18
In two games against Boston College and North Carolina, the Golden Bears have won by a combined seven points, needing a turnover to end both team’s attempts at an upset. In other words, they may be one game away from bowl eligibility, but Cal is not very good. Well, their freshman quarterback is and Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele will look to improve on his season when his team travels to Blacksburg to avoid an upset against another not so good ACC team.
This Week: at Virginia Tech
Bowl or Bust
9. Clemson Tigers (3-4, 2-3)
Last Week: Lost 35-24 to SMU
The Tigers run of bad ACC teams came to an end this week when they welcomed in the Mustangs. One thing that didn’t come to an end was Clemson’s current home losing streak to Power Four teams that now stands at five. The Tigers will take a bye week as Dabo works on his credibility and tries to end said streak against Duke in two weeks.
This Week: Bye
10. Stanford Cardinal (2-2, 3-4)
Last Week: Beat Florida State 20-13
The Cardinal make the biggest jump this week partly due to their upset win over the Seminoles and partly due to other teams not playing this week. Stanford, who started the season 0-2, has gone three and two their past five games and with winnable games against Cal and UNC still on their schedule, just needs one more upset to reach bowl eligibility. They will get their chance when they travel from Northern California to Southern Florida to face a Miami team that will be looking to let out some frustration after their own upset last week to Louisville.
This Week: at Miami
11. NC State Wolfpack (4-3, 1-2)
Last Week: Bye
The Wolfpack have fallen apart since their early 3-0 start that did include a win that is currently Virginia’s only loss of the season. However, since then they are 1-3 with their only win coming against a two win FCS team in Campbell. Luckily for NC State, their early success has set them up to where they only need to win two more games to become bowl eligible. Unluckily for them their next three opponents are 17-2 and two of those games are on the road starting with their game against Pitt this week.
This Week: at Pittsburgh
12. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (4-2, 1-2)
Last Week: Beat Miami 24-21
Like NC State, the Demon Deacons are also coming off a bye and at four wins are just two shy of bowl eligibility. However, unlike the Wolfpack they still have a non conference game remaining against Delaware as well as conference games against Florida State and North Carolina who are a combined 0-6 in conference play this season (NC State also gets FSU and UNC, but Wake didn’t lose their game to Virginia Tech like the Wolfpack did). But first they have to try to take care of business against a Mustangs team that hasn’t lost an ACC regular season game yet.
This Week: vs SMU
There’s Always Next Year
13. Virginia Tech Hokies (2-5, 1-2)
Last Week: Bye
The Hokies get their own category this week due to their five losses making bowl eligible difficult, but not being inept enough to fall into the lower category since firing their coach and going 2-2 with a win over NC State. To become bowl eligible, Virginia Tech would need to go 4-1 against a schedule that features three ranked opponents. They will look to try to make it one less win when they host a California team that has struggled to beat UNC and BC teams this season that are a combined 0-7 in conference play.
This Week: vs California
Chicken Little Was Right…the Sky is indeed Falling
14. Syracuse Orange (1-3, 3-4)
Last Week: Lost 30-13 to Pittsburgh
Since beating Clemson on the road 34-21, the Orange have been outscored 99-34, allowing at least 30 points in all three games after allowing more than 24 only once in their first four. What happened? Well, quarterback Steve Angelli tore his ACL against the Tigers and even though they won that game, the Orange have not been the same since. Sophomore Ricky Collins has five touchdowns and eight interceptions and just 211 yards per game (Angelli had 10 tds, 2 ints, and 329 ypg) since taking over as the starter. This week they will travel to Atlanta to try to stop their losing streak against the undefeated Yellow Jackets.
This Week: at Georgia Tech
15. Florida State Seminoles (3-4, 0-4)
Last Week: Lost 20-13 to Stanford
The Seminoles lost their fourth straight and ninth straight ACC game this past weekend with their lost at Stanford. The Cardinal were suppose to be the easy win for a team that is 5-15 since beating Louisville in the ACC Championship game for their eighteenth straight win before getting snubbed for the CFP. Florida State, who will be looking for their first ACC win in over 13 months when they return from their bye, will not be looking for a new head coach as well (at least not yet) as FSU’s AD announced Norvell would remain for at least the rest of this season.
This Week: Bye
16. North Carolina Tar Heels (2-4, 0-2)
Last Week: Lost 21-18 to California
Speaking of coach’s remaining for the rest of the current season, the Tar Heels tried their best to flip the narrative of their embattled head coach by trying to get Belichick’s first win conference (and Power 4) win of the season. That attempt fell short though as North Carolina fumbled on their first and last possessions of the game (the Heels also fumbled on their second to last possession as well, which was much more important than the last one). The Tar Heels were aided by several drops by the Golden Bears on both sides of the ball, but still were not able to get the win despite 99 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries from backs Benjamin Hall and Davion Gause. North Carolina will look to change that when they host a Cavaliers team that has won five straight games.
This Week: vs Virginia
17. Boston College Eagles (1-6, 0-4)
Last Week: Lost 38-23 to UConn
The Eagles drop back to the bottom of these rankings after losing their sixth straight game this time to the independent Huskies. Since almost upsetting California, Boston College has been outscored 127-40 and with their next four opponents being a combined 22-5 on the season, they are probably looking at a double digit loss season.
This Week: at Louisville
