ACC Power Rankings: Week Four
The ACC had a pretty easy week three outside of the big Miami vs Texas A&M game and there was not a lot of movement, outside of the very top of the power rankings.
I have had Miami at the top spot for every week so far this season, but that is obviously going to change this week. The Hurricanes had their opportunities to get a big win on the road against the Aggies, but poor red zone offense and some questionable coaching management at the end of the game were too much for Miami to overcome.
Georgia Tech took on Ole Miss and had a completely lifeless performance against the Rebels in a 42-0 loss. Head coach Geoff Collins is possibly on the way out and this program is clearly the worst in the ACC at this point.
So who takes the top spot in this week's power rankings?
14. Georgia Tech (1-2, L vs Ole Miss 42-0)- Last week: 14
Georgia Tech gave an awful performance against Ole Miss yesterday and it might be time to move on from Geoff Collins. Georgia Tech gave up over 500 yards on defense and the offense looks completely inept. The Yellow Jackets go on the road to face UCF next week in another tough matchup.
13. Boston College (1-2, W vs Maine 38-17)- Last week: 13
Despite winning last week, Boston College is going to remain next to last in the power rankings this week. A win over Maine is not enough to move them up any and this team still has a lot to prove. Quarterback Phil Jurkovec had a good game with over 300 yards, but the offensive line is still a big question mark. A road trip to Tallahassee to take on Florida State is up next for the Eagles.
12. Virginia (2-1, W vs Old Dominion 16-14)- Last week: 12
Virginia was able to squeeze out a win against Old Dominion, but this team still does not look very good. The passing game looked a little better, but the offense still had three turnovers. Virginia still looks like they are adjusting to Tony Elliott as a head coach and will have a big test on the road against Syracuse on Friday.
11. Virginia Tech (2-1, W vs Wofford 27-7)- Last week: 10
Virginia Tech is going to drop a spot this week, despite getting a win against Wofford on Saturday. The Hokies still look uneven, but it was encouraging to see quarterback Grant Wells throw for over 300 yards. Virginia Tech will have a Thursday night clash with old Big East rival West Virginia on Thursday.
10. Louisville (1-2, L vs Florida State 35-31)- Last week: 9
Louisville had their opportunities against Florida State on Friday, but the defense could not keep the Seminoles out of the end zone in a 35-31 loss. Quarterback Malik Cunningham had another good game on the ground, but threw a costly interception on the last drive of the game. The Cardinals will have a chance to bounce back next weekend with a game against South Florida.
9. Duke (3-0, W vs NC A&T 49-20)- Last week: 10
The Blue Devils got another big win on Saturday and moved to 3-0 under new head coach Mike Elko. It is the first time since 2018 that this team is 3-0 and they will have a chance to get to 4-0 when they take on an upstart Kansas team on the road. Quarterback Riley Leonard continues to play well and has the Blue Devils hoping for a bowl game.
8. North Carolina (3-0, Bye Week)- Last week: 7
The Tar Heels did not play this week and dropped a spot because of the Syracuse victory over Purdue. North Carolina has a chance to get to 4-0 this week at home against Notre Dame.
7. Syracuse (3-0, W vs Purdue 32-29)- Last week: 8
Syracuse remains undefeated and scored a nice win over a solid Purdue team at home. Quarterback Garrett Shrader continued his hot start and ran the ball really effectively against the Boilermakers yesterday. The Orange have another home game this week, this time against Virginia on Friday night.
6. Pittsburgh (2-1, W vs Western Michigan 34-13)- Last week: 6
It was not always pretty, but Pitt got a win on the road with their third-string quarterback against a team that did beat them last year. Running back Israel Abanikanda had a good game and Pitt has a chance to get some more wins in the coming weeks against Rhode Island and Georgia Tech which should allow them time to get their team healthy.
5. Wake Forest (3-0, W vs Liberty 37-36)- Last week: 5
The Demon Deacons were big favorites this week against Liberty but only won by one point. That is not the kind of confidence builder they needed for next week's big game against Clemson, but a win is a win. Quarterback Sam Hartman was not as efficient as he was against Vanderbilt and he will have to be much better for Wake Forest to have a chance against the Tigers.
4. Miami (2-1, L vs Texas A&M 9-17)- Last week: 1
The Hurricanes had their chances against A&M on the road, but could not take advantage of them. This game showed that Miami still has a lot to work on, but there is reason for hope. The offensive line looked strong and the defense played well against a struggling Aggies offense. Miami has a chance to bounce back against Middle Tennessee State next week and then their bye week.
3. Florida State (3-0, W vs Louisville 35-31)- Last week: 3
The Seminoles got the win on the road vs Louisville, but it came at a cost. Starting quarterback Jordan Travis is hurt and so is FSU's best pass rusher Jared Verse. Florida State has been impressive so far this season and the Seminoles have a chance to get to 4-0 when they face a struggling Boston College team at home next week.
2. NC State (3-0, W vs Texas Tech 27-14)- Last week: 4
NC State has rebounded nicely since their opening week scare against East Carolina. Texas Tech had been an impressive team through two weeks and the Wolfpack completely shut down their offense. The offense still leaves something to be desired but NC State still has time to get that worked out. A game against UConn will be a breeze next week and then a road trip to Clemson awaits.
1. Clemson (3-0, W vs Louisiana Tech 48-20)- Last week: 2
Clemson is the main beneficiary of Miami losing, allowing them to climb up to the top spot in the ACC power rankings this week. It was not a clean game for Clemson and the score was closer than 48-20 indicates, but Clemson got a win. Now, a two-game stretch against Wake Forest and NC State will likely determine whether Clemson wins the ACC Atlantic division.
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