ACC Week 2 Power Rankings

Now that we have a week of games under our belts, we have something more than pure potential to base our power rankings on.

The big winner was Maryland, who Ronnie Tyler helped to become the early ACC leaders with a 32-24 victory over Miami.

The big loser was Duke, who lost to Richmond for the third time in six seasons and showed that they have a long way to go to be a player in the conference.

Things have finally begun to take shape out on the field but the next few weeks will bring tougher opponents and start to separate the pretenders from the contenders.

Here's our Week Two power rankings.

12. Duke

David Cutcliffe's group is confused and looking for answers right now.

Duke was hoping to reach a bowl game for the first time since the 1994 season.

Now they are in danger of sinking right back to the bottom of the ACC.

Cutcliffe is a great coach and has brought a lot more talent to a program that has only made two bowl appearances, both losses, since the Eisenhower administration.

However, this weekend suggests that they still have a ways to go before catching up to the rest of the ACC.

11. Wake Forest

Wake's overtime loss to Syracuse this past weekend is going to be a very tough pill to swallow for this football team.

However, the Demon Deacons performed much better than expected against a Big East team that won a bowl game last year.

Really, the only reason the Deacs did not rise even higher in this week's power rankings is the fact that most other ACC teams handled their "cupcake" opponents so well.

Tanner Price looked like the answer for Wake Forest at quarterback and Chris Givens was explosive.

For most of the game, the Demon Deacon defense also looked quite capable.

Things are looking up for Wake, who have a chance to score a big victory against N.C. State this week.

10. N.C. State

Audie Cole and the Wolfpack should rebound and rise back into the top eight in the ACC shortly.

However, Mike Glennon did not have as strong a debut as some of the other new starters in the ACC and NC State was really the only team besides Duke to struggle with an FCS opponent this week.

Liberty outgained the Wolfpack 406-318 and beat them 21-17 in first downs.

Mike Brown outperformed Mike Glennon at quarterback with one exception: interceptions. Brown threw three and Liberty as a whole threw four, as the Flames committed seven turnovers.

A fumble return on one of those turnovers and a punt return for a score provided a majority of the difference in a game NC State led only 30-21 for most of the fourth quarter.

This was a sloppy game by the Wolfpack and, considering the strong opening week for much of the ACC, NC State will have to work their way up the power rankings.

9. Virginia

Virginia had a very impressive debut against an in-state rival.

William and Mary is a highly ranked FCS team and Virginia clobbered them 40-3.

This should be the norm for a power conference FBS team but it was more than Duke and NC State could manage.

It was also better than UVA could manage when William and Mary beat them two years ago.

Now that UVA has gotten their revenge on the Tribe, they are looking for their first 2-0 start to a season since 2005 when they face Indiana on Saturday.

Their real test, and real chance to move up in the rankings, will come the following week against North Carolina.

That game could show how much the Cavaliers have improved from a year ago.

8. Boston College

Boston College really didn't perform all that badly against Northwestern.

They out-gained the Wildcats by 55 yards and Chase Rettig threw for 375 yards.

However, when you are playing against a team that went 3-5 in the Big Ten and is playing without their starting quarterback, you are supposed to win.

You certainly aren't supposed to get gouged for 227 rushing yards.

The Eagles will need to start stopping the run again if they want to make some noise in the Atlantic Division this year.

7. Georgia Tech

Keep in mind that Georgia Tech's 63 points this week were scored against Western Carolina. 

Yes, many of their passing yards came from short flares that were turned into huge gains by the receivers.

People should be careful not to read too much into Tevin Washington's raw stats from the Yellow Jackets first game.

However, Georgia Tech finished the first week of football leading the nation in passing efficiency.

Yes, that's right: pass efficiency.

Combine a performance like that with Paul Johnson's strong running attack and the Ramblin' Wreck all of a sudden look frightening to opposing defenses.

If Al Groh can concoct a potent defense this year, Georgia Tech could leap up these power rankings.

6. Miami

Jacory Harris, Sean Spence, Travis Benjamin, Marcus Forston and Adewale Ojomo are all now eligible to play for Miami against Ohio State this week.

This team might be significantly better this Saturday than they were last Saturday.

Or they could continue to fall lower in the Power Rankings.

To be fair, Miami almost beat Maryland. They were a minute and a half from a victory.

For most of the game, though, they looked as if they were desperately just trying to hold on.

The defense should be better with the return of some of its leaders.

The real wild card in this season is the confoundingly inconsistent Jacory Harris.

If his talent finally emerges in full force, this potent offense could challenge the Coastal Division's leaders.

That's one big if.

5. Clemson

Clemson got quite the scare from Troy.

However, the Tigers responded by beating them 30-3 in the second half.

Clemson should be fine.

Tajh Boyd performed well and Clemson got stellar contributions from a great group of freshmen that includes Sammy Watkins and Mike Bellamy.

If Clemson can perform to the level of their talent, this season could be quite bountiful for them...a bounty that might include a division title.

4. Maryland

Jumping Maryland over Clemson was one of the toughest decisions to make this week.

Clemson is supremely talented.

Maryland, however, has the results to back up a high ranking.

The Terrapins tore up the hapless Miami defense.

With 499 yards and 28 first downs, Miami may have been lucky that Maryland only scored 32 points.

Maryland's defense also did a fine job as Miami failed to reach 200 yards in either passing or rushing.

Maryland is deservedly number one in the ACC standings at the moment and if they can overwhelm West Virginia next week, they might move even closer to the top of the power rankings as well.

3. North Carolina

New quarterback Bryn Renner started and played most of North Carolina's game against Virginia Tech nemesis James Madison.

He didn't have one football touch the ground.

He completed 22 of 23 passes to his receivers and one to a JMU defender.

In other words, he could have been playing on a sandbar in the Atlantic Ocean and kept the ball dry.

All right, this was only James Madison. But North Carolina played very well and deserve to keep their number three spot in these power rankings.

Next week's contest against the Fighting Schianos might shed more light on the state of Tar Heel football.

2. Virginia Tech

So much for Virginia Tech being on upset alert against Appalachian State.

The Hokies notched their 12th victory in 13 games and showed that they will be focused for every game this year.

If that's true, they might be looking at a second consecutive undefeated ACC season by year's end.

Here's a prediction: David Wilson will be the best player in the ACC this year.

Once again, the Hokies have a chance to sweep the Triple Crown of best player, best coach and best team.

1. Florida State

Bert Reed's first-quarter touchdown that gave the Seminoles a 7-0 edge over Louisiana-Monroe was all the Seminoles needed on opening day.

It wasn't all they got though.

Florida State notched the ACC's only shutout of the first weekend of play in a 34-0 dismantling of the Warhawks.

It wasn't a groundbreaking victory but it was enough to hold on to the top spot in the power rankings.

Jimbo Fisher's squad should be 2-0 going into their contest against top-ranked Oklahoma.

A victory in that game would solidify the Seminoles as the ACC's top team for as long as they keep winning.