Clemson Tigers Jump Up in Latest ACC Power Rankings

The Clemson Tigers jumped up in the latest ACC Power Rankings after taking down Virginia Tech.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney speaks in the Smart Family Media Center at the Smart Family Media Center at the Poe Indoor Practice Facility in Clemson, S.C. Tuesday, Nov 21, 2023. / Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Clemson Tigers are moving back up towards the top of the ACC.

After sliding down the ranks within the conference after a disappointing loss at the hands of the Louisville Cardinals, Dabo Swinney's Tigers put together a solid second half against the Virginia Tech Hokies to help solidify their standing among the top teams in the ACC.

Clemson's 24-14 win was exactly what the Tigers needed to right the ship, especially with the Miami Hurricanes dropping their game against Georgia Tech. According to Saturday Down South's latest ACC Power Rankings, the Tigers jumped to the third best team in the ACC. They sat at number four a week ago.

"Huge win for Clemson on Saturday against Virginia Tech," Spenser Davis wrote. "After getting shutout in the first half, Clemson’s offense figured some things out after the break. Clemson’s run defense was also much better this week. Clemson needs a ton of help in order to reach the ACC title game, but it would be formidable if it gets there."

The Tigers are unsurprisingly behind SMU and Miami. Despite the Hurricanes dropping a crucial game that could have College Football Playoff implications, they only slip to the number two spot on the list. An undefeated SMU team sits atop the conference.

"The Mustangs are the primary beneficiary of shocking upset losses by Clemson and Miami in consecutive weeks," Davis writes. "SMU will enter the final 3 weeks of the regular season with some margin-for-error as it looks to make the ACC title game in its debut season."

Clemson will get a chance to make a statement against a solid Pitt team in their next bit of action. The Panthers slipped from the fifth-ranked team in the ACC to the eighth according to Saturday Down South.