ACC power rankings after Week 7: Mike Norvell's FSU at bottom while Miami leads the pack
While six ACC teams sat out Week 7, there was still plenty going on within the league. Clemson continued to roll, Pitt and Louisville gained hard-fought wins, and the league gained some definition. Here's where the teams of the ACC stack up after Week 7.
ACC power rankings after Week 7
17. Florida State (1-5)
Off this week, the Seminoles remain the only ACC team with just a single win. ESPN's FPI still gives FSU a 1.9% chance of reaching six wins, but for anyone who watched them play, that feels about 1.8% high.
16. Wake Forest (2-4)
It was a tough week for Wake as Clemson dominated them. Getting outgained 571-233 spells out just how far behind the Tigers this Wake squad is. A few competitive games near the bottom of the league will allow better evaluation.
15. Stanford (2-4)
Similarly, Notre Dame absolutely crushed Stanford. It doesn't look like a bowl will be in store for Stanford this season.
14. NC State (3-4)
NC State had some battles in them for Syracuse, but this team isn't going anywhere fast. The Grayson McCall saga is one of the more unexpected stories of 2024.
13. North Carolina (3-4)
It's been a disappointing season for the Tar Heels and the loss to Georgia Tech kept the trend moving. Carolina could still salvage the season, but it's looking less likely by the week.
12. Virginia (4-2)
The loss to Louisville might be particularly significant. Despite their 4-2 start, ESPN still projects Virginia as more likely than not to come up short of six wins and bowl eligibility.
11. Virginia Tech (3-3)
The Hokies could (should?) have beaten Miami and will still be challenging down the back half of the league schedule. They're probably still good for a significant upset.
10. Boston College (4-2)
The Eagles settle in near the middle of the league but should be able to grab two more wins and reach a bowl game. They were off in Week 7.
9. Georgia Tech (5-2)
Tech remains one of the surprises of the ACC. Their 41-34 win over North Carolina won't win any style points, but Brent Key is still having an amazing season.
8. California (3-3)
The Golden Bears have been a better team than their record, as their two-point loss to Pitt demonstrates. ESPN gives California a 93% chance of reaching six wins, so the back half of the schedule should be kinder.
7. Syracuse (5-1)
It wasn't a great game for Syracuse, but they managed to get the win over NC State and keep rolling forward. While the back half of Syracuse's schedule is tough, they're all but guaranteed a bowl spot.
6. Louisville (4-2)
The Cardinals got a couple of tough losses, but that win over Virginia on Saturday keeps them in the ACC hunt. Louisville's 7.4% chance in the CFP is the fifth highest in the ACC, per ESPN's FPI metric.
5. Duke (5-1)
Duke has been a definite surprise. They were off this week but have impressed in Manny Diaz's first season. He might have gone to greener pastures as quickly as prior coach Mike Elko.
4. Pittsburgh (6-0)
The Panthers have remained perfect but might be the Rodney Dangerfield team of the league. ESPN gives them a 0.2% chance of running the table but an 18.6% shot at reaching the playoff. The 17-15 win over Cal didn't do anything to make Pitt more impressive, but it also didn't give them a loss.
3. SMU (5-1)
The Mustangs are still in the ACC hunt, although there seems to be a fairly substantial gap between them and the top two in the league. Still, SMU has a 28% shot at the playoff per the ESPN FPI.
2. Clemson (5-1)
If you happened to miss Week 1, you could argue for Clemson over Miami. Since getting thoroughly dominated by Georgia, the Tigers are looking like the power they were expected to become. Was that Week 1 game just an awful fluke?
1. Miami (6-0)
The Hurricanes got a week off. They haven't been very sharp lately but remain one of only two undefeated teams in the ACC (Pitt is the other). The Hurricanes are the clear favorite to win the ACC.
What do you think of our ACC Power Rankings? Share your take below in the comment section!