ACC Power Rankings

It wasn’t a good weekend for the ACC. There were some poor losses and some lackluster wins. After four weeks of football, the ACC looks bottom-heavy once again. There are three teams under .500 after the first month, and four teams are at .500.

Conference play kicks into full swing next week. The top game in the conference will be Clemson at Virginia Tech. The big bounce-back game in the conference is FSU at Wake Forest. The Seminoles have lost their last two games against Oklahoma (No. 1) and Clemson (No. 21). Miami will also try to bounce back playing Bethune-Cookman.

Overall, the ACC didn’t have a good showing in non-conference play. The only real highlights came last week when Miami beat Ohio State, and Clemson beat Auburn. So far, the conference has underachieved, but hopefully, most teams will bounce back against their conference foes.

These power rankings represent where each team is right now.

12. Boston College 1-3(0-1)

The Eagles finally got off the schneid this week with a win against UMass. They won by a score of 45-17. It was the team’s best performance by far. The bad news for Boston College is that they have already lost their first conference game (to Duke). The good news is that Boston College is healthier now and can start to move their way up the rankings.

Montel Harris is finally back on the field, making the Eagles’ running game a lot more potent. If Boston College can get Harris going, then they should be able to turn their season around.

Next Game: vs. Wake Forest

11. Duke 2-2(1-0)

The Blue Devil’s season didn’t start out as they would have liked. They lost to FCS opponent Richmond, and they followed that with a blowout loss at home against Stanford. The good thing for Duke is that they followed up those two losses with two wins. The first came against lowly Boston College and followed that with a blowout of Tulane.

Sean Renfree continues to be one of the better quarterbacks in the ACC. He has a completion percentage over 70 percent and has thrown two touchdowns, but he is on a bad team which means that Duke won’t amount to much this season.

Next Game: at FIU

10. Virginia 2-2(0-1)

The Cavaliers had a poor game Saturday as they lost to Southern Miss. This year was supposed to be one of improvement for Virginia. The season started out well with wins against William & Mary and at Indiana, but they have lost their last two games. Losses to UNC and Southern Miss have set back the Cavaliers.

Quarterback Michael Rocco deserves a lot of the blame he has only thrown one touchdown to his four interceptions. UVA will be lucky to be a .500 team this year.

Next Game: vs. Idaho

9. Maryland 1-2(1-0)

The new uniforms haven’t seemed to help much. They wore their new yellow uniforms against Temple on Saturday and laid an egg. They lost the game 38-7. Temple is a decent team, but they should never blowout the Terrapins.

The good news for Maryland is that they are 1-0 in the ACC with a win over Miami, but they are under .500. The worst news is that they haven’t even had a road game yet. Going under .500 at home doesn’t bode well for road success (unless you are Syracuse in 2010).

Danny O’Brien came into the season as one of the ACC elite, but he hasn’t played that way so far. He has thrown four interceptions and only two touchdowns. O’Brien needs to step up in ACC play if Maryland is going to have any chance to contend.

Next Game: vs. Towson

8. Miami 1-2(0-1)

Oh how Miami likes to tease the ACC. They start by losing a great game against Maryland and follow it with a huge win against 17th ranked Ohio State. How do they follow that? With a loss to Kansas State. Miami is supposed to be one of the better teams in the conference but lose to one of the worst teams in the Big 12. That can't happen.

Miami has a worse record then some of the teams that are lower on this list, but they have more talent and have a better chance to win during conference play.

Miami’s success is dictated by the play of Jacory Harris. Harris threw two touchdowns and one interception on Saturday, but Miami still had a chance to win the game. He was called down at the goal line in the final seconds, ultimately losing the game. Miami will play better during conference play, just not as well as VT, GT or UNC.

