ACC Week 6 Power Rankings: Big shakeups after first full week of conference games

This was the first full weekend of conference play for the ACC, as there were six intra-conference matchups. What did we learn from those games? Let’s find out with this week’s power rankings.

1. Miami (last week: 1)

The Hurricanes got to keep their spot atop the power rankings while having the weekend off. But keep in mind that Miami hits the road for the first time this season when the Canes visit Tallahassee this week.

2. Georgia Tech (last week: 2)

The Yellow Jackets got all they could handle from a Wake Forest team that they should have been able to handle. As usual, Haynes King saved the day with one passing and two rushing touchdowns. Georgia Tech also needed to get a stop on a two-point conversion. But the Yellow Jackets are also 5-0 with wins over Colorado and Clemson, giving them a better resume than virtually everyone else in the ACC.

3. Louisville (last week: 5)

There doesn’t seem to be a lot of teams trying to claim the No. 3 spot in our power rankings. But after a comeback road win over Pitt, the Cardinals get the nod. They shouldn’t make it a habit of digging 17-0 holes for themselves. But for now, the Cards are one of the few ACC teams that haven't stubbed their toe.

4. Virginia (last week: 9)

Despite a close “non-conference” loss to NC State early in the season, the Cavs have been trending in the right direction, culminating in Friday’s upset over Florida State. Virginia is now one of three teams that’s 2-0 in ACC play. However, the Cavs still have to prove they can win on the road when they travel to Louisville this week.

5. Florida State (last week: 3)

The Seminoles began last week with the hype of a top-10 team, only to deliver the performance of a mid-level ACC team. Florida State played a sloppy game and had no answer for Virginia’s rushing attack. Perhaps FSU’s win over Alabama was an aberration, making next week’s clash with Miami critical.

6. Clemson (last week: 6)

The Tigers had the week off to reflect on their back-to-back losses. They don’t necessarily have a bad loss, but they do need to bounce back in a big way next week.

7. Duke (last week: 10)

The Duke defense benefited from facing Rickie Collins in his first career start last week. Despite being 2-0 in conference play, losses to Illinois and Tulane leave us skeptical that the Blue Devils can be consistent defensively this season, even if Darian Mensah has the offense rolling.

8. SMU (last week: 7)

With their only wins coming over East Texas A&M and Missouri State, the Mustangs have a lot to prove when they begin ACC play against Syracuse this week.

9. California (last week: 14)

It’s hard to reconcile Cal’s 34-0 loss to San Diego State a couple of weeks ago. The Bears bounced back with a nice road win over BC. With wins over Oregon State and Minnesota, the Bears are 4-1. They get to stay at home the next two weeks, giving them a chance to factor into the ACC title race, despite how unlikely that looked at the start of the season.

10. Syracuse (last week: 4)

The transition to a backup quarterback after Steve Angeli’s injury wasn’t as smooth as Syracuse fans would have hoped. Unfortunately, Orange fans may need to recalibrate their expectations despite the win over Clemson two weeks ago.

11. Pittsburgh (last week: 8)

The Panthers blew a golden opportunity to make a big leap up the power rankings. Instead, they’ve lost back-to-back games that could have been considered swing games for them. With four ranked teams left on Pitt’s schedule, the Panthers are in a little bit of trouble at the moment.

12. Wake Forest (last week: 15)

Despite back-to-back ACC losses, the Demon Deacons are proving to be a tougher out than we thought before the season. Wake had Georgia Tech on the ropes but couldn’t finish the job. If nothing else, the Demon Deacons have proven that they aren’t going to lay down this season. They’ll be a pest for every team they face.

13. Virginia Tech (last week: 17)

We didn’t really believe that Virginia Tech was the worst team in the conference. It turns out, firing Brent Pry was the right move. But the Hokies still have some work to do to prove they are a middle-of-the-pack ACC team.

14. Stanford (last week: 12)

The Cardinal averted disaster, for both themselves and the ACC, by overcoming a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit against San Jose State. Keep in mind that San Jose State’s only win was a three-point victory over FCS team Idaho, with the Spartans losing to Central Michigan earlier this season. Needless to say, barely beating a team like that is a problem. A head-to-head win over Boston College is the only thing preventing Stanford from dropping further.

15. Boston College (last week: 13)

The Eagles looked like a decent team when they pushed Michigan State to double overtime early in the season. But things have started to fall apart for them after starting the ACC season 0-2. It’s not like they started conference play against the ACC’s heavyweights, which is concerning for Bill O’Brien’s team.

16. North Carolina (last week: 16)

Is a week off going to help Bill Belichick prep for Clemson this week? The Tar Heels might need more than that, having been outscored 82-23 in two losses to power-conference opponents.

17. NC State (last week: 11)

Losing a home game to a team that was previously at the bottom of the power rankings earns NC State a one-way trip to the bottom. The Wolfpack can’t blame turnovers for this loss; they just didn’t move the ball. Luckily, NC State plays FCS opponent Campbell this week. The Wolfpack better get back on track quickly because after that, they face a brutal schedule where wins will be hard to find.