For the first time in over a month, there’s a change at the top of the ACC. Miami slipping at home to Louisville opens the door for a lot more teams to vie for a trip to Charlotte, including the Cardinals, and supplants Georgia Tech as the team to chase.
Clemson was unofficially eliminated from title contention by SMU in Week 7, and Florida State has sunk to a new low, likely costing its coach his job. Here’s where every ACC team stands heading into Week 9:
1. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
The league’s best team and best chance to make the College Football Playoff, ACC title or not.
2. Miami Hurricanes
Carson Beck’s four-interception performance on Friday ruined perfection for Miami, and now they need help to get back ahead of Louisville.
3. Louisville Cardinals
Is Jeff Brohm the best coach in the ACC right now? The man has won the most ACC games (24) of any coach since 2023.
4. Virginia Cavaliers
The Fighting Tony Elliotts have a flair for the dramatic and win a wild non-conference game with a comeback on a safety.
5. SMU Mustangs
Rhett Lashlee’s name is starting to pop up on a lot of coaching candidate lists for good reason.
6. Pittsburgh Panthers
An easy Panther win over Syracuse has Pitt staying in the title race and Pat Narduzzi avoiding a fate many of his peers have or are about to face.
7. Duke Blue Devils
The loss to GT puts the Devils behind the eight ball and likely starts a difficult decline.
8. Wake Forest Demon Deacons
A week off helps the Deacs SMU.
9. Clemson Tigers
Memorial Stadium is no longer a place visiting teams fear, and the Tigers have three home games in November.
10. Cal Bears
I have no idea how Cal won that UNC game, but it keeps them from dropping many spots.
11. NC State Wolfpack
No Week 8 game, but will the coaching carousel make its way to Raleigh soon?
12. Syracuse Orange
Injuries and inconsistencies have put a damper on this season, but Fran Brown is going to be mentioned for other jobs.
13. Virginia Tech Hokies
The first team to start a coaching search is
14. Stanford Cardinal
A win over FSU used to mean a lot more, but it’s still a feel-good moment in a lost Stanford season.
15. Boston College Eagles
Poor, banged-up Eagles can’t even win an old Big East showdown with UConn.
16. Florida State Seminoles
After a ninth consecutive ACC loss, there really is no other choice than to hit the eject button on the Mike Norvell experience, which should occur very soon.
17. North Carolina Tar Heels
Even though FSU might deserve it more, UNC dropped the ball, literally, at Cal and must stay in the basement.