STL's Week 6 ACC Power Rankings

Another week, another set of rankings from your editorial board at Streaking the Lawn. This past week, like every other week before it, FSU won and Wake lost (happens nearly every week), but that wasn't weird since they played each other. Other than that, it seems like the ACC might be settling into somewhat of a rhythm! Here's how we think the teams stack up:

1. Florida State Seminoles (5-0, 3-0). Last week: 1
As expected, FSU blew the doors off of poor Wake Forest. They were actually losing early (0-3) before Wake decided that demolishing the hopes and dreams of the ACC wasn't for them. It ended up 43-3 and the 'Noles covered. They'll essentially have another bye this week traveling to Syracuse before having to run the gauntlet of hosting Notre Dame, traveling to Louisville, and hosting UVa over the following four weeks. Year, looks like FSU is going undefeated.

2. Clemson Tigers (3-2, 2-1). Last week: 2
After NC State gave FSU a scare the week before, some thought they might be able to do the same to Clemson. Those people were very much wrong. The Tigers smoked the Wolfpack 41-0 and Deshaun Watson looks like he could be a Heisman contender next year. If only they had given the Freshman the ball to begin with, they might have beaten FSU and/or UGA.

3. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (5-0, 2-0). Last week: 4
Miami gave the Yellow Jackets a scare, but the consistency and elusiveness of the 1954 offense allowed GT to pull away and win 28-17. We're still not entirely sure what to make of Georgia Tech given their lack of schedule strength, but remaining undefeated, a win on the road at VPISU, and beating Miami gives them the de facto 3 spot. They'll host Duke this week, who is coming off of a bye, and if GT can win, they'll be in the driver's seat of the Coastal

4. Virginia Cavaliers (4-2, 2-0). Last week: 3
Raise your hand if you thought UVa would be 4-2 after six games. I certainly didn't, but this defense is good and the offense seems to be good enough. Last week against Pitt was closer than it should have been given UVa's 24-3 halftime lead, but the defense held on just long enough to give UVa their 2nd ACC win. A bye week means if GT loses, the Hoos will be back in the 3 spot before traveling to Durham to take on the Blue Devils.

5. Louisville Cardinals (5-1, 3-1). Last week: 5
If Louisville was in the Coastal, they would likely be the favorite to run away with the division. But they are not, and have to play Clemson and FSU in two of the next three weeks. They're a good team and will represent the ACC well in their bowl, but just don't have enough to win the Atlantic. This past week they went to Syracuse and took out the Orange easily. This week will be their biggest test since the UVa game when they go to Clemson.

6. VPISU Hokies (4-2, 1-1). Last week: 9.
Tech got the benefit of playing UNC this week. The Hokies probably aren't as bad as we all hoped they are when they lost to ECU and GT in back to back weeks since both of those teams seem pretty good at this stage of the season. Avoiding FSU and Clemson means they'll likely end up with more wins than UVa or GT, but maybe, just maybe, Michael Brewer can throw some more picks for us all. They get a bye week this week before two straight Thursday night games at Pittsburgh then hosting Miami.

7. Duke Blue Devils (4-1, 0-1). Last week: 6
The only reason Duke is this high is because they had a bye week this past week. They played a legit team two weeks ago and lost. Let's all hope that happens a lot more this year just so we don't have to listen to ANYONE tell us Duke football is good. It's not. They played a terrible OOC schedule. I am still mad about it. This weekend they'll attack the triple option of Georgia Tech. Hopefully the Yellow Jackets batter and bruise the Blue Devils for next weekend's tilt with UVa.

8. Miami Hurricanes (3-3, 1-2). Last week: 7
I don't think Miami is a very good team. Their three wins have come against Duke, Arkansas State, and Florida A&M, while they've lost to GT, Louisville, and Nebraska. Eventually they're going to have to beat someone of note to earn any respect and losing this past weekend to GT didn't help. Beating a pretty bad Cincinnati team this weekend won't help either. We'll just have to wait a few weeks til they travel to Blackbsurg for a Thursday night showdown to see if the Canes have anything left to give.

9. Pittsburgh Panthers (3-3, 1-1). Last week: 10
Remember when Pitt was 3-0 and looking like a legit Coastal threat? Yea, then Iowa, Akron, and UVa happened and we all lost confidence. They were able to storm back this past week to give us all a scare, but that game shouldn't have been that close. They'll sit this week out and travel to Blacksburg on Thursday next week. I guess for the rest of the season we're all really big Pitt fans. However, they don't get FSU, Clemson, or Louisville, so maybe don't cheer for them too much.

10. Boston College Eagles (3-2, 0-1). Last week: 11
As we've mentioned before, if you have a bye week in the ACC, you're likely to move up in the rankings. Case in point: Boston College. They still have one of the best OOC wins in the Conference, but after losing to Colorado State two weeks ago, we lost interest again. They'll get into the meat of their schedule this week and next playing at NC State and hosting Clemson before playing at Wake. Assuming they can beat Syracuse and Wake, they'll have to pull off a pretty big upset to go bowling this year.

11. N.C. State Wolfpack (4-2, 0-2). Last week: 8
We wanted to believe that their FSU game was a sign of life, but then they played Clemson this past week and decided they were still NC State. They'll play host to BC and likely move to within a game of a bowl, so hope should still be high in Raleigh. Although, that 4-0 start still angers me given the competition.

12. North Carolina Tar Heels (2-3, 0-2). Last week: 12
Three straight losses to ECU, Clemson, and VPISU combined with traveling to Notre Dame this weekend mean the Tar Heels likely aren't getting out of the bottom anytime soon. Out of the entire D1 realm, UNC is giving up the 124th most points per game averaging 42.0. How many teams are there you ask? 124. Stay strong (or not), UNC defense. Keep doing you.

13. Syracuse Orange (2-3, 0-1). Last week: 13
Poor Syracuse. Louisville, Notre Dame, and FSU in three straight weeks does not make for a good season. I don't see four more wins on their schedule, so it could be a cold winter in upstate New York. Good news is, basketball practice started last week!

14. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (2-4, 0-2). Last week: 14
Nope, still not talking about Wake Forest. I just wish UVa got to play them this year.