It was a mixed week for the ACC. FSU and Miami scored major wins over Top 10 opponents, but Clemson stumbled at home vs. LSU. Georgia Tech went on the road a got a big win vs. Colorado, but Virginia Tech, Syracuse and UNC lost by two touchdowns or more to P4 opponents. UNC suffered the most, as it was embarrassed at home in from of a star-studded audience and the full ESPN live event treatment.
Here are the Power Rankings for the SEC and the Big Ten.
| Rank | Team | Record | Last Week’s Result | Next Week’s Opponent & Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miami Hurricanes | 1-0 | Win 27-24 vs. #6 Notre Dame (home) | vs. Bethune-Cookman (home) |
| 2 | Florida State Seminoles | 1-0 | Win 31-28 vs. #8 Alabama (neutral) | vs. Charleston Southern (home) |
| 3 | Clemson Tigers | 0-1 | Loss 17-10 vs. #4 LSU (home) | vs. Troy (home) |
| 4 | Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets | 1-0 | Win 27-20 vs. Colorado (away) | vs. South Alabama (home) |
| 5 | SMU Mustangs | 1-0 | Win 42-13 vs. East Texas A&M (home) | vs. Baylor (home) |
| 6 | Duke Blue Devils | 1-0 | Win 45-17 vs. Elon (home) | vs. #12 Illinois (home) |
| 7 | Louisville Cardinals | 1-0 | Win 51-7 vs. Eastern Kentucky (home) | vs. Jacksonville State (home) |
| 8 | Virginia Cavaliers | 1-0 | Win 48-7 vs. Coastal Carolina (home) | at NC State (away) |
| 9 | Boston College Eagles | 1-0 | Win 66-10 vs. Fordham (home) | at Michigan State (away) |
| 10 | Pittsburgh Panthers | 1-0 | Win 61-10 vs. Duquesne (home) | vs. Central Michigan (home) |
| 11 | California Golden Bears | 1-0 | Win 34-15 vs. Oregon State (away) | vs. Texas Southern (home) |
| 12 | NC State Wolfpack | 1-0 | Win 30-20 vs. Western Carolina (home) | vs. Virginia (home) |
| 13 | Syracuse Orange | 0-1 | Loss 45-26 vs. #24 Tennessee (neutral) | vs. UConn (home) |
| 14 | Virginia Tech Hokies | 0-1 | Loss 24-11 vs. #13 South Carolina (neutral) | vs. Marshall (home) |
| 15 | North Carolina Tar Heels | 0-1 | Loss 48-14 vs. TCU (home) | vs. Charlotte (home) |
| 16 | Wake Forest Demon Deacons | 1-0 | Win 10-9 vs. Kennesaw State (home) | vs. Western Carolina (home) |
| 17 | Stanford Cardinal | 0-1 | Loss 24-11 at Hawaii (away) | vs. Southern Utah (home) |
Notes:
- Miami takes the top spot after a strong win over a ranked Notre Dame team, with Carson Beck showing promise despite lingering questions about consistency.
- Florida State jumps to #2 with an upset victory over Alabama, signaling a strong rebound from last season’s struggles.
- Clemson drops to #3 after a close loss to LSU, but their defense showed potential; offensive concerns and Antonio Williams’ injury keep them from the top.
- Georgia Tech and SMU round out the top five with solid wins, with the Yellow Jackets’ road victory over Colorado being particularly notable.
- North Carolina and Virginia Tech rank lower due to disappointing losses, with UNC’s blowout loss to TCU raising concerns about Bill Belichick’s debut season.
- Wake Forest and Stanford anchor the bottom after lackluster performances, with Wake’s narrow win over Kennesaw State and Stanford’s loss to Hawaii showing weaknesses.
