The ACC continued its weekly tradition of chaos, confusion, and massive upsets in Week 7. Miami rested, but the rankings were defined by Georgia Tech’s perfect start, Pitt’s major road victory, and FSU coach Mike Norvell’s job security is now in question. We now have four undefeated teams leading the charge into the second half of the season.
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Week 7 Scoreboard
- Pitt 34, Florida State 31 (Panthers upset the Seminoles in Tallahassee)
- #12 Georgia Tech 35, Virginia Tech 20 (Yellow Jackets remain perfect)
- Clemson 41, Boston College 10 (Tigers dominate rival on the road)
- SMU 34, Stanford 10 (Mustangs cruise to their second conference win)
- #18 Virginia 39, Oregon State 14 (Cavaliers handle non-conference foe)
- #16 Notre Dame 36, NC State 7 (Wolfpack crushed in South Bend)
Week 8 ACC Power Rankings
- Miami Hurricanes (5-0, 1-0 ACC) The Hurricanes maintained the top spot by having a bye week while their rival FSU self-destructed. With five straight wins and a road victory over the Seminoles already in the bank, Miami is the clear team to beat. Next Week (Friday, Oct 17): vs. Louisville
- Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (6-0, 3-0 ACC) The Yellow Jackets just keep winning, defeating Virginia Tech 35-20. Haynes King and the offense look unstoppable, and Georgia Tech is now one of only two 3-0 conference teams. They are legit. Next Week: at Duke (The battle of the 3-0 teams!)
- Duke Blue Devils (4-2, 3-0 ACC) Duke had a much-needed bye and now faces its biggest challenge yet. They are 3-0 in ACC play, relying on a sharp passing attack and a disciplined defense. This week’s game against Georgia Tech is for sole possession of the top conference record. Next Week: vs. #12 Georgia Tech
- SMU Mustangs (4-2, 2-0 ACC) The Mustangs look much better than their overall record suggests. They dominated Stanford 34-10 to move to 2-0 in league play. SMU is quietly rising and has a major opportunity this week to prove their mettle against a familiar opponent. Next Week: vs. Clemson
- Pittsburgh Panthers (4-2, 2-1 ACC) Pitt is the story of the week. After benching their QB in Week 6 and winning big, they went into Tallahassee and beat FSU 34-31. The Panthers are now 2-1 in conference and look like a major spoiler in the conference race. Next Week: at Syracuse
- Virginia Cavaliers (5-1, 3-0 ACC) The Cavaliers took care of business in their non-conference game, beating Oregon State 39-14. Virginia is now 5-1 and remains one of the ACC’s surprise stories, but they have a bye week before diving back into conference action. Next Week: vs. Washington State (Non-Conference, Saturday, Oct 18)
- Louisville Cardinals (4-1, 1-1 ACC) The Cardinals had a bye week after their heartbreaking loss to Virginia. They need a strong showing this week to prove they still belong in the elite tier of the conference. Next Week (Friday, Oct 17): at #2 Miami
- Clemson Tigers (3-3, 2-2 ACC) The Tigers may finally be back. They earned a decisive 41-10 road victory over Boston College to move to 2-2 in conference play. The win streak continues, but they face a much tougher challenge this week against SMU. Next Week: at SMU
- Wake Forest Demon Deacons (4-2, 2-2 ACC) The Demon Deacons handled their non-conference road game with ease, beating Oregon State 39-14. At 4-2 overall and 2-2 in the conference, they are in a great position to secure bowl eligibility early. Next Week: Bye
- California Golden Bears (4-2, 1-1 ACC) Cal had a much-needed bye week after the humbling loss to Duke. They are 4-2 and still competitive, but they need to prove they can win big conference games. Next Week (Friday, Oct 17): vs. North Carolina
- Syracuse Orange (3-3, 1-2 ACC) Syracuse had a bye week to regroup after two tough losses. They now face a must-win situation against Pitt to keep pace in the conference. Next Week: vs. Pitt
- NC State Wolfpack (4-3, 1-3 ACC) The Wolfpack were dominated by Notre Dame, losing 36-7. NC State is now 1-3 in conference play, and their season is rapidly spiraling downward. Next Week: Bye
- Florida State Seminoles (3-3, 0-3 ACC) The Seminoles are in a crisis. Losing 34-31 at home to an unranked Pitt team gives FSU an 0-3 conference record and hands them their third straight loss. Their preseason aspirations are officially dead. Next Week: vs. Stanford
- Stanford Cardinal (2-4, 1-2 ACC) The Cardinal lost to SMU 34-10, moving them to 2-4 overall. They have a tough road ahead, but their lone ACC win over FSU holds weight. Next Week: at Florida State
- North Carolina Tar Heels (2-3, 0-1 ACC) The Tar Heels had a bye week after the blowout loss to Clemson. UNC is desperately searching for answers as they resume their conference schedule. Next Week (Friday, Oct 17): at California
- Virginia Tech Hokies (2-5, 1-3 ACC) The Hokies fought hard but lost to Georgia Tech 35-20, dropping their conference record to 1-3. They have a bye this week to heal and prepare for the second half. Next Week: Bye
- Boston College Eagles (1-5, 0-4 ACC) The Eagles are now 0-4 in conference after the 41-10 loss to Clemson. The program is sinking, and they are firmly cemented at the bottom of the rankings. Next Week: vs. UConn (Non-Conference)
Week 8: The ACC Championship Preview
Week 8 features two massive head-to-head showdowns between teams vying for the top spot, setting the stage for the rest of the season.
- Louisville at #2 Miami (Friday, 7:00 PM ET, ESPN): Can the Cardinals bounce back, or will Miami solidify their position as the ACC favorite?
- #12 Georgia Tech at Duke (Saturday, 12:00 PM ET, ESPN): Battle of the undefeated (in conference) teams! The winner controls their destiny in the ACC race.
- Clemson at SMU (Saturday, 3:30 PM ET, ACC Network)
- Pitt at Syracuse (Saturday, 7:30 PM ET, ACC Network)
- Florida State at Stanford (Saturday, 10:30 PM ET, ESPN)
- UConn at Boston College (Saturday, 12:00 PM ET, ACC Network)
- Washington State at #18 Virginia (Saturday, 6:30 PM ET, The CW)
- North Carolina at California (Friday, 10:30 PM ET, ESPN)
