Streaking the Lawn’s Week 12 ACC Football Power Rankings

The end has finally come. We’ve been through 12 grueling weeks of college football. We’ve seen Virginia get manhandled by the likes of Boston College and yet win in Boise. The Turnover Chain has made Miami the greatest team in the history of organized sports according to Miami fans. And Clemson fans will tell you they deserve to be #1 because their only loss was because their QB was hurt. Apparently injuries are not part of football. At least not for Clemson.

Without further ado, the final ACC Football Power Rankings......

1. Miami-Florida Hurricanes (10-0, 7-0). Last week: 1

Last game: win 44-28 vs. UVa. This week: at Pitt
TURNOVER CHAIN TURNOVER CHAIN TURNOVER CHAAAAAAIIIIIINNNNNNNNN

After the scare UVa put into the Canes last week, I can’t imagine they will take Pitt lightly this weekend, but with their biggest game since 2002 next weekend against Clemson, a little bit of a letdown would not be that surprising.

2. Clemson Tigers (10-1, 7-1). Last week: 2

Last game: win 61-3 vs. The Citadel. This week: at South Carolina
#2 in the National Polls and #2 in the ACC. If injuries should not affect the polls, FSU should be #1 right now. Who knows how their season could have turned out. South Carolina should not beat Clemson right now, but we’ve seen how ACC teams do against the Gamecocks this season when they should win easily.

3. Louisville Cardinals (7-4, 4-4). Last week: 5

Last game: win 56-10 vs. Syracuse. This week: at Kentucky
Lamar Jackson threw for 270 and 2 touchdowns while running for 111 more and 2 more touchdowns. On the season, he’s accounted for 40 touchdowns and more than 4500 offensive yards. Those are numbers STL’s Paul Wiley couldn’t even get Vic Hall to in NCAA ‘08.

4. Virginia Tech Hokies (8-3, 4-3). Last week: 4

Last game: win 20-14 vs. Pitt. This week: at UVa
If you watch the last 2 minutes of the Hokies’ win over Pitt last weekend you’d know they had no business winning that game. But I for one am glad they did. No reason for them to be really angry coming into this week.

5. N.C. State Wolfpack (7-4, 5-4). Last week: 3

Last game: loss 30-24 at Wake. This week: vs. UNC
Looks like those three straight tough games against ND, Clemson, and BC finally caught up to the Wolfpack. After thinking they were a darkhorse Playoff contender, how is the highly rational and thoughtful NC State fanbase going to take an 8-4 or (God willing) 7-5 season? I am here for that.

6. Boston College Eagles (6-5, 3-4). Last week: 7

Last game: win 39-16 vs. UConn. This week: at Syracuse
Nobody expected BC to win 6 games this year and now they’re favored in their final matchup to get to 7. So much Dude credit to Addazio. Who knows if they’ll be good again next year, but the Pinstripe Bowl will look great with the Eagles in it next month.

7. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (7-4, 4-3). Last week: 8

Last game: win 30-24 vs. NC State. This week: vs. Duke
UVa fans should be fairly disappointed Wake pulled off the upset last weekend. If Wake can get to 8 wins, while UVa gets stuck at 6, there is a good chance Wake would have to be chosen for the Belk Bowl and the Hoos wouldn’t. Le sad. Come on Cutcliffe!

8. Florida State Seminoles (4-6, 3-5). Last week: 9(tie)

Last game: win 77-6 vs. Delaware State. This week: at UF
FSU needs to get 2 more wins to assure a bowl game and they were able to reschedule their game against UL-Monroe for next weekend. I pray UF can pull off the upset in the slap-fight this weekend so we can see if the UL-Monroe game would have more people in the stands than a UVa spring game.

9. Virginia Cavaliers (6-5, 3-4). Last week 9(tie)

Last game: loss 44-28 at Miami. This week: vs. VT
Man, that was close. One or two more breaks could have given UVa a more season-defining win than the one at Boise State. A matchup this weekend to end the streak could be a very welcomed substitute though.

10. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (5-5, 4-4). Last week: 6

Last game: loss 43-20 at Duke. This week: vs. UGA
Let’s go over GT’s roller coaster 2017 football season: one point-OT loss to Tennessee (gross), roll off 3 wins, one point-flukey loss at Miami (not bad), loss at UVa (eeeh), win vs. VT (GT back?), 23 point loss to 4-6 Duke (blegh).

11. Duke Blue Devils (5-6, 2-5). Last week: 13

Last game: win 43-20 vs. Duke. This week: at Wake.
See Wake above. Need the fightin Cutcliffe’s to pull off another upset this weekend to give the Hoos a chance at the Belk Bowl. Nobody wants to go to Shreveport.

12. Pittsburgh Panthers (4-7, 2-5). Last week: 11(tie)

Last game: loss 20-14 at VT. This week: vs. Miami
Well, if there was any time for Pitt to leave it all on the field, it is this weekend against Miami. They could celebrate like it’s 1976 and maybe knock Miami out of the Playoff picture.

13. Syracuse Orange (4-7, 2-5). Last week: 11(tie)

Last game: loss 56-10 at Louisville. This week: vs. BC
So far, Dino Babers is 8-15 and 4-11 in the ACC. Yes, he has miracle wins against Clemson this year and Virginia Tech last year, but has the Babers era really been that impressive thus far? Especially given all the fanfare that he was given on his hiring.

14. North Carolina Tar Heels (3-8, 1-6). Last week: 14

Last game: win 65-10 vs. Western Carolina. This week: at NC State.
Shhhhhhhh, it’s almost over now.