ACC Power Rankings after Week 9: Miami stays unbeaten on top while FSU continues to bottom out
ACC football has been pretty simple. There's Miami and everybody else and then Florida State. The Hurricanes below on top; the Seminoles stick to the bottom, and then there's the rest.
Three teams have CFP chances, but, at best, one of them might make it. Here's the rundown from the ACC.
ACC Power Rankings after Week 9
#17 Florida State (1-7)
In the least surprising news of the year, Florida State isn't going to a bowl. The utter all-systems failure of the 'Noles is one of the stories of college football in 2024.
#16 Stanford (2-6)
The Cardinal would be on the bottom if not for FSU. At least Stanford gave Wake Forrest a good game. The Cardinal has a 0.3% shot of running the remaining schedule to reach six wins. They're a long shot for good reason.
#15 Virginia (4-4)
The Cavs got absolutely lit up by North Carolina for the Tar Heels' first conference win of the season. It's certainly not a good indicator of future success. ESPN dropped the Cavs to just under a 13% chance of winning two more games in the regular season.
#14 Wake Forest (4-4)
Wake didn't exactly do anything dramatic, but taking down Stanford gives them a chance to still salvage the season. However, it's just over a 1-in-5 shot of winning six games in the regular season. Still, things are at least trending upward.
#13 NC State (4-4)
The Wolfpack had the week off and are still in a deeply uncertain spot heading down the season's stretch. As things stand, NC State looks like the last team onto the bowl bandwagon in the ACC.
This might have been the first real sign of life for the Wolfpack. Rallying from two scores down and hanging on for a win by its knuckles, NC State showed some real spark. A bowl game might well still be on the cards.
#12 Boston College (4-4)
The Eagles blew a 21-0 lead in finding a way to lose to Louisville. Now their bowl situation is increasingly precarious. It's not where they wanted to be, but they could still come out of it.
#11 Georgia Tech (5-4)
Tech had a shot to wrap up their bowl eligibility but looked lost without Haynes King, putting up just six points on Virginia Tech. The Yellowjackets have to get him back quickly.
#10 North Carolilna (4-4)
The Tar Heels have fought back from an ugly start and blasted Virginia to reach .500. ESPN not only goes about 5-to-1 for UNC winning six games, it gives the Heels a shot to win out for the rest of the season.
#9 California (4-4)
The Bears absolutely blasted Oregon State and are now almost certain to reach a bowl game. ESPN even gives them a just over 1-in-7 shot to win out for the rest of the regular season.
#8 Syracuse (5-2)
The Orange crumpled like a paper wad against Pitt. Instead of proving they belong at the top of the ACC, they trailed 31-0 at halftime. The season is hardly blown, but their long shot hopes at the CFP took a thumping.
#7 Virginia Tech (5-3)
The Hokies kept their forward momentum rolling with a victory over Georgia Tech. Va. Tech is given a 1.3% shot at a Playoff spot from ESPN, which seems more than a little ambitious.
#6 Duke (6-2)
A crushing one-point loss basically flat-lined the Blue Devils' upset CFP hopes. Had they beaten SMU, Duke would have had a shot probably better than 10%; instead, it faded to 0.1%.
#5 Louisville (5-3)
The Cardinals weren't sharp early against Boston College but got a win. Given three losses already, nothing changes in the big picture (UofL has an 0.4% shot at the Playoff), but it lifted Louisville in our power rankings.
#4 SMU (7-1)
The Mustangs eeked out a one-point win over Duke and still have a legitimate CFP shot. ESPN gives them a 29.8% shot, just behind Clemson for third best in the ACC.
#3 Pittsburgh (7-0)
The Panthers might have converted a few believers by crushing Syracuse. Their Playoff odds got a jump from 1-in-7 up to just over 1-in-5. The back end of the schedule is challenging, but Pitt is one of four teams left with a legitimate title shot from the ACC.
#2 Clemson (6-1)
The Tigers were off but still retain the second best shot in the ACC at making the Playoff at just under 1-in-3. It has been quite a run since that asleep-at-the-wheel Week 1 loss to Georgia. The Tigers at least control their own fate for now.
#1 Miami (8-0)
They remain top in the ACC and are all but guaranteed a spot in the Playoff. The Hurricanes have arrived.
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