ACC power rankings for 2022 college football season
The college football season is here, and that means it's time for the final conference power rankings from around the country.
How do things look in the ACC this year? Pittsburgh comes in as defending league champs, but quarterback Kenny Pickett is gone, while conference runner-up Wake Forest will be without QB Sam Hartman, the heart of its fast-moving offense, due to a medical condition for part of the season.
We'll see three new head coaches in the ACC, while Dabo Swinney looks to get back on top after installing two new coordinators on his staff.
Where do things stand in the conference for the 2022 season? Scroll through to see the latest preseason power rankings in the ACC, from worst to first.
ACC power rankings for 2022 college football season
14. Duke Blue Devils
2021 record: 3-9 (0-8 ACC)
Where Duke is now: More of the same from the Blue Devils after sitting in the ACC basement last year, David Cutcliffe's final outing on the sideline. Enter Mike Elko, a first-time head coach tasked with making something out of almost nothing.
He needs a quarterback, a running back, and some quick fixes for a defense that placed last in the ACC. There's about a 9 percent chance to get to six wins here, according to FPI, which is all that can be said for this team in its current iteration.
13. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
2021 record: 3-9 (2-6 ACC)
Where Georgia Tech is now: Tech lost two offensive pieces in quarterback Jordan Yates, who transferred out, and running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who left for Alabama.
So, head coach Geoff Collins needs to give a jolt to an offense that placed third-worst in the ACC at 24 points per game. Jeff Sims returns at quarterback after passing for 12 TDs and seven picks, but there isn't a ton to work with around him moving the ball.
The Jackets were also the second-worst defense in the conference last season, and the unit brings back just two starters this fall.
12. Syracuse Orange
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2021 record: 5-7 (2-6 ACC)
Where Syracuse is now: Dino Babers comes into what could be a defining season for his tenure at Syracuse. The head coach only had one winning season out of six, and comes in under pressure to correct a record that includes just 15 wins in 50 ACC appearances.
Syracuse fielded the league's fourth-worst total offense a year ago and mustered under 150 air yards per game, the ACC's worst mark. The best this Orange team has according is a 30 percent chance to finish bowl eligible, according to prediction models.
11. Virginia Tech Hokies
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2021 record: 6-7 (4-4 ACC)
Where Virginia Tech is now: Having seven returning starters on defense, including their top tacklers and TFL production, should help ease the transition for first-year coach Brent Pry, who inherits a team that won just two ACC games at home last fall and got plastered by Maryland in the bowl.
Grant Wells won the Hokies' quarterback competition over Jason Brown, but Tech still needs to break in some new targets at receiver to get the most out of him.
10. Boston College Eagles
2021 record: 6-6 (2-6 ACC)
Where Boston College is now: BC started 4-0 last fall including a win at home to SEC visitor Missouri, but a four-game skid followed and the Eagles won just one ACC game in Chestnut Hill all told.
Quarterback Phil Jurkovec went down in Week 2, but will come back healthy and ready in 2022, good news after the Eagles' offense ranked worst in the conference in yards and fourth-worst in points. BC gets more than a half-dozen starters back on defense, a unit that ranked No. 4 in the ACC in 2021.
9. Virginia Cavaliers
2021 record: 6-6 (4-4 ACC)
Where Virginia is now: This was a 6-2 team heading into October but a four-game losing streak, including against two three ranked teams, killed that momentum. First-year coach Tony Elliott inherits a group long on potential, but in need of some inputs.
Brennan Armstrong led an offense that ranked No. 3 in college football last year, and two of the 10 best wide receivers in the nation, but this unit is about to lose all five starters on the offensive line. And this defense needs a new vision after surrendering almost five TDs per game in ACC play and surrendered over 45 points in three of its losses, including 59 to UNC and 66 to BYU.
8. North Carolina Tar Heels
2021 record: 6-7 (3-5 ACC)
Where North Carolina is now: UNC is moving up the preseason rankings despite winning just three league games last fall, losing quarterback Sam Howell, the bulk of its rushing attack, and four of its offensive line starters. But there's a promising newcomer at quarterback in Drake Maye, and a room full of excellent receiving targets.
Not to mention a defensive unit that has recruited very well, including 5-star lineman Travis Shaw this year, and returns Gene Chizik at coordinator to tighten up the loose ends after ranking 94th overall in college football last year.
