College football returned in full force this weekend, with nearly every team taking the field to open the 2026 season in style.
While it was great to have football back, it was not the start of the week that the ACC had envisioned for itself. The Clemson Tigers and Louisville Cardinals both had matchups against ranked SEC programs, giving them a chance to pick up quality non-conference wins. There was no shame in the Cardinals losing a thriller against the Ole Miss Rebels, but Clemson was embarrassed by the LSU Tigers, and the questions about Dabo Swinney are only getting louder.
It was another tough week for FSU and Mike Norvell, who not only lost to the SMU Mustangs, but also became a national laughingstock when Doak Campbell Stadium lost power,
and the game was on Monday night. The loss has FSU fans calling for Norvell's job even louder than they were before.
It wasn't all bad for the ACC. The Miami Hurricanes crushed Stanford and look like a true contender, cementing their status as the top team in the conference. It wasn't against the toughest competetion, but Virginia Tech, Pitt, and Syracuse all picked up dominant wins as well.
Here are our ACC Power Rankings after Week 1:
17 - Boston College Eagles
Previous Ranking: 17
Week 1 Result: Lost to Cincinnati 34-15
Record: 0-1
Analysis: Bill O'Brien needs to win some games, and this was not the start he envisioned. They did not score until the second half and will need to turn it around quickly, but they look to be headed for another rough season.
16 - Florida State Seminoles
Previous Ranking: 14
Week 1 Result: Lost to SMU 27-24
Record: 1-1
Analysis: It was an embarrassing performance all-around, with a power outage delaying the game for nearly two hours. They then became the first FBS or NFL team in the past 30 years to lose after winning the turnover battle by three, have half as many penalties as their opponent, out rush their opponent, miss fewer field goals, and win the time of possesion, according to OptaSTATS.
15 - Clemson Tigers
Previous Ranking: 5
Week 1 Result: Lost to LSU 51-10
Record: 0-1
Analysis: Clemson plummeted after getting crushed by LSU in what was supposed to be one of the top games of Week 1. Dabo Swinney has struggled to adjust to the changing game, and they do not look like a team capable of contending in the ACC, let alone for a national championship.
14 - Stanford Cardinal
Previous Ranking: 13
Week 1 Result: Lost to Miami 45-6
Record: 1-1
Analysis: Stanford had no chance against Miami, seeing just how talented the Hurricanes are.
13 - NC State Wolfpack
Previous Ranking: 15
Week 1 Result: Bye
Record: 0-1
Analysis: NC State was on a bye in Week 1, giving them a chance to fix some things after losing to Virginia in Week 0.
12 - Syracuse Orange
Previous Ranking: 16
Week 1 Result: Beat New Hampshire 66-3
Record: 1-0
Analysis: It wasn't the toughest opponent, but it was great to see Steve Angeli back at quarterback for the Orange after his injury last year. The competetion will get tougher soon, but this was an ideal start to the season.
11 - North Carolina Tar Heels
Previous Ranking: 12
Week 1 Result: Bye
Record: 1-0
Analysis: The Tar Heels had an early bye after playing in Week 0.
10 - Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Previous Ranking: 11
Week 1 Result: Beat Akron 38-16
Record: 1-0
Analysis: Gio Lopez dazzled in his debut, throwing for 350 yards and three touchdowns. The roster lacks talent, but Jake Dickert is a good coach, and they will likely be a tough out.
9 - Cal Golden Bears
Previous Ranking: 8
Week 1 Result: Lost to UCLA 45-24
Record: 0-1
Analysis: This was a much closer game then it looked, but UCLA scored 21 points in the fourth quarter to pull away. Quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele is special, but the offensive line and defense need to get better for Cal to start winning games.
8 - Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Previous Ranking: 7
Week 1 Result: Lost to Colorado 14-13
Record: 0-1
Analysis: Georgia Tech struggled in their first game without quarterback Haynes King, failing to score an offensive touchdown. Despite that, they still had a chance to win, but Colorado blocked the game-winning field goal as time expired to win.
7 - Duke Blue Devils
Previous Ranking: 10
Week 1 Result: Beat Tulane 17-3
Record: 1-0
Analysis: Duke won the battle of Darian Mensah's former teams, with their defense not allowing any points until the fourth quarter. The offense will need to improve, but its a nice win to start the season.
6 - Pitt Panthers
Previous Ranking: 9
Week 1 Result: Beat Miami (Ohio) 59-14
Record: 1-0
Analysis: Mason Heintschel looked like one of the top quarterbacks in the ACC, throwing for 453 yards and seven touchdowns. If he takes a step in his second year, they could be a dangerous team.
5 - Virginia Tech Hokies
Previous Ranking: 6
Week 1 Result: Beat VMI 73-3
Record: 1-0
Analysis: James Franklin aced his debut as Virginia Tech's head coach, picking up a lopsided victory. The Hokies will need to keep it up against tougher competetion, but it was a perfect start to the season
4 - Virginia Cavaliers
Previous Ranking: 4
Week 1 Result: Bye
Record: 1-0
Analysis: The Cavaliers had the early bye and stayed put after a strong Week 0 win over NC State.
3 - Louisville Cardinals
Previous Ranking: 3
Week 1 Result: Lost to Ole Miss 41-38
Record: 0-1
Analysis: Normally, a loss results in a drop, but Louisville went toe-to-toe with a top-10 team in Ole Miss. The offense showcased its potential, but they have plenty to clean up in all three phases.
2 - SMU Mustangs
Previous Ranking: 2
Week 1 Result: Beat FSU 27-24
Record: 1-0
Analysis: SMU made it extremely tough on itself, but still managed to beat FSU on Monday. The offense looked hard to stop, outside of their four turnovers, which they will have to clean up or they will suffer a loss soon.
1 - Miami Hurricanes
Previous Ranking: 1
Week 1 Result: Beat Stanford 45-6
Record: 1-0
Analysis: Miami wasted no time taking an early lead against Stanford and never slowed down. They are the top team in the ACC and have two Heisman candidates in Malachi Toney and Darian Mensah.
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This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: ACC power rankings after Week 1: FSU, Clemson move down after losses
