Week 4 ACC Power Rankings

Four weeks into the season and we're finally getting to ACC play. From here on out, it should be (relatively) good teams playing (relatively) good teams.

And NC State finally has to play a team from an actual conference.

Going into the 5th week of the season, here is how we think the ACC is stacking up.

1. Florida State Seminoles (3-0, 1-0). Last week: 1
Phew, FSU recovered from their tight win over BC with a bye week and had time to prepare for....Wake. So, FSU will be 4-0 and likely #1 again next week.

2. Clemson Tigers (3-0, 1-0). Last week: 2
After four weeks, Clemson has had three bye weeks. I don't know how they got the NCAA and the ACC to approve that, but they'll finally play a legitimate opponent this week (sorry, Louisville) in Notre Dame. Gameday will be there, so we're all in for a treat. Either Dabo Sweeney will not take his meds and go crazy after a win, or we'll get to see a lot of sad people in orange (again).

3. Miami Hurricanes (3-0, 0-0). Last week: 4
Miami keeps moving on up even though they haven't looked all that great yet this season. The Canes will take on Cincinnati on Thursday night and then prepare for their gauntlet: at FSU, vs. Virginia Tech, vs. Clemson. If Miami somehow makes it out of there undefeated, Al Golden could be bronzed and they could be looking at a Coastal Championship.

4. Duke Blue Devils (3-1, 1-0). Last week: 8
Color me impressed. After losing to Northwestern, I expected the losing to continue in Durham when Georgia Tech came. The Blue Devils rallied and showed the Yellow Jackets they weren't head and shoulders above everyone else in the Coastal. The Blue Devils host BC this week.

5. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (2-2, 0-1). Last week: 3
Been a rough couple of weeks for the Swarm. First, a loss to Notre Dame, and now a loss at Duke. The Yellow Jackets will need to right the ship when UNC comes to town this weekend in a key matchup for the Coastal Division.

6(tie). North Carolina Tar Heels (3-1, 0-0). Last week: 6
The Tar Heels are giving up less than 15 points a game so far. Yes, against less than impressive opponents, but Chizik's defense seems to be clicking in Chapel Hill. As mentioned, they'll take on Georgia Tech in a major Coastal showdown before a few weeks off (Wake - UVa - Pitt).

6(tie). North Carolina State Wolfpack. (4-0, 0-0). Last week: 7
(again...)NC State's schedule so far....

8. Virginia Tech Hokies (2-2, 0-0). Last week: 5
Just when we think we can believe in the Hokies being a good team they go to ECU and completely redeem themselves. Lucky for them they're 0-0 in the ACC and start off conference play this weekend against Pitt.

9. Boston College Golden Eagles (3-1, 0-1). Last week: 11
If BC wants to be considered in the upper echelon of the conference they'll need to take care of business this week against Duke. The Eagles were able to squeak out a win against Northern Illinois, but that same team took Ohio State to the limit the week before. Maybe we should give BC more credit.

10. Louisville Cardinals (1-3, 0-1). Last week: 9
You win your first game of the year and you fall in the Power Rankings. It's a dog-eat-dog world out there Cardinals. Hopefully Louisville can do us all a favor and beat NC State by 40 this weekend in Raleigh to get back to .500 in the conference.

11. Syracuse Orange (3-1, 1-0). Last week: 12
Surprisingly more people didn't die when Fournette went to Syracuse. The Orange did put up quite a fight against one of the SEC's top team. They'll have to keep that effort and level of play up the rest of the season if they want to make noise in the Atlantic with Clemson and FSU still on the schedule.

12. Pittsburgh Panthers (2-1, 0-0). Last week: 10
The Panthers open up their ACC schedule in Blacksburg this weekend. I think we're all expecting it to be a long season for Pitt without James Conner. We'll see if Narduzzi can work any miracles in the Steel City.

13. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (2-2, 0-1). Last week: 14
I mean, I guess.

14. Virginia Cavaliers (1-3, 0-0). Last week: 13