Virginia Football: ACC Football Week 7 Power Rankings

Power ranking the 17 ACC teams after six weeks of action.

Where do the Cavaliers stand in the ACC after six weeks of college football? / Peter Casey-Imagn Images

Virginia football was picked to finish second to last in the ACC preseason poll. The Cavaliers have shocked many this season and are not the only poor assessment as the projected number one Florida State has plummeted down the ACC with a 1-4 conference record. With that said, here are our week 7 ACC Football power rankings:

#1 Clemson Tigers (4-1, 3-0 ACC)

Clemson has reentered the top ten of the AP Poll after earning its fourth straight win after suffering a crushing defeat to Georgia in week one. The Tigers have a powerful defense that has allowed them to build massive leads in the first half before putting their foot on the gas in the second half. Further, Cade Klubnik has found a rhythm at quarterback as Dabo Swinney may finally prove he can build an ACC championship-winning team without using the transfer portal. 

#2 SMU Mustangs (5-1, 2-0 ACC)

I acknowledge that this is a hot take putting the Mustangs over undefeated Miami, but SMU's powerhouse offense can take this team anywhere. After a challenging first three games of the season where the Mustangs fell to BYU and nearly lost to Nevada, things have clicked in Dallas as SMU has scored 30+ points in its last three games. For a school that forfeited nine years of ACC television revenue to get an invite to the ACC, they are drawing plenty of eyeballs. 

#3 Miami Hurricanes (6-0, 2-0 ACC)

The Hurricanes may be undefeated, but their record only tells part of the story. Miami should have lost to Virginia Tech on a hail mary that was shockingly overturned and mounted a 21-3 fourth quarter to defeat California last week. All of these close victories indicate that Miami is due for a loss. Cam Ward is a legit Heisman contender, completely revolutionizing this Mario Cristobal offense. 

#4 Louisville Cardinals (3-2, 1-1 ACC)

This team has kept it close with ranked opponents SMU and Notre Dame but has yet to record a signature win, losing to both by a touchdown. Tyler Slough has proven himself to be a surefire pass-happy quarterback for the Cardinals, but when will Slough and the company earn a first statement win? 

#5 Virginia Cavaliers (4-1, 2-0 ACC)

The Cavaliers have silenced doubters, already surpassing their 3.5 season win total in only five games, but how will Virginia fare during its second, much more challenging half of the season? The Cavaliers beating Boston College was a massive first step in the right direction as belief is beginning to sprinkle into Charlottesville that Tony Elliott has turned this program around. 

#6 Pittsburgh Panthers (5-0, 1-0 ACC)

The ACC's other undefeated team besides Miami has surprised many, being one game away from bowl eligibility after the first week of October. Credit quarterback Eli Holstein for his performances this season with 1,564 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, and three interceptions, Pitt's best quarterback numbers since Kenny Pickett. Despite this, Pittsburgh has yet to beat a team resembling a ranked opponent. 

#7 Syracuse Orange (4-1, 1-1 ACC)

Without a disappointing 26-24 loss to Stanford, this team is undefeated. The Orange has figured out how to win close games with victories over Georgia Tech and UNLV, proving they are certainly a threat in the ACC. Syracuse's matchup against Pittsburgh on October 24th will give us an accurate barometer of whether this team is a contender or a pretender.

#8 Boston College (4-2, 1-1 ACC) 

Bill O'Brien has done wonders for this program, turning Thomas Castellanos into a dominant dual-threat quarterback. If Castellanos is at full strength, this team can beat anyone. Giving Missouri a run for the money on the road is a challenging feat. 

#9 Virginia Tech (3-3, 1-1 ACC) 

Some people had Virginia Tech as a potential College Football Playoff team at the start of the season, but not anymore. Despite that, this team peaked with Kyron Drones at the end of last season and has the talent to return to that playing level and make a bowl game. I'm not ready to write this team off yet, but it's been a disappointing season in Blacksburg. 

#10 California Golden Bears (3-2, 0-2 ACC) 

The Golden Bears may be the most fun team in college football and have shocked the nation this season, beginning with their 21-14 win against Auburn on the road. Defensively, Cal leads the ACC with 11 interceptions and is third in points allowed. How much magic do the Golden Bears have left after nearly defeating Miami? 

The Rest :

#11 Georgia Tech (4-2, 2-2 ACC)
#12 Duke (5-1, 1-1 ACC)
#13 Wake Forest (2-3, 1-1 ACC)
#14 Stanford  (2-3, 1-1 ACC)
#15 North Carolina (3-3, 0-2 ACC)
#16 NC State (3-3, 0-2 ACC)
#17 Florida State (1-5, 1-4 ACC)

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