StreakingtheLawn’s Week 6 ACC Football Power Rankings

Five weeks down. Almost halfway through the football season already. Clemson has lost 18 quarterbacks. North Carolina might lose a coach soon. And still nobody is really sure what is going on at Georgia Tech.

Here’s how the STL staff has the ACC shaking out so far.

1. Clemson Tigers (5-0, 2-0). Last week: 1
Last game: win vs. Syracuse 27-23. This week: at Wake Forest

Boy did Dabo Jesus dodge a bullet there. One former starting QB transfers and the Golden Horse gets hurt. The fallout if Clemson would have lost that game to Cuse would have been down right magical. But alas, we are still stuck with undefeated Clemson.

2. Miami-Florida Hurricanes (4-1, 1-0). Last week: 2
Last game: win 47-10 vs. UNC. This week: vs. FSU

Has anyone actually seen Miami play since their 33-17 opening weekend loss to LSU? I can’t imagine many actually voluntarily watched a UNC football game, so I will assume no. Miami is beating opponents pretty soundly, which is probably good, but other than that, I got nothing. TURNOVER CHAIN!

3. N.C. State Wolfpack (4-0, 1-0). Last week: 3
Last game: win 35-21 vs. UVa. This week: vs. BC

State is looking pretty good and ranked No. 23 this week thanks to Ryan Finley averaging over 300 yards passing per game this season. A tough three game ACC Atlantic stretch is upon them now with BC this week, a trip to Clemson in two weeks, followed up by a trip to Syracuse.

4. Syracuse Orange (4-1, 1-1). Last week: 5
Last game: loss 27-23 at Clemson. This week: at Pittsburgh

As it stands right now, Cuse looks like a worst case 7-5 team. If they win just one of their road games against BC or Wake they’ll be 8-4. I don’t know what kind of world we live in where Cuse is 8-4.

5. Virginia Tech Hokies (3-1, 2-0). Last week: 7
Last game: win 31-14 at Duke. This week: vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Was the ODU game a fluke or does VT have serious flaws? Probably won’t find out this week as I expect Notre Dame to throttle the Hokies. Might not truly find out until their early November game against Boston College or mid-November game against Miami.

6. Boston College Eagles (4-1, 1-0). Last week: 6
Last game: win 45-35 vs. Temple. This week: at NC State

If the Eagles had not laid an absolute egg at Purdue two weeks ago they’d be 5-0 and a top 15 team this week heading to Raleigh. Instead, they’ll be an underdog and still have a three game stretch of vs. Miami, at VT, and vs. Clemson on the horizon. They will likely still get to at least 6-6, maybe even 7-5, but darkhorse ACC Atlantic team they are not.

7. Duke Blue Devils (4-1, 0-1). Last week: 4
Last game: loss 31-14 vs. VT. This week: BYE

Duke held VT to just 81 yards on the ground and 2.0 yards per attempt. That is good. The Blue Devils also allowed 332 yards through the air at a clip of 11.9 yards per pass. That is not good at all. Their rushing defense is ranked 44th in the country and only giving up 122.8 yards per game. Good news for them is they get to face the triple option next weekend.

8. Virginia Cavaliers (3-2, 1-1). Last week: 8
Last game: loss 35-21 at NC State. This week: BYE

Hoos get a week off before hosting Miami for Homecomings. The Canes will be coming off a rivalry game against FSU with a bye week the next week. Can you smell that look ahead game?

9. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (3-2, 0-1). Last week: 9
Last game: win 56-24 vs. Rice. This week: vs. Clemson

Assuming the Deacs don’t pull off a major upset this weekend or a minor one a few weeks in Raleigh against NC State, they’ll need to win three of their final five of at FSU, at Louisville, vs Cuse, vs Pitt, and at Duke. Certainly possible but an uphill battle for sure.

10. Florida State Seminoles (3-2, 1-2). Last week: 10
Last game: win 28-24 at Louisville. This week: at Miami

I hope Willie Taggert took Petrino out to a nice steak dinner after that game because man did they gift the Noles a win. In a battle to see who wanted to win less, it was Louisville, and it was ugly.

11. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (2-3, 0-2). Last week: 12
Last game: win 63-17 vs. Bowling Green. This week: at Louisville

The Yellow Jackets have looked like trash against any sort of competition thus far this season and yet, there is still a way for them to win 4 more games, get to a bowl game, and save Paul Johnson’s job. It won’t be easy, but it’s what I expect from a bad GT team.

12. Pittsburgh Panthers (2-3, 1-1). Last week: 11
Last game: loss 45-14 at UCF. This week: vs. Syracuse

No clue. Like you, I haven’t seen a second of Pitt football this year. To be honest, I am glad.

13. Louisville Cardinals (2-3, 0-2). Last week: 13
Last game: loss 28-24 vs. FSU. This week: vs. GT

You had a win in the palm of your hand. With 2:12 left in the game, the ball in your hand at the FSU 28, A THREE POINT LEAD, and ESPN giving you a 98.8% chance of winning, you decided to THROW THE BALL!?!? Bobby Petrino doesn’t deserve nice things. As a Falcons fan, I can tell you he doesn’t deserve anything at all, but we also all know Louisville can’t hold on to impossible leads anyways.

14. North Carolina Tar Heels (1-3, 1-1). Last week: 14
Last game: loss 47-10 at Miami. This week: BYE

If Fedora lasts through the season I’ll be amazed. He has to have something on the AD, the Board of Directors, and the school President. Has to.