Compared to last week, it was a great weekend for the ACC in the non-conference slate. The conference gained road victories against two Big Ten schools and a combined 4-1 against Power Four opponents. There is still a possibility for 2-3 teams to make the College Football Playoff in the ACC, which has already shown several signs of improvement this season. From 1 to 17, every ACC team is ranked below based on how they have looked so far this season.
1. Miami
Photo Courtesy Miami Athletics
I have the Miami Hurricanes as the number 1 team, not only in the ACC, but in the country for several reasons. As the national runner-ups from a season ago, this team looks to be even stronger all around. They destroyed Florida A&M 77-7 in a shortened game and put up video-game like stats. Both Darian Mensah and Luke Nickel threw for 3 touchdowns, Javian Mallory and Mark Fletcher Jr both had 100+ yards rushing and 2 touchdowns each, and Malachi Toney came just 4 yards short of a 100 yard performance. On the other side of the ball, Miami’s defense allowed only 107 total yards and had 2 sacks. They are the most complete team in the nation, but also have yet to face a good opponent so they are not battle tested yet. They play Wake Forest Friday in their second ACC game this season.
2. Virginia
Photo Courtesy Virginia Athletics
One of my favorite teams to watch so far this season, Virginia rolled again in a 59-3 win against Norfolk State. Despite an interception and his legs not being a factor, Beau Pribula had another good game, going 12/14 passing for 162 yards and 3 touchdowns. Xay Davis had a 107 yard performance on the ground, leading all rushers. Plus, Brandyn Hillman had 2 interceptions defensively and Justin Rowe took an interception to the house for the UVA defense. As my 17th ranked team and College Football Playoff dark horse, Virginia plays West Virginia Saturday in a game that should not be taken lightly.
3. Louisville
Photo Courtesy Louisville Athletics
Lincoln Kienholz led the Louisville offense to a big 59-13 win against Villanova. Lawayne McCoy had a day, recording 102 receiving yards on 3 catches. Marquise Davis scored twice on the ground, ending with 86 yards rushing on 7 carries. They will host SMU Saturday as my 21st ranked team in the country, looking to establish themselves as a contender in both the ACC and the CFP race.
4. SMU
Photo Courtesy SMU Athletics
Coming off a sloppy offensive performance against Florida State, SMU turned it around and beat up on UC Davis 56-10. Kevin Jennings had a better game, going 14/16 for 337 passing yards and 5 touchdowns. However, his feet were not a factor in the rushing game, which will need to improve against better opponents. Another thing to note is that 16 different receivers recorded a reception in the game, showcasing the depth SMU has in the passing game. The Mustangs, as my 23rd ranked team nationally, will travel to Louisville Saturday in an elite early season ACC matchup with major implications.
5. Virginia Tech
Photo Courtesy Virginia Tech Athletics
This team has become a fun watch under James Franklin, and it starts with quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer, who was 31/42 for 327 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 44-21 win over Old Dominion. The defense let up a few touchdowns towards the end of the game, but overall had a good performance, holding ODU to 310 total yards and forcing 2 fumbles. As my 24th ranked team in the country, Virginia Tech will travel to Maryland Saturday, looking for a non-conference resume booster.
6. Pittsburgh
A defensive, weather altered battle took place against UCF, but Pitt won the game 12-7 in an ugly fashion. There were no turnovers for any team, but a 5-18 third down conversion rate led to 8 punts for Pitt a week after quarterback Mason Heintschel threw for 7 touchdowns. The Panthers will need to figure out their offensive struggles quickly, as they play Syracuse Thursday.
7. Duke
In another non-conference game against the Big Ten, Duke also found themselves victorious, beating Illinois 31-27 on the road. While quarterback Walker Eget had a good performance with 3 touchdowns, the MVP of the game was running back Nate Sheppard. He had 147 yards rushing and 41 yards receiving, scoring 3 total touchdowns. Duke plays Stanford Saturday, looking to start 3-0 and establish themselves as an ACC title contender.
