STL’s Week 9 ACC Football Power Rankings

Don’t look now but Wake is going to upset some serious apple carts when they make the College Football Playoff this year.

And being the ACC’s rep, they will probably lose by 60.

1. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (7-0, 4-0)

Last week: win 70-56 at Army. This week. vs. Duke.

I don’t know how they did it, but the Deacs got Army to play a shootout. Wake still had trouble with the triple option allowing Army to run for 416 rushing yards. Thank their lucky stars Paul Johnson isn’t around anymore.

2. Pittsburgh Panthers (6-1, 3-0)

Last week: win 27-17 vs. Clemson. This week: vs. Miami.

This Pitt team has a home loss to Western Michigan on their resume, but is still the ACC’s best chance of making the College Football Playoffs. Kenny Pickett is garnering Heisman buzz even though he isn’t the best QB in the conference. Though they have a 2 game lead in the division race, four of their last five are against Coastal foes.

3. NC State Wolfpack (5-2, 2-1)

Last week: loss 31-30 at Miami. This week: vs. Louisville.

State fans should know better than to ever have hopes and dreams. They are constantly let down. State forced a Miami punt and looked like they were going to force another before giving up a 21 yard pass on 3rd and 16 and just 2:30 left in the game. That sealed the Pack’s fate and ruined their CFP chances.

4. Virginia Cavaliers (6-2, 4-2)

Last week: win 48-40 vs. GT. This week: at BYU.

The Hoos are rolling as winners of four straight including two on the road. Now they face their toughest opponent of the season in the hardest environment of the season. Most think the Cavaliers will be able to score, but can the defense hold the Cougars off the board?

5. Clemson Tigers (4-3, 3-2)

Last week: loss 27-17 at Pitt. This week: vs. FSU.

To say Clemson’s season is a dumpster fire would probably be an understatement. Never in our wildest dreams did we think the Tigers would have three losses before the end of the season, let alone the end of October.

6. North Carolina Tar Heels (4-3, 3-3)

Last week: Bye. This week: at Notre Dame.

The Heels keep rolling on the recruiting trail despite not rolling on the football field at all. This season is all but lost so it will be interesting to see how much juice Mack Brown has left to coach a team breaking in a new QB next season.

7. Louisville Cardinals (4-3, 2-2)

Last week: win 28-14 vs. BC. This week: at NC State.

Though a loud segment of the Cardinals’ fan base still want Scott Satterfield to kick rocks, they’re not having an awful season. They’re 4 points away from being 6-1 overall and 4-0 in the ACC with the rest of their ACC games winnable.

8. Miami Hurricanes (3-4, 1-2)

Last week: win 27-17 vs. NC State. This week: at Pitt.

The Canes rolled off their biggest win of the season and an upset of NC State last week. They’ll try to one up that this week when they travel to Pitt. In true Coastal Chaos fashion, we expect the Canes to come out on top.

9. Boston College Eagles (4-3, 0-3)

Last week: loss 28-14 at Louisville. This week: at Syracuse.

So it appears the Eagles aren’t as good as we thought when they were 4-0 before starting ACC play. Two more wins and a bowl game seems likely, but there are not any gimmes left on their schedule to assure it.

10. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (3-4, 2-3)

Last week: loss 48-40 at UVA. This week: vs. VT.

The Yellow Jackets certainly made it interesting after recovering two onside kicks in the fourth quarter before coming up just short. A bowl game still seems impossible with their remaining schedule, but is a 4 or 5 win season enough to allow Geoff Collins to head in to next year on the hot seat?

11. Syracuse Orange (4-4, 1-3)

Last week: win 41-36 at VT. This week: vs. BC.

After dropping three straight by a total of nine points, the Orange were able to put it together in Blacksburg and quell the rising tide to get rid of Dino Babers. BC, Louisville, NC State, and Pitt are remaining so getting to six wins and a bowl probably isn’t in the cards.

12. Virginia Tech Hokies (3-4, 1-2)

Last week: loss 41-36 vs. Syracuse. This week: at GT.

Losing three straight isn’t going to help Justin Fuente keep his job. Vegas set the Hokies’ season total at 7 wins. With five games remaining, including four on the road, getting to seven wins seems like a tall order. Will be interesting to see the uproar when they lose their fourth in a row this week.

13. Florida State Seminoles (3-4, 2-2)

Last week: win 59-3 vs. UMass. This week: at Clemson

The Noles have now won three in a row and are riding high. Should we expect them to win in Death Valley this weekend? Lol, no. But maybe they’ll keep it close since Clemson can’t find an endzone either.

14. Duke Blue Devils (3-4, 0-3)

Last week: Bye. This week: at Wake.

Bye week is probably the last time the Blue Devils will win this season. It’s basketball time in Durham.

Here’s how the STL staff voted this week: