Streaking the Lawn’s Week 3 ACC Football Power Rankings

We’re through three weeks and the media’s national story on the ACC is that Clemson is really really good and the rest of the ACC is really really trash.

Hoos get no respect, no respect I tell ya.

Here’s how the staff thinks the ACC ranks out:

1. Clemson Tigers (3-0, 2-0). Last week: 1
Last game: win 41-6 vs Syracuse. This week: vs. Charlotte

They’ll go undefeated until they have to play the Cavaliers in Charlotte where the Belk Bowl plays so, who knows what could happen there.

2. Virginia Cavaliers (3-0, 2-0). Last week: 2
Last game: win 31-24 vs. FSU. This week: vs. ODU

Hoos gave everyone a heart attack and pulled off the victory. They’ll be big favorites this week against the Monarchs and hopefully cruise to an easy victory before turning their focus to the biggest game of the regular season next weekend at Notre Dame.

3. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (3-0, 0-0). Last week: 9
Last game: win 24-18 vs. UNC. This week: vs. Elon

It’s time we start talking about a decent Wake Forest. Elon this week means they’ll move to 4-0. They’ll travel to Chestnut Hill next weekend and host Louisville in their next game. Could the Deacs get to bowl eligibility before suffering a loss?

4. Miami-Florida Hurricanes (1-2, 0-1). Last week: 6
Last game: win 63-0 vs. Bethune-Cookman. This week: vs. Central Michigan

Credit the Hurricanes for playing Florida to open the season, but their three other out of conference games are against Bethune-Cookman, Central Michigan, and FIU. For a team of Miami’s stature that thinks so highly of themselves, that’s a poor OOC schedule.

5. North Carolina Tar Heels (2-1, 1-0). Last week: 4
Last game: loss 24-18 vs. Wake. This week: vs. Appalachian State

Perhaps the joy with Mack Brown being back was a bit premature. A 2-0 start was good but this season could go from 2-0 to 2-3 really quick with App State this week and Clemson next weekend.

6. Duke Blue Devils (2-1, 0-0). Last week: 10
Last game: win 41-18 vs. Middle Tennessee. This week: BYE

The wizard of Wallace Wade (Cutcliffe) has seemingly gotten the Blue Devils back on track after getting destroyed by Alabama in the first weekend. An off week this week to get prepared to travel to Blacksburg next weekend fora primetime Friday night game.

7. N.C. State Wolfpack (2-1, 0-0). Last week: 3
Last game: loss 44-27 vs. West Virginia. This week: vs. Ball State

Entering last weekend WVU was a bad team that NC State made look like a Big 12 contender. Not great. The Wolfpack were supposed to maybe, possibly challenge Clemson for the Atlantic, but it certainly doesn’t look like they’re in the same zip code as the Tigers right now.

8. Pittsburgh Panthers (1-2, 0-1). Last week: 11
Last game: loss 17-10 at Penn State. This week: vs. UCF

Poor Pitt. They had to play their toughest ACC game in the first game of the season and after losing to Penn State gets to play the toughest G5 team out there. Reprieve comes next week when Delaware travels to Pittsburgh and then the Panthers get the rest of their ACC slate.

9. Florida State Seminoles (1-2, 0-1). Last week: 12
Last game: loss 31-24 at UVa. This week: vs. Louisville

FSU seemingly is not as bad as their second halves against ULM or Boise State, but another second half collapse gave UVa a victory this past weekend. The Noles are 6.5 pt favorites this weekend against Louisville. If FSU lays another dud it’ll be awfully hard for Willie Taggart to survive this season.

10. Syracuse Orange (1-2, 0-1). Last week: 7
Last game: loss 41-6 vs. Clemson. This week: vs. Western Michigan

The Orange are 5.5 point favorites against the Broncos, but ESPN’s FPI only gives Cuse a 44% chance of winning. We’ve been told for four years now Dino Babers was building a powerhouse in northern New York. Powerhouses don’t lose to Western Michigan at home.

11. Louisville Cardinals (2-1, 0-0). Last week: 13
Last game: win 38-21 vs. Western Kentucky. This week: vs. at FSU

After two cupcakes (kindof), Louisville gets back to playing programs on equal footing this week in FSU. Nobody knows what to make of the Cardinals so this could be a good litmus test for both the Noles and Cardinals.

12. Boston College Eagles (2-1, 1-0). Last week: 5
Last game: loss 48-24 vs. Kansas. This week: at Rutgers.

I wrote BC in at 4-0 in sharpie last week. Then they went and lost to Kansas. Never again. Dudes were not dudes.

13. Virginia Tech Hokies (2-1, 0-1). Last week: 8
Last game: win 24-17 vs. Furman. This week: BYE

Hokies need a bye after that rough two week stretch they’ve now played of ODU and Furman. Duke comes to Blacksburg next weekend to see what the Hokies are really made of.

14. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (1-2, 0-1). Last week: 14
Last game: loss 27-24 vs. The Citadel. This week: at Temple.

You lost to an FCS team. You get nothing.