8. Wake Forest
In one of the most entertaining games this weekend, Wake Forest took down Purdue 38-36 in double overtime. Gio Lopez had a great game, passing for 225 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for 59 yards and two touchdowns. The receivers were also efficient, averaging 14.1 yards per catch. Jake Dickert has his Demon Deacons rolling again in year two following a season where Wake Forest quietly went 9-3. Miami comes to town Friday to face Wake Forest.
9. California
How did Cal beat Syracuse? Kingston Lopa. The sophomore safety who transferred from Oregon picked off Steve Angeli three times, increasing his season total to 4 interceptions. He has become the star of the Cal defense that has helped overcome offensive struggles. The offense only recorded 249 total yards, and Jaron Keawe-Sagapolutele, despite 2 touchdowns, had another down game for the Golden Bears. Nevertheless, a win is a win, especially when travelling across the country. Cal hosts Wagner next weekend, where their offense will be able to regroup and score a lot of points.
10. North Carolina
The final score against East Tennessee State was 35-3, which may seem lower than expected for UNC against a FCS opponent. However, Bill Belichick has built this team to be defensive-minded, rather than flashy offensively. Billy Edwards Jr was 15/20 with 244 yards passing and 2 touchdowns, playing turnover-free football. The running backs split carries again, but put up higher average yards per rush. They face Clemson Saturday, where their defense should be able to feast against a poor offense.
11. Syracuse
Syracuse found themselves on the wrong side of a nailbiter against California, falling 21-18. A heavy passing attack saw mixed results, as Steve Angeli went 24/49 with 306 passing yards and a touchdown, but also threw 3 interceptions and fumbled. The ground game was not able to get going, as starting back Ju’Juan Johnson ended the game with 46 rushing yards. Despite a solid defensive showing, Syracuse now finds themselves 1-1 with a matchup Thursday at Pittsburgh, which will be another tough game.
12. Florida State
The Seminoles spent this week preparing for their matchup Saturday in Tuscaloosa against Alabama. Their defense will play a pivotal role in keeping the game close and possibly pulling off an upset win. However, if they lose, the cries for Norvell’s job will continue to get louder.
13. NC State
The Wolfpack shut out Richmond 73-0 in a stress-free game. CJ Bailey looked much better coming out of a bye week, going 13/17 passing for 281 yards and two total touchdowns. Backup quarterback Will Wilson scored 3 rushing touchdowns, leading the rushing attack that accounted for 8 of the 10 total NC State touchdowns. They play Vanderbilt Saturday in Nashville, hoping to pull off the upset and turn their season around.
14. Clemson
Nothing looked any better for Clemson against Georgia Southern following a smack down from LSU last weekend. Christopher Vizzina left the game early on due to an elbow injury (week to week per Pete Thamel). Tait Reynolds was not able to get anything going either, recording an 11.3 QBR. In a 22-7 win, the Tigers kicked 5 field goals, only scoring one touchdown. This is an omen for disaster as Clemson starts ACC play Saturday, hosting North Carolina.
15. Georgia Tech
Brent Key decided to challenge his Yellow Jackets early on this season with two straight games against Power Four opponents, but did not get desirable results. It starts with the offense, where Alberto Mendoza threw 2 interceptions and had a poor showing against a solid Tennessee defense. The defense was not able to keep up with the Tennessee ground game either, letting up 299 rushing yards. This is not what fans were hoping to see this season after Tech had a promising campaign in 2025. Next week’s game will be against Mercer, where Tech looks to get back on track with their first win of the year.
16. Stanford
Nothing much to say here about Stanford, as they were on a bye this weekend after getting blasted by Miami at home. They will travel to Duke Saturday for their second ACC game of the season.
17. Boston College
Although Boston College beat Rutgers this weekend 28-21, this team does not look ready for ACC play. Quarterback Mason McKenzie went 18/29 passing for 252 yards and two interceptions, ending with a 55.4 QBR. He was the Eagles’ leading rusher as well, with 94 rushing yards. The defense picked off AJ Surace 4 times, but still allowed Rutgers to come within a possession of winning the game. The Eagles play Saturday against Maine before starting ACC matchups.
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