ACC Rankings Week 12

Atlantic

1. Clemson Tigers: Clemson became the latest team to beat up on the Hurricanes, winning 40-10. With UNC’s loss Clemson becomes the only ACC team with a shot at making the CFB Playoff, but they will need help from other teams losing in front of them. For rivalry week they face a South Carolina Gamecocks team that just upended the once No. 1 Tennessee Volunteers. Better not sleep.

2. Florida State Seminoles: The ‘Noles took down the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns, 49-17, on the back of the team’s five rushing touchdowns. FSU travels to Gainesville, FL where they haven’t won since 2017.

3. Louisville Cardinals: The Cardinals bounced back from their loss against Clemson and piled onto NCST’s woes, winning 25-10. They’ve got an interesting game against the Kentucky Wildcats.

4. NC State Wolfpack: NCST dropped their second game in a row. Their defense looked the part of being “one of the best,” holding the Louisville offense to only one offensive TD, but a back-breaking 98-yard kickoff return put the Cards ahead and the Wolfpack never saw the lead again. The ‘Pack hope to avoid finishing the season on a three-game skid when they visit Chapel Hill.

5. Wake Forest Demon Deacons: The Deacons managed to hold off a fourth quarter comeback attempt, by the Orange, and ended their three-game losing streak. Hartman threw four TDs and the defense managed a pick-six. WF is walking down the street to play Duke.

6. Syracuse Orange: After starting the season 6-0 the Orange have gone 0-5. The last half of the season was certainly going to be tougher than the first, but after that start it seemed like Syracuse would’ve been more competitive. The Orange has a nice chance to end on a high note when they head to Chestnut Hill and take on BC.

7. Boston College Eagles: One week after a one-point upset to knock NCST out of the Top-25 the Eagles offer up their worst performance of the year, getting shut out, 44-0, by the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. After a surprising arrival onto the CFB scene, backup QB, Emmett Morehead, was brought down to earth. He only managed to complete nine of 22 attempts for 117-yards and then tossed three INTs.

Coastal

1. North Carolina Tar Heels: For the second consecutive season GT somehow beat a ranked UNC team that should’ve beaten them up and down the block. Add this event to the extensive list of why the ACC can’t have nice things. The “good” teams in this conference aren’t consistent in beating the “bad” teams they should dominate. Regardless, they are still the best group in the horrible, just horrible, Coastal division.

2. Pittsburgh Panthers: Panthers managed to take the best of the rest, in the Coastal, by upending Duke, 28-26. Abanikanda had another 100+ yard game, but the Pitt defense is what made this win possible. The Panthers had a scoop and score fumble that proved to be the deciding factor. The Panthers head down to Coral Gables this weekend.

3. Duke Blue Devils: Riley Leonard threw for 290-yards and three touchdowns and the Blue Devils’ offense dominated time of possession. The scoop and score fumble did Duke in, though, during an offensive performance that looked like it should have been enough.

4. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets: Somehow GT did what nobody else seems able to do – make UNC QB, Drake Maye, look mortal. After allowing North Carolina a 17-0 lead, the Yellow Jackets’ defense held them scoreless during the second half and, for the first time all year, held Maye to zero TDs. Their game against UGA is almost assuredly a loss, but don’t tell GT that.

5. Miami Hurricanes: Ooooooh boy. The finger-pointing seems to be starting and another multi score defeat, even if it is Clemson, hurts. What can you say? Miami gonna Miami.

6. Virginia Tech Hokies: VT played their final game of the season and closed out with a win, ending a seven-game losing streak, against the Liberty Flames, 23-22. Holston had a career day, scoring three times while the passing game looked the worst it’s been since the opener at ODU. Importantly, the offense didn’t turn the ball over and the rushing game grinded it out while the team minimized penalties. The defense showed up and played their best of the season, winning the turnover battle, which put the offense in several short field situations. All eyes turn to the future.

7. Virginia Cavaliers: UVA canceled the final two games of the season.

Overall

1. (No. 8 CFBP / No. 7 AP / No. 8 Coaches) Clemson Tigers (10-1, 8-0 ACC) – Static

2. (No. 17 / No. 18 / No. 17) North Carolina Tar Heels (9-2, 6-1) – Static

3. (No. 16 / No. 16 / No. 16) Florida State Seminoles (8-3, 5-3) – Static

4. (No. 15 / Unr. / Unr.) Louisville Cardinals (7-4, 4-4) – Up One

5. Pittsburgh Panthers (7-4, 4-3) – Up Three

6. NC State Wolfpack (7-4, 4-4) – Up One

7. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (7-4. 3-4) – Down One

8. Duke Blue Devils (7-4, 4-3) – Down Four

9. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (5-6, 4-4) – Up Two

10. Syracuse Orange (6-5, 3-4) – Down One

11. Miami Hurricanes (5-6, 3-4) – Down One

12. Virginia Tech Hokies (3-8, 1-6) – Up Two

13. Virginia Cavaliers (3-7, 1-6) – Static

14. Boston College Eagles (3-8, 2-5) – Down Two