ACC Week 13 Power Rankings

As we enter the final week of the regular season, two ACC teams are looking for benchmark wins.

NC State just demolished Clemson and is hoping to become bowl eligible by defeating Maryland.

If NC State loses that game, then their "bowl game" will have been a crushing loss to a Maryland team that hadn't beaten an FBS team since September 5.

Meanwhile, Virginia kept its miracle run alive by defeating ranked Florida State and is one win away from being Coastal Division Champions.

All they have to do is beat a Virginia Tech team that has won four of the six all-time division titles.

Easy as pumpkin pie, right?

12. Maryland

Late comebacks against WVU, Georgia Tech, and Boston College notwithstanding, the only FBS team the Terrapins have seriously challenged since opening the year with a win against Miami is Clemson.

Clemson was also the only upper division squad that the Maryland beat during their 2-10 2009 campaign.

This program needs to avoid matching that dreary mark this year but only have one chance left to improve upon it.

They need to go down to Raleigh and beat an NC State team that is vying for bowl eligibility.

By the way, the Wolfpack are 5-1 at home and have scored at least 35 points in all but one of those contests.

Good luck, Maryland.

11. Duke

Duke kept it close against Georgia Tech this past week.

Just like they kept it close against Virginia Tech.

Just like they kept it close against Virginia.

They are hoping not to keep it close against rival UNC in the season finale.

This team needs to finish the job and avoid entering the offseason with a seven game losing streak.

10. Boston College

Boston College followed wins against Maryland and NC State in their past three games with an impressive showing against Notre Dame.

The Eagles are showing no quit in the midst of a dispiriting 3-8 season that will end a long streak of bowl games.

Friday is their season ending game against Miami, which is also out of the postseason after the school sanctioned themselves with a postseason ban in order to demonstrated compliance with the ongoing NCAA investigation.

This will be the big showcase for both teams, as fans across the country will tune in during their recovery from food comas.

You can be sure that Doug Flutie will be mentioned quite a lot this week.

I'd like to give props to Bernie Kosar, who passed for 447 yards and two touchdowns in that game.

9. North Carolina

When UNC was 5-1, their players complained about not gaining enough national respect.

Since then, they have done nothing to earn it during their 1-4 slump.

They will finish with a losing record in the ACC and are looking to avoid a 2-6 mark that would rank them last in the Coastal Division if they lose to Duke on Saturday.

Talk about backing into a bowl game.

8. Miami

Shortly after becoming bowl eligible with a thrilling victory against South Florida on Saturday, the Hurricanes found out they would not be playing in the postseason, regardless of their performance on the football field.

That means that Miami and Boston College will be the first ACC teams to see their seasons end when they play their finales on Friday.

After so much hype in the preseason, the Hurricanes will be watching football on November 26 with nothing but next season to look forward to.

This old Big East rivalry matchup is now their bowl game.

7. Wake Forest

The Demon Deacons didn't let their devastating loss to Clemson haunt them against Maryland.

At least not in the second half.

Maryland hung with them for two quarters before Tanner Price demolished their D in the second half.

Now Wake Forest plays a rivalry game with Vanderbilt before they can start preparing for the postseason.

What a sweet ending to the year after last season's 3-9 debacle.

6. NC State

Mike Glennon has progressed throughout the year.

Now other playmakers are emerging for the Wolfpack.

NC State looks like they will be a scary team next year.

As long as they handle business against Maryland to fill out the ACC's slate of bowl teams, Tom O'Brien should be leading a formidable squad next year—one that will contend for the ACC's Atlantic Division. 

Right now, an 8-5 season would be a pretty good way to wrap things up after a tumultuous year.

5. Florida State

What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?

Florida State was on a roll until they were stonewalled by a staunch Virginia defense that has the Cavaliers in the de facto Coastal Division championship game.

The Seminoles have had a roller coaster season that makes a No. 5 ranking early in the year appear like a distant memory.

At this point, FSU fans will have to be content with a win over rival Florida, a Florida state championship, and hopefully a berth in the Champs Sports Bowl against Notre Dame.

Another second-tier finish for a program thirsting for an elite team.

4. Georgia Tech

The Yellow Jackets became the latest survivor against Duke.

In the unenviable position of playing a dangerous team they would get no credit for beating and all the blame in the world for losing to, Georgia Tech put forth an adequate effort that has them at 8-3 heading into a rivalry game against Georgia.

Twice in the past five years, the Ramblin' Wreck has won nine regular season games only to lose their bowl game.

Wins against Georgia and in their bowl game would allow Paul Johnson to deliver a 10-win season to Atlanta for the second time in three years.

3. Clemson

A horrible performance against NC State should have dropped Clemson further than this in the rankings.

Nobody else is ready to assert itself though.

As it is, Clemson is still 9-2 and can right itself with a victory over fellow nine-win squad South Carolina, looking for a rare 10-win season.

Will Clemson finish strong heading into the ACC Championship game, or will they continue their recent slide against the other USC?

Sammy Watkins could very well be the difference.

2. Virginia

The team picked to finish fifth in the Coastal Division is now arguably the second best team in the whole conference.

They entered last week needing to knock off the top three teams in the ACC in order to win the conference championship.

No. 3: Check!

Next up is last week's number two squad, Virginia Tech.

The Cavaliers have won six of their last seven contests, including four in a row since Michael Rocco became the full-time quarterback.

The only team in the ACC that is hotter than Mike London's squad is...

1. Virginia Tech

Finally, the Hokies have re-established themselves as the team to beat in the ACC.

They have faced an enormous amount of criticism about their strength of schedule, especially from yours truly.

They answered in true Frank Beamer fashion—by quietly working their way to the top through unparalleled consistency.

The same way they have the longest streak of 10-win seasons in the country.

The same way that Frank Beamer is the winningest active coach in the country.

The same way they still might find themselves in the BCS Championship Game.

First, they have to defeat their top two challengers in the ACC: Virginia and Clemson.

If they do that, they can rightfully call themselves champions.

Besides, it's hard to have a strong schedule when you never have to play the best team in your conference (themselves).