The ACC saw a potential seismic shift in Week 11 after the Miami Hurricanes lost to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. How do the ACC Power Rankings stack up following that shift?
Week 11 ACC Power Rankings
Our exclusive power rankings for the ACC come from our 1-134 rankings, looking at the college football world as a whole. Following Week 11, here’s how the ACC teams stack up.
MORE: Full 1-134 College Football Power Rankings
17) Florida State Seminoles (–)
Any hopes of Florida State going undefeated in the regular season were dashed in Week 0. The massive transfer infusion wasn’t enough to make up for a defensive front seven that was manhandled down in and down out.
It wasn’t a fluke either, as the Seminoles allowed 270+ rushing yards to Boston College. However, it’s time to wonder just how many wins they’ll pick up in 2023 after losing to Memphis in Week 3, barely defeating Cal in Week 4, falling to SMU in Week 5, putting up a mild effort against Clemson, gifting Duke their first win against them in Week 8, losing to in-state rival Miami 36-14, stumbling 35-11 against North Carolina, and getting boatraced vs. Notre Dame in Week 11.
Mike Norvell’s squad is vastly underperforming in the trenches and has had no QB play to speak of all year. The result? The biggest one-year drop-off from a Power Five program in history.
16) Stanford Cardinal (+2)
Stanford had one of the worst scoring defenses in the entire FBS (37.7 points per game) last season, and they allowed 34 to TCU in Week 1. A get-right game against Cal Poly in Week 2 could have been a turning point for the unit, as they proved their mettle against Syracuse in Week 4.
The Orange had no running game to speak of, and EDGEs Wilfredo Aybar and David Bailey made Kyle McCord’s life hell in the backfield. Despite several untimely penalties and interceptions, the Cardinal escaped with a 26-24 road victory, thanks to the right leg of kicker Emmet Kenney III.
Of course, a trip to Clemson ended with an L, but the Cardinal shot themselves in the foot with three red-zone turnovers and three dropped picks heading into the fourth. With Ashton Daniels out, Stanford’s chances of fending off Virginia Tech were slim, making its 31-7 defeat almost inevitable.
Then, Daniels came back to face Notre Dame’s vaunted defense, which went about as good (bad?) as you’d expect. He played a couple of series vs. SMU, but with the score 21-0, Taylor opted to get a look at freshman Elijah Brown, who wasn’t much better (50% completion rate, 4.8 YPA, one TD, two INTs).
Head coach Troy Taylor only won three games in Year 1, and after dropping another game in Week 9 (Wake Forest) and Week 10 (NC State), the Cardinal are 2-7 with Louisville, Cal, and San Jose State left on the schedule.
15) Wake Forest Demon Deacons (–)
Dave Clawson’s Demon Deacons have been a middle-of-the-road ACC competitor for most of his tenure, but they ranked last with a 1-7 conference record in 2023. It looked like the disappointment would continue in 2024 after they entered halftime up only 17-10 to North Carolina A&T, but it was all Wake Forest in the second half, pulling out to a 45-13 victory.
The ‘Deacs should’ve handled Virginia in Week 2, but the offense choked its last three possessions: punt, turnover on downs, fumble. Wake Forest racked up 544 yards but stalled on key drives when they had a chance to pull away.
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While the Deacons weren’t expected to win against Ole Miss in Week 3, at least they kept it semi-close. They were expected to win against Louisiana, who they paid $800,000 to make the road trip to Winston-Salem, but the 41-38 final score favored the Cajuns.
The temperature began to sizzle under Clawson’s seat, but he threw ice-cold water on it with a 34-30 victory over home favorite NC State. The respite was brief, as after conceding zero points in the first quarter against Clemson, Wake allowed 49 the rest of the way while being shut out in the second half.
Even UConn (23-20) and Stanford (27-24) were tough outs, highlighting the Deacons’ 2024 standing. They at least gave Cal their all, scoring 36 points. But the defense allowed 46, with help from three Bachmeier INTs.
14) California Golden Bears (–)
The Bears’ 31-13 Week 1 win over UC Davis easily could’ve gone the other way. The Aggies led in total yards (301 to 283), first downs (20 to 14), and time of possession (30:19 to 29:41), but three turnovers and going 0 for 4 on fourth downs cut their upset attempt at the knees.
Cal crossed their country for their Week 2 date with Auburn and came out victorious. The offense wasn’t spectacular, and the team committed 11 penalties. Yet, the defense suffocated the Tigers’ offense and did the same against San Diego State for their third straight win.
