Through the first seven weeks of the college football season, the water is starting to find its level over in the ACC. There are three teams with serious College Football Playoff aspirations, and a few others that are trying to force the conversation. One of those teams on the outside looking in on it would have to be Clemson, a team that improved to 4-2 on the season after beating Charleston Southern.
With only five ACC games left, plus the Palmetto Bowl at home versus South Carolina, Clemson has to play its best football going forward. It starts by looking the part at home in Week 8 when the Tigers host the Virginia Tech Hokies under the bright lights. A home win over the Hokies would effectively end Virginia Tech's season, while a loss to them would certainly put Clemson behind the eight ball.
This is why the winner of this game may shoot up the ACC power rankings by this time next week.
17. Syracuse Orange (2-4) (Last Week: 16)
Someone has to be at the bottom of the barrel this week in the ACC, and it has to be the Syracuse Orange at the halfway point. We have seen enough out of Fran Brown's team. They are the only team in the ACC that is winless in league play (0-4). They have become the opposition's get-right game every week. It is hard to imagine Brown getting a fourth year on the job after how this one has gone.
16. Stanford Cardinal (3-4) (Last Week: 17)
There are a few teams like Stanford in the ACC. The Cardinal are playing so hard for their new head coach, but Tavita Pritchard's team is at such a talent disadvantage. While they are three wins away from achieving bowl eligibilty, they only have five contests the rest of the way. Yes, some meaningful progress has been made so far this year. Stanford will be a better team in 2027, just not right now...
15. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (2-4) (Last Week: 12)
In a game where Georgia Tech could have shown us something again after beating Duke, the Yellow Jackets fell flat in The Battle of the Techs versus Virginia Tech. Whatever made this team special the previous two seasons is no longer in Atlanta. Brent Key should be given the benefit of the doubt, but another down season in 2027 will unravel all the built-up equity he had amassed over 2024 and 2025.
14. Florida State Seminoles (3-4) (Last Week: 14)
Florida State put forth a valiant effort to keep things interesting against massive rival Miami. However, the Seminoles were once again unable to win a game on the road. Mike Norvell's team has talent, but not enough to cut through in a middling ACC. At the end of the season, Florida State may be left with no choice but to cut ties with him as head coach. The problem is Florida State has very little money.
13. North Carolina State Wolfpack (3-3) (Last Week: 13)
North Carolina State may have been on a bye, but this has been one of the most frustrating teams in the ACC by far this season. At some point, Dave Doeren needs to be held accountable for the nonchalant nature his team plays with. NC State is probably good enough to get to a bowl game. That being said, if the Wolfpack cannot cut through in an ACC as weak as it is now, this team never will.
12. Boston College Eagles (3-3) (Last Week: 15)
Prepare yourselves to live in a world where the Boston College Eagles might go bowling. They are 3-3 at the midway point, fresh off a six-point victory at home versus Pitt. While they still have to play Miami and Notre Dame this year, their remaining four games are varying degrees of winnable: at Georgia Tech, at Duke, Florida State, and Syracuse. Going 6-6 would be huge for Bill O'Brien's team.
11. California Golden Bears (3-4) (Last Week: 10)
The California Golden Bears can only hope that Tosh Lupoi finds his footing the rest of the way. Cal has more talent than its record indicates. Lupoi may be brand-new to this head-coaching thing, but he has to get better here soon. Cal got absolutely roasted alive at home versus Wake Forest. Yes, the Demon Deacons are a menace to be had, but this is the worst Cal team since it joined the conference.
10. Pittsburgh Panthers (5-2) (Last Week: 5)
We are looking at a real possibility of Pitt losing out. After getting off to a 5-0 start, the Panthers lost Mason Heintschel for the season due to a torn ACL. With true freshman Corey Dailey starting games, the offense has regressed massively. They have lost to North Carolina and Boston College, two of the worst teams in the ACC coming into the year. Pitt has time to get another win, but it will not be easy.
9. Virginia Cavaliers (4-3) (Last Week: 7)
The further we get away from Week 0, the more the Virginia Cavaliers come into focus. They can beat the bad teams on their schedule, but not play consistently well enough to gain any real footing in this league. This is who they are. Believe them! Because the middle belly of the ACC is so flabby, there is a non-zero chance the Hoos could somehow find their way back in Charlotte. They will need to win out.
8. Duke Blue Devils (4-2) (Last Week: 4)
What has happened to Duke? The Blue Devils were 4-0 and on top of the college football world. Now, they have lost to rivals Georgia Tech and North Carolina in succession. Nate Sheppard is still a beast in the backfield for Manny Diaz's program. However, we have reached a point with Walker Eget at quarterback where he is not able to separate and elevate as Duke needs him to. Their ceiling is low.
7. North Carolina Tar Heels (4-2) (Last Week: 9)
It took a minute, but the North Carolina Tar Heels are starting to figure it out under Bill Belichick. They have either won all their games or looked highly competitive in defeat. This is such a huge step in the right direction for UNC. Beating Pitt and Duke back-to-back should have this team playing with so much confidence. Frankly, Clemson is lucky to have beaten them earlier in the season. UNC is rolling!
6. Virginia Tech Hokies (5-2) (Last Week: 11)
Virginia Tech bounced back after true close losses versus Pitt and at Cal to handle Georgia Tech. Although the Yellow Jackets are among the worst teams in the ACC, Virginia Tech is now one win away from achieving bowl eligibility in James Franklin's first season in Blacksburg. Simply put, if the Hokies beat Clemson in Death Valley, we will have to take them seriously. If not, we will not have to.
5. Clemson Tigers (4-2) (Last Week: 6)
As shocking as it may seem, Clemson might actually be a top-five team in the ACC this year. We have seen the running game come alive at times, the defense play well, and the special teams be amazing. Unfortunately, quarterback play and the offensive line as a whole have held this team back. At 2-1 in the ACC, Clemson has a halfway decent shot to crash Miami and Wake Forest's party up in Charlotte.
4. Louisville Cardinals (4-3) (Last Week: 8)
Maybe Louisville just has a tough schedule? Two of the Cardinals' three losses have come to ranked teams in Ole Miss and Wake Forest. While NC State was not ideal, they did beat a ranked SMU team. With North Carolina as arguably their toughest ACC opponent remaining, the Cardinals could get to Charlotte with a 7-2 record. If they beat a great Kentucky team, the playoffs may still be a possibility.
3. SMU Mustangs (5-1) (Last Week: 3)
The SMU Mustangs are 5-1 on the season, but a head-to-head loss to Louisville. With their hardest games coming up in a bit versus Wake Forest and at Notre Dame, the Ponies may not have the horses to get to Charlotte after all. However, this is a team that could very easily finish the regular season with a 9-3 mark. Again, it may all come down to the tiebreakers, but they might not fall in SMU's favor.
2. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (6-1) (Last Week: 2)
While other teams like SMU, Louisville, Clemson, and Virginia Tech may envision themselves taking on Miami in the ACC Championship Game, the most likely candidate for that now would have to be Wake Forest. It would be a rematch from earlier in the season. Wake Forest played Miami well for extended stretches before fading in the end. In short, this Deamon Deacons team likes to crush bad teams.
1. Miami Hurricanes (6-0) (Last Week: 1)
Miami is the No. 1 team in the country and the lone undefeated team in the ACC. Last year's national runner-up seems to be approaching lock territory when it comes to reaching the College Football Playoff again. This team has to get healthy, but how the Hurricanes look versus Notre Dame could tell us if this team is capable of winning a national title. They are on the shortlist of teams that can do it.
Miami may be at the top of the mountain once again, but Clemson has the ability to scale its peak.
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