Next Game: vs. Bethune-Cookman

7. NC State 2-2(0-1)

The Wolf Pack was blown out on Thursday. They lost at Cincinnati by a score of 44-14. It has been a rough year for State so far. They are constantly reminded of how well transfer Russell Wilson is doing as a badger. The pack has beaten Liberty and South Alabama, but their losses to Wake Forest and Cincinnati are setbacks. NC State needs to step up during ACC play.

Mike Glennon has had his ups and downs this season, but as of now, he looks a lot like his brother Sean. That isn’t a good thing; just ask Hokies fans about that. Glennon needs to grow now that he is out of the shadow of Russell Wilson.

Next Game: vs. Georgia Tech

6. Wake Forest 2-1(1-0)

If you told me that after four weeks of play, Wake Forest would be the sixth-best team in the ACC, I wouldn’t have believed it. Compound that with the fact that they lost their first game against Syracuse and it seems almost impossible.

But the Demon Deacons have figured out a way to win. Wake has beaten NC State and Garner-Webb. The Deacs could be 2-0 in conference very easily after their next game against Boston College.

Tanner Price has played very well so far this season, and if he doesn’t go down in the Syracuse game, then Wake Forest is probably 3-0.

Next Game: at Boston College

5. North Carolina 3-1(1-1)

Who needs Butch Davis? Apparently the Tar Heels don’t. UNC has played well this season. The only team that the Heels didn’t play well against was Rutgers, but they still won the game. They took Georgia Tech to the brink on Saturday but came up just short.

The triple-option is tough to defend against, but no one has done a better job against the Yellow Jackets then UNC did Saturday. They gave up 35 points, but that is a lot less than the 60 the Jackets were putting up against everyone else.

Bryn Renner has played decently so far this season. He has thrown five touchdowns and four interceptions. He needs to cut down the turnovers if UNC wants to challenge Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech for the coastal division.

Next Game: at East Carolina

4. Florida State 2-2(0-1)

Florida State is reeling right now. It has been a rough couple of weeks for the Seminoles. They have had injury problems and lost their last two games against Oklahoma and Clemson. We will never know how those games would have turned out if E.J. Manuel hadn’t gotten hurt against the Sooners. Manuel will hopefully return against Wake Forest in two weeks.

If FSU is to defend their Atlantic division title this year, then they need Manuel to return and Clemson to start losing.

Next Game: at Wake Forest

3. Georgia Tech 4-0(1-0)

The Yellow Jackets have learned a new trick. Tech can throw the ball now. ACC you are officially on notice. The triple-option just got a lot harder to defend. The Jackets have blown out everyone (excluding UNC) they have faced.

The Jackets scored 63, 49 and 66 points in their first three games. They were able to beat UNC by a touchdown. The Jackets are scoring quick, and they are scoring often; it’s a scary combination.

It looks like the Coastal division will come down to Virginia Tech or Georgia Tech again this year.

Next Game: at NC State

2. Clemson 4-0(1-0)

I know Clemson fans will be upset that they aren’t at No. 1 this week. They can prove themselves next weekend at Lane Stadium against the Hokies, but until then, the Tigers are No. 2 in the rankings.

They have beaten two ranked teams in the past two weeks. The first came against a vastly overrated Auburn team that could be under .500 at the end of the season, and the second was against a Seminoles team decimated by injury.

The Tigers want to be No. 1. They have won their big games at home, but the real test will be playing a ranked opponent on the road; cue Virginia Tech.

Next Game: at Virginia Tech

1. Virginia Tech 4-0(0-0)

The Hokies are the only team that has yet to play a conference opponent. Tech’s non-conference schedule was a joke, but they got through it unscathed and did relatively well. They have an unproven quarterback in Logan Thomas and an unpredictable offensive line, but the lunch pail defense is back.

The Hokies currently have the seventh-best defense in the country. Virginia Tech is dealing with injuries in the wide receiving corp, but the backups have stepped up in their place.

Virginia Tech has a proven playmaker in running back David Wilson. The Hokies have to ride him all the way to a Coastal division title. It all starts with a big test next week against Clemson.

Next Game: vs. Clemson