With only one week left in the regular season, it is safe to say that the ACC was once again one of the top conferences in college football. The ACC will finish with 11 bowl-eligible teams, so winning on a weekly basis was not easy for any team. Here are the current ACC power rankings.
1. Clemson
The 3rd ranked team in the nation was undoubtedly the top team in the ACC all season. If the Tigers get a win over Virginia Tech in the ACC title game, then they will play in the College Football Playoff in January.
2. Florida State
The Seminoles may have finished in third place in the Atlantic Division, but their strong finish gives them the second spot in the ACC power rankings. Florida State’s easy win over Florida to end the regular season proved that the Seminoles have the talent to beat any team in the nation.
3. Virginia Tech
The Hokies took advantage of an easy schedule to advance to the ACC Championship Game. Losses to Syracuse and Georgia Tech make it hard to truly believe in Virginia Tech, but a spot in the conference title game is still a huge accomplishment.
4. Louisville
The Cardinals looked like National Title contenders before collapsing in the last two weeks. They may have only lost one ACC game this year, but it is impossible to ignore the losses to Houston and Kentucky to end the season.
5. Pittsburgh
There may not be a more exciting team in college football. A talented offense helped the Panthers score a total of 175 points in their last three games of the regular season.
6. Miami
The streakiest team in the ACC had their season derailed by a four-game losing streak in October. The Hurricanes showed their toughness by finishing the season with four straight wins, and they looked like the team predicted to compete for the ACC title early in the season.
7. North Carolina
The Tar Heels looked like they had the Coastal Division locked up, but losses to Duke and NC State in the final month ruined their ACC title hopes. The recent poor play earns North Carolina the 7th spot in the power rankings despite wins over both Pittsburgh and Miami.
8. Georgia Tech
The Yellow Jackets finished the season strong with three straight wins, but their 4-4 conference record keeps them from going any higher in the rankings.
9. NC State
A tough schedule hurt the Wolfpack’s overall record, but they got a key win when it matter the most. Their win over rival North Carolina in the final game of the season gave them the six wins required to play in a bowl game.
10. Boston College
The Eagles only got two wins in the ACC this season, but they earned the 10th spot in these rankings by defeating Wake Forest in their final regular season game of the year.
11. Wake Forest
The Demon Deacons used an easy non-conference schedule to get the six wins required for bowl eligibility. The lack of signature wins keeps Wake Forest from finishing higher in the ACC power rankings.
12. Duke
The Blue Devils looked like they might be a contender in the Coastal Division after collecting a few impressive non-conference wins, but the team completely fell apart in the second half of the season and only finished with four wins.
13. Syracuse
A signature win over the Virginia Tech Hokies was the only bright spot for the Syracuse Orange this season. The worst defense in the ACC let them down far too many times on their way to four wins.
14. Virginia
The Cavaliers played tough against nearly every opponent this season, but it only led to two wins. They probably are not the least talented team in the ACC, but it is hard to ignore the lack of wins.
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