7. Florida State Seminoles
2021 record: 5-7 (4-4 ACC)
Where Florida State is now: In two years, Mike Norvell is just 8-13 with the Seminoles, nowhere even in the orbit of what this program expects. This time around, FSU brings on a nice mixture of veteran experience and newcomers and a schedule with chances to prove itself. Clemson and Florida come to Doak and there are road trips to Miami and NC State.
Jordan Travis is a potential difference-maker at quarterback, throwing 15 TDs and six picks last fall, but didn't have a turnover in five outings. FSU went 4-1 in that stretch. And the Seminoles could make a statement in their season opener: in New Orleans against LSU, a traditional SEC power starting over with a first-year coach that looks beatable.
6. Louisville Cardinals
2021 record: 6-7 (4-4 ACC)
Where Louisville is now: Getting quarterback Malik Cunningham back on the field in 2022 is a major positive for the Cardinals. He was a 62% passer a year ago, throwing for 2,734 yards and 18 touchdowns to only six interceptions, while also rushing for over 1,000 yards and 20 additional touchdowns, both top 10 numbers nationally.
To get the most from him, though, Louisville needs to find adequate inputs at receiver, especially after losing speedster Tyler Harrell to Alabama.
5. Wake Forest Demon Deacons
2021 record: 11-3 (7-1 ACC)
Where Wake Forest is now: Wake started out 8-0 last fall behind the No. 11 ranked offense nationally and the fourth-best scoring unit before finishing 2-3, including a loss to Pitt in the ACC title game. Then came some offseason trouble.
Sam Hartman, the excellent passing prodigy who accounted for 50 touchdowns a year ago, was ruled out indefinitely with a non-football medical condition. Hopefully everything goes well there, but his absence is tough to gloss over on the field. Not ideal when Wake needed that stability to tie things over while it found a solution to its 91st ranked defensive unit.
4. Pittsburgh Panthers
2021 record: 11-3 (7-1 ACC)
Where Pittsburgh is now: When you lose the quarterback and receiver combo that helped win the ACC title, it's easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. But this is still one of the more experienced rosters in college football, including at quarterback.
USC transfer Kedon Slovis steps in with a career 65% passing mark and 11 TDs last fall. But the absence of Jordan Addison cuts a huge hole in Pitt's passing attack after he led the nation with 17 TD catches. Pitt has Jared Wayne coming back and can push the ball on the ground behind Israel Abanikanda, but there's no looking over the loss of a phenom like Addison.
3. Miami Hurricanes
2021 record: 7-5 (5-3 ACC)
Where Miami is now: Mario Cristobal helped build Oregon into a national recruiting power and now he'll try to do the same with his alma mater. Watch the Hurricanes' two new play-callers, too: Kevin Steele and Charlie Strong on defense with some returning talent, and Josh Gattis on offense after helping propel Michigan to a College Football Playoff team last season.
Tyler Van Dyke returns at quarterback after throwing for almost 3,000 yards a year ago with 25 TDs and six picks. He didn't have a turnover in seven games and the Canes went 5-2 in that stretch. Overall, just eight combined points kept The U from an undefeated mark in ACC play in 2021.
2. NC State Wolfpack
2021 record: 9-3 (6-2 ACC)
Where NC State is now: Four points kept the Wolfpack from an undefeated mark in ACC play, a run that included a win over No. 9 Clemson and with losses at Miami and at Wake.
Up to 10 starters on defense that ranked No. 3 in the ACC last fall should come back for a reunion in 2022, as does quarterback Devin Leary, a 3,400-yard passer in 2021 with 35 touchdowns against three picks. But the Pack could use some replacements at running back to help balance things out and take some pressure off Leary.
1. Clemson Tigers
2021 record: 10-3 (6-2 ACC)
Where Clemson is now: Offense was a persistent problem last year, not scoring a TD in the opener against Georgia, and only getting nine scored against 10 picks from 5-star quarterback DJ Uiagalelei. Clemson ranked second-worst in the ACC in total offense and failed to surpass 27 points per game on average.
Getting things right on this side of the ball should get the Tigers back in the Top 10 nationally when looking at this defense, a unit stacked with blue-chip talent, including linemen Myles Murphy and Bryan Bresee. But watch for games at Wake, against NC State, at Notre Dame, and at home to Miami.