Clemson Football: ACC Power Rankings – After Week 2
By Casey Cregan
The Atlantic Coast Conference has come under attack for the last ten years or so as being an inferior conference to just about all of the other Power 5 conferences. To me, I believe it is tremendously overblown. I believe the dominance Clemson football has shown over the conference foes over the last 8 years or so has written that old, worn-out (false) narrative. However, the 2022 season, albeit 2 weeks old (sorry Week 0), is showing that there is going to be some really competitive football in the conference.
With Clemson not being as dominant on the offensive side of the ball as they were in the Watson and Lawrence eras, the door is swung open (as seen in 2021) for new teams to challenge for what seems to be a very competitive league this year.
The season has just started. Most of the conference teams have played 2 games so far and mostly out of conference games, so in line with other polls and rankings that lack any true substance, here is my list of Power Rankings through Week 2 of the College Football Season in the Atlantic Coast Conference:
No. 14 – 10
14. Boston College Eagles – (0-2) As our colleague Houston Burnett would say, “Woof.” You would think that with the return to health for QB Phil Jurkovec and do-everything WR Zay Flowers and the perennial above-average to great offensive and defensive lines, that they would be serviceable. But with losses to Rutgers and a woeful Virginia Tech team, this is going to be a long year for the Eagles.
13. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets – (1-1) – Tough opener with Clemson, but they hung tough though and the defense is above average. Jeff Sims is getting better and GT will be a tough out this season. Geoff Collins is on the hot seat and a tough schedule does not help the Jackets at all.
12. Virginia Tech Hokies– (1-1) – Losses to Old Dominion and a win against BC lands VT here at 12. Brent Pry has rejuvenated the fanbase, but the cupboard is pretty dry. QB Grant Wells has been good so far this season. The defense has been stingy, but old Virginia Tech teams wouldn’t lose to ODU.
11. Virginia Cavaliers (1-1) – Brennan Armstrong is a really good dual-threat for the Hoos. Tony Elliott is a (Clemson) fan favorite and we hope he does well. Beating Richmond and losing to a middle-of-the-pack B1G team puts UVA here for now.
10. Louisville Cardinals – (1-1) – Malik Cunningham talked a big game in the off-season, only to lay and egg against Syracuse in the season opener. A nice win versus a UCF team on the road may lead to a rebound, but they are in a prove-it time of the season, especially after that opening weekend loss.