The defense once again held its own against Florida State, but the offense was allergic to scoring, generating 410 total yards but putting up just nine points against FSU’s 14. Apparently, facing top 10-ranked Miami was the answer, as the Bears erupted to a 35-18 lead by the fourth quarter … only to squander it and allow the ‘Canes to pull off the 39-38 comeback.
Ott was out in Weeks 7 and 8, putting pressure on Mendoza to carry the offense. But 12 penalties for 110 yards kept the unit from capitalizing on the defense’s impressive outing vs. Pitt, and NC State scored 14 unanswered to eke out the 24-23 victory.
Ott returned in Week 9 and struggled mightily against Oregon State, but Mendoza lit up the secondary, throwing for 350+ yards entering the fourth quarter. The defense did nearly nothing against Wake Forest, allowing 36 points, but Mendoza and Co. put up 46 of their own in one of the more impressive outings of the year.
13) North Carolina Tar Heels (–)
Despite Drake Maye’s obvious talent, the Tar Heels underperformed in his tenure, going 17-10 record with two bowl losses. Texas A&M transfer Max Johnson took the reigns, but he suffered a broken leg in Week 1 and is out for the season, thrusting sophomore Conner Harrell into the starting lineup.
He secured the win over Minnesota with a 32-yard completion to set up the game-winning field goal and played well enough to put up 38 points on Charlotte. RB Omarion Hampton and TE Bryson Nesbit suffered injuries in the contest, but both returned in a Week 3 win over North Carolina Central.
However, the game was too close for comfort, and after a scoreless first quarter, Harrell was pulled in favor of Jacolby Criswell, pointing to further QB concerns. Criswell flashed at times against James Madison, but the Dukes blitzed the Tar Heels in every phase, scoring 39 points midway through the second quarter.
The defense made it a point to show up in Week 5, holding Duke to zero points in the first half. Yet, Criswell’s inconsistencies were once again apparent, and the defense faltered in the second half, allowing Duke to pull off a 21-20 victory.
The Tar Heels kept it close against Pitt but let the Panthers go on a 10-0 run in the final frame to begin the year 0-2 in conference play. Make that 0-3, as they allowed Georgia Tech to literally run away with the victory in Week 7.
It seemed Mack Brown’s time was up in Chapel Hill, but the roster played hard for their coach in Weeks 9 and 10, surprising Virginia 41-14 and kicking Florida State while they were down 35-11.
12) NC State Wolfpack (-2)
The quarterback room hasn’t exactly been the modicum of consistency for the Wolfpack, but Dave Doeren hoped he rectified the issue by bringing in Coastal Carolina’s Grayson McCall.
It took until the fourth quarter for the offense to begin humming against Western Carolina, and it mostly had to do so on the backs of RB Jordan Waters and WR KC Concepcion.
We chalked McCall’s play up to rust in Week 1, but Tennessee stole his lunch money in Week 2 and highlighted the wide gap between the two programs. However, he suffered an undisclosed injury against Louisiana Tech, forcing true freshman CJ Bailey into the lineup. The lights weren’t too bright, as Bailey led the Wolfpack to a 30-20 victory.
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Yet, the intensity reached a tipping point against Clemson, as the Tigers roared out to a 59-35 victory — 21 of the Wolfpack’s points came in garbage time. A Week 5 win over Northern Illinois kept the train on the tracks, but Wake Forest came to town and stole NC State’s first conference victory this year.
ACC play is here, and Doeren’s squad is anything but stable, dropping their third straight in the conference against Syracuse in Week 7. But they did just enough to leave California with a 24-23 victory in Week 8 before snuffing out Stanford in Week 10. Just like that, the Wolfpack are 2-3 in the conference. And now they are 2-4 after Duke came to town and left with a 29-19 victory.
11) Virginia Cavaliers (+1)
Tony Elliott has won exactly three games in each of his two seasons as Virginia’s leading man, but he’s already surpassed that win total in 2024.
The Cavaliers kicked the year off with a 34-13 win over a talented Richmond team and narrowly defeated Wake Forest 31-30 in Week 2. No one got going on the ground, and QB Anthony Colandrea threw two picks, but the Cavs scored 10 unanswered fourth-quarter points to seal the victory.
The script was flipped in Week 3, as Maryland scored 10 unanswered to escape with the win. Colandrea threw another two picks and lost a fumble to boot, tying the team’s hands behind its back. He played much cleaner games against Coastal Carolina and Boston College — albeit less explosive — translating to back-to-back victories.
Despite 449 yards of offense, Colandrea and Co. weren’t able to finish drives against Louisville, causing them to tuck their tail between their legs in a 24-20 Week 7 defeat.
Former Clemson assistant Elliott couldn’t knock off his former employer, but the Cavaliers at least kept the score semi-close in Week 8 (48-31). However, Virginia couldn’t do anything against North Carolina in Week 9, despite being 3.5-point home favorites.
Colandrea was benched for Tony Musket, but the defense didn’t help matter either, as the 41-14 final score dictates. Colandrea was reinserted for a massive 24-19 upset over Pitt, and the Cavs are now just one win away from a bowl game. However, the road isn’t easy, with Notre Dame, SMU, and Virginia Tech in their way.
10) Boston College Eagles (+1)
Boston College seemed to be trending up after its first bowl win since 2016, but a bit of a reset is in order with HC Jeff Hafley leaving for the Green Bay Packers’ DC job and Bill O’Brien taking his first collegiate HC position since his time at Penn State.
A standalone Labor Day win over FSU highlighted the Eagles’ revamped roster and new leadership, and they kept the good times going with pure domination over Duquesne in Week 2. Despite a highlight-reel TD, Castellanos and Co. couldn’t do much against Missouri’s new-look defense, failing to score in the second half.
Michigan State also gave them fits in Week 4, but the Eagles outscored the Spartans 17-6 to complete the home defense and roll to 3-1 on the year. Even with QB Thomas Castellanos out with an injury against Western Kentucky in Week 5, BC was able to stay in the win column, narrowly defeating the Hilltoppers 21-20.
Then, the magic ran out. The Eagles forgot there was a second half of football games, allowing Virginia to go on an 18-0 run for the Week 6 win, conceding 42 points against Virginia Tech in Week 7, and blowing a 20-7 halftime lead vs. Louisville in Week 9.
Did BC reach its ceiling early in the season? Likely yes, but they were able to survive a shootout with Syracuse in Week 11, with Grayson James coming in for Castellanos and finishing the 37-31 victory.
9) Virginia Tech Hokies (–)
Virginia Tech turned up the heat down the stretch last season, winning five of their last seven games to finish with a 7-6 record. But the Hokies lost their momentum over the offseason, falling to Vanderbilt 34-27 in overtime in Week 1. The rushing attack, led by QB Kyron Drones and RB Bhayshul Tuten, could not find its footing.
They bounced back with wins against Marshall and Old Dominion before finishing their non-conference schedule with a home loss to Rutgers last week. Against Miami and his cousin, QB Cam Ward, Drones took the contest to the distance, but the Hokies couldn’t hang on to their 27-17 lead midway through the third quarter.
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Outside of Week 1, Drones wasn’t been able to surpass 190 yards passing in any game — until Week 6. Sure, 201 isn’t all that much more, but it was enough to jaunt to a 31-7 victory over Stanford, marking Tech’s first conference win of the year.
And although Drones was once again held to under 190 yards (161) against Boston College and Georgia Tech (128), it didn’t matter, with Tuten totaling nearly 300 yards with four TDs vs. the Eagles and Drones throwing, catching, and running for a score against the Yellow Jackets.
However, both players missed Week 10’s matchup with Syracuse, resulting in a 38-31 loss for the Hokies. Still, they need just one win to make a bowl game in 2024. That didn’t come in Week 11, with Clemson handing them a 24-14 L.
8) Syracuse Orange (–)
Kyle McCord threw 354 yards and four TDs in his Orange debut, making up for a ground game that couldn’t impose its will on Ohio in Week 1. McCord then threw another 381 yards and four TDs on a stout Georgia Tech defense that started Florida State’s downfall.
Unfortunately, Stanford had enough tape to stymie Syracuse’s offense. Once again, the ground game did nothing, with the RBs combining for 34 yards on 12 carries. McCord threw two costly INTs, including a 74-yard pick-six, and was unable to carry the unit. Holy Cross gave them a bit of a scare in Week 5, but the Orange closed out the victory.
However, their biggest win came in Week 6, as Syracuse upset Group of Five darling UNLV in Las Vegas 44-41. Although there were some iffy calls late in the game that aided the Orange’s efforts, they still put up 492 yards of offense and nearly doubled the Rebels’ time of possession (39:38 to 20:22).
Three takeaways and a 13-minute time of possession advantage helped Syracuse earn its third straight victory. However, Pitt delivered a devasting blow in Week 9, turning the Orange into pulp following a 41-13 beatdown that featured five McCord INTs, three of which were returned for TDs!
He wasn’t flawless in Week 10 against Virginia Tech, but the Orange took down the injury-riddled Hokies in overtime, 38-31. The Orange were on the wrong side of a similar score in Week 11, falling 37-31 to Boston College, who moved to backup QB Grayson James midway through.
7) Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (–)
The Yellow Jackets entered their Week 0 contest with Florida State as 10.5-point underdogs. But they left Dublin, Ireland, with an impressive 24-21 victory over their 10th-ranked conference rival.
The Yellow Jackets came right back and thwarted Georgia State 35-12, having their way with their in-state opponent. However, their ascent up the 2024 College Football Power Rankings stopped there, as they couldn’t stave off Syracuse. The offense played well, but the Orange held a 36:54 to 23:06 time-of-possession advantage.
Unsurprisingly, the Yellow Jackets were able to pick up their third win of the season against a winless VMI in Week 3. But they ran into an undefeated Louisville squad in Week 4, and kicker Aidan Birr missed two field goals in a 31-19 loss. Yet, Birr’s misses didn’t kill Georgia Tech’s comeback odds — going 4 of 15 on third down did.
The Yellow Jackets were marginally better against Duke, moving the chains on 7 of 16 first downs, but the real highlight was their 3 of 3 performance on fourth down. That kept the ball in their hands for 39:27 minutes — 19 more than the Blue Devils.
And even with Haynes King exiting late into the Week 7 contest against North Carolina, it didn’t matter, with Jamal Haynes rumbling for the 68-yard walk-off score with under 20 seconds remaining. However, King’s absence did matter in Weeks 8 and 9, as backup QB Zach Pryon couldn’t hold his own against Notre Dame or Virginia Tech.
King returned in Week 11 against Miami, and although he didn’t throw much, splitting time with Aaron Philo, he completed 6 of 6 passes for 32 yards and a score while leading the team on the ground (93 yards and a TD) for the huge conference upset.
6) Duke Blue Devils (+1)
Although Mike Elko was Duke’s head coach for only two seasons, the team had its most successful back-to-back campaigns since 2014-2015. Manny Diaz kept the momentum going to open the 2024 season, as the Blue Devils rattled off five straight wins.
Duke couldn’t do anything offensively in the first half against North Carolina, posting zero points, one third-down conversion on 10 attempts, and 2.6 yards per play. But with RB Star Thomas leading the way (30-166-1 rushing line, 2-45-1 receiving), the Blue Devils charged all the way back to a 21-20 victory to remain undefeated.
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And then they weren’t. In a week chock-full of stormed fields and upsets, the Blue Devils converted just 3 of 11 third downs, committed seven penalties, and were outgained by 133 yards en route to their first loss of the season. Georgia Tech held the ball for nearly double Duke’s 20:33 time of possession, highlighting the defense’s inability to get off the field.
However, Florida State provided an antidote in Week 8, something they’ve done all year for their opponents. Even though the Blue Devils averaged just 3.0 yards per play, they earned their first-ever victory over the Seminoles in 21 matchups.
Then, Diaz’s squad took SMU to overtime, only to lose on a questionable two-point conversion call. The defense turned the ball over six times, but Murphy and Co. squandered several opportunities, just like the final play of the game. The Blue Devils forced Miami out of its slumber in Week 10 but were simply outgunned, losing 53-31. It was a different story in Week 11, with Murphy and Co. putting up 29 points to NC State’s 19.
5) Pittsburgh Panthers (–)
Pittsburgh won the ACC title in 2021 and then went 9-4 in 2022. However, the Panthers face-planted to a 3-9 record in 2023, and the pressure is on HC Pat Narduzzi to get the team back on track.
QB Eli Holstein and RB Desmond Reid showed promise in Week 1 against Kent State and came right back against Cincinnati. It took a 22-0 run in the second half to pull off the victory, but the Panthers showed the resilience they didn’t have last year.
The same note rang true in the last five contests, as Pitt outlasted West Virginia 38-34, roasted Youngstown State 73-17, stormed Chapel Hill for the 34-24 victory over North Carolina, held off Cal 17-15, and sent Syracuse to the gulag with a 41-13 win. The program is on fire and 7-0 for the first time since 1982.
Make that was on fire, as they ran into SMU and Virginia over the past two weeks, each bringing with them their own flavor of L. The Mustangs cruised to a monstrous 48-11 victory, while the Cavaliers held on for a tight 24-19 upset. It’s been an impressive campaign for Pitt, but they’re officially out of the ACC race.
4) Louisville Cardinals (–)
There wasn’t much to take away from Louisville’s drubbing of a depleted Austin Peay squad in Week 1, but it did set the tone for their 49-14 embarrassment of Jacksonville State and 31-19 home defense against Georgia Tech.
Yet, despite Notre Dame doing their best to hand the game to the Cardinals, they wouldn’t take it, ultimately falling to a 31-17 deficit in the fourth. Turnovers (two fumbles and one pick) and a lack of explosiveness through the air (5.9 yards per pass) were the nail in the coffin for Louisville, killing its comeback effort.
