Streaking the Lawn’s Week 5 ACC Football Power Rankings

Thought we had a miracle last week from the Tar heels, but they ultimately let us down. Nearly half the conference is off this week but there are still some meaningful conference show downs that will help decide the Coastal.

Clemson is still ruining football.

To the rankings!

1. Clemson Tigers (5-0, 3-0). Last week: 1
Last game: win 21-20 at UNC. This week: BYE

The Tar Heels put a scare into the fightin Dabos but talent came up big when it mattered most. We were all sad because of it. Wake is now likely our only hope in the regular season.

2. Virginia Cavaliers (4-1, 2-0). Last week: 2
Last game: loss 35-20 at Notre Dame. This week: BYE

The loss showed us the difference between the Hoos and the upper echelon of college football. Good news is the Cavaliers won’t see any other team with that talent until either the ACC Championship Game or their bowl.

3. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (5-0, 1-0). Last week: 3
Last game: win 27-24 at BC. This week: BYE

The Deacs eeked out a conference road victory in Chestnut Hill, but a win is a win. It could be a sign of things to come, or they roll Louisville, FSU, NC State, and VT in the coming weeks before playing Clemson in mid November.

4. Duke Blue Devils (3-1, 1-0). Last week: 6
Last game: win 45-10 at VT. This week: vs. Pittsburgh

Roll Blue Devils. David Cutcliffe was cold blooded last Friday absolutely murdering the Hokies and maybe Justin Fuente in the process. They’ve got four straight against Coastal opponents coming up so they could position themselves nicely in the division.

5. Miami-Florida Hurricanes (2-2, 0-1). Last week: 5
Last game: BYE last week. This week: vs. VT

Like Duke ahead of them, the Canes have four straight against divisional opponents on the horizon including the likely Coastal championship next week against UVa. The Canes will likely just treat their game this week against VT as another FCS game.

6. Florida State Seminoles (3-2, 2-1). Last week: 7
Last game: win 31-13 vs. NC State. This week: BYE

Poor FSU. They’re starting to feel good about themselves after two straight Ws against Louisville and NC State. They get a bye before traveling to the death machine at Clemson. No reprieve the following week when they go to Wake Forest.

7. North Carolina Tar Heels (2-3, 1-1). Last week: 9
Last game: loss 21-20 vs. Clemson. This week: at GT.

Almost had it. Don’t forget that this is the same team that lost to Wake and App State in the weeks leading up to Clemson (granted both of those teams are 5-0). UNC might be good or could be average.

8. Pittsburgh Panthers (3-2, 0-1). Last week: 4
Last game: win 17-14 vs. Delaware. This week: at Duke.

You beat the self-proclaimed 2017 NCAA Champions one week and then almost lose to an FCS team the following week. Such is life in the ACC. Their game against Duke could tell us a lot about both teams and where they stand in the ACC Coastal heirarchy of meh.

9. N.C. State Wolfpack (3-2, 0-1). Last week: 8
Last game: loss 31-13 at FSU. This week: BYE

Dave Doeren might be on his way out. The Wolfpack will likely still make a bowl but with Wake and Clemson (and UNC?) still on the schedule, those really rational fans in Raleigh who think they should be the Clemson of North Carolina could want him gone.

10. Syracuse Orange (3-2, 0-1). Last week: 10
Last game: win 41-3 vs. Holy Cross. This week: BYE

That Maryland loss is looking worse and worse by the week. Cuse will likely still jump up and beat someone they shouldn’t, but this team looks more like a 6 or 7 win team instead of a 9 or 10 win team.

11. Boston College Eagles (3-2, 1-1). Last week: 11
Last game: loss 27-24 vs. Wake. This week: at Louisville.

When you lose to Kansas you stay in the double digits the rest of the season. Like at NC State, Steve Addazio could make a bowl this season and still not be back at BC next season.

12. Louisville Cardinals (2-2, 0-1). Last week: 13
Last game: BYE last week. This week: vs. BC

Battle of the bottom of the Atlantic in Louisville this weekend. Amazingly, Louisville is a 6.5 point favorite which feels about 2-3 points too many. Nobody knows if Louisville is any good.

13. Virginia Tech Hokies (2-2, 0-2). Last week: 12
Last game: loss 45-10 vs. Duke. This week: at Miami.

Hokies have two FCS teams on the schedule this season meaning they’ll have to get to 7 wins to go bowling. They have just 4 home games remaining. Oh boy this is exciting.

14. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (1-3, 0-1). Last week: 14
Last game: loss 24-2 at Temple. This week: vs. UNC.

I thought maybe they weren’t terrible after beating USF in Week 2. Turns out, USF is even worse and GT is really terrible. When you lose to the Dawgs of The Citadel, you stay in the cellar.