Then, the program committed seven penalties, turned the ball over once more, and struggled to convert on third down (4 of 12), resulting in a 34-27 loss to SMU.
After back-to-back losses, Jeff Brohm’s squad regrouped by defeating Virginia 24-20, making Miami earn every point of its 52-45 victory, holding off Boston College 31-27 in Week 9, and upsetting Clemson 33-21 in Week 10. The latest win secured bowl eligibility, but there is still a slim chance of an ACC championship berth with some losses ahead of them.
3) Clemson Tigers (–)
The Tigers added zero players from the transfer portal this offseason after posting their worst record since 2011 (9-4), and their 34-3 loss at Georgia’s hands pointed to a Dabo Swinney problem.
Klubnik and Co. did wash some of the taste of the Week 1 loss out of their mouths with a dominant performance against App State in Week 2, which began with 21 points in the game’s first eight minutes.
Week 4’s win over NC State was even more impressive, with Klubnik completing 7 of 8 passes for 77 yards and two TDs, plus a 55-yard rushing score, on the game’s first three possessions.
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The Stanford and FSU games began in a similar fashion before those squads were able to turn off the hose for the other three quarters. Yet, the opposite was the case for Wake Forest, as after holding Clemson to zero points in the opening frame, they allowed 49 the rest of the way. And Virginia barely held its water in Death Valley this week.
Swinney may be No. 1 in all-time ACC wins, but Louisville exposed him and his program in Week 10, leaving with a 33-21 dub. Even an injury-riddled Virginia Tech squad gave them trouble in Week 11. Unless Miami or SMU stumble in their final matchups, the Tigers will miss out on the conference title bout once again.
2) SMU Mustangs (–)
Rhett Lashlee’s two-QB system worked last year because Preston Stone was playing like a Heisman contender. However, Stone looked like a deer in headlights in his return from a season-ending injury, particularly with the offensive line becoming a turnstile.
Kevin Jennings came in and instantly sparked the offense, using his legs to keep plays alive that Stone couldn’t. It wasn’t necessary in Week 4, as the Mustangs rode three non-offensive TDs to set a record for the most points scored in the first half of the Iron Skillet rivalry game with TCU, taking a commanding 41-21.
The ‘Stangs then galloped over FSU in Week 5, picking DJ Uiagalelei off three times en route to a 42-16 win. How they performed against Louisville in Week 6 would determine whether SMU’s resurgence was true or false, and they passed with flying colors.
The program rode out a tight 34-27 victory, with Jennings completing 77.7% of his passes for 281 yards and leading the team on the ground (10-113-1). And if there was any doubt, the Mustangs put Stanford, Duke, and, most importantly, Pittsburgh away in the last three games, extending their conference record to 5-0 alongside Lashlee’s former employer: Miami.
1) Miami Hurricanes (–)
The Hurricanes made quick work of in-state foes Florida and Florida A&M in Weeks 1 and 2 and torched Ball State in Week 3. USF kept the game semi-tight in the first half, but once Miami got going, there was no stopping them. Virginia Tech offered a much stiffer challenge in Week 5, testing the ‘Canes for the first time this season.
We needed to see how the senior QB played under pressure, and he delivered when it mattered most, boosting Miami’s odds on the path to the playoffs. However, Cam Ward and his WRs were out of sync, and the offensive line conceded more pressure than usual against Cal in Week 6.
That’s not even mentioning the defense allowing two 50+ yard passing TDs early on. Virginia Tech poked holes in Miami’s armor, and Cal seemingly exploited them — until the final 18 minutes, that is. Ward put on his Superman suit and led a 29-3 comeback, which was almost dashed by a targeting call in the final minutes.
For the third consecutive week, the Canes needed every last ounce of their skill and effort to defeat an ACC opponent, beating Louisville 52-45. While we’d like to see the Canes not have to come back in games, it’s good to know they can. Lifeless Florida State offered Miami an easy victory in Week 9, although Ward and Co. left some points off the board in the 36-14 blowout.
Ward continued his run for the Heisman with 400 yards and five TDs against Duke, even if it took a half to get going — the ‘Canes scored 36 of their 51 points in the second half.
Then, the program’s inability to put teams away tanked their dreams of an undefeated season, with Georgia Tech grinding its way to a 28-23 upset. A poor third/fourth-down conversion rate (4 of 14) doomed the ‘Canes, particularly with the Yellow Jackets owning time of possession (34:49 to 25:11) and the ground game (271 to 88).
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