A lot of movement took place in the ACC power rankings this week, with changes at both the top and bottom of the conference. The biggest takeaway from this weekend was the resurgence of Boston College as they continue to turn their season around. We discuss the major storylines throughout the ACC below.

1. Miami

WIN 52-23 vs Pittsburgh

The offense continues to roll for Miami. The quarterback/receiver duo of Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney is the best in the nation. Toney had 194 yards and 3 touchdowns against Pittsburgh, while Mensah was 31-37 for 387 yards and 4 touchdowns. However, the defense has now given up 20+ points in consecutive weeks which is a concerning trend as the Notre Dame game looms in two weeks.

Next matchup: SAT 7:30 p.m. @ North Carolina

2. Wake Forest

BYE

Next Matchup: SAT 3:45 p.m. vs Virginia

3. SMU

WIN 59-20 vs California

SMU put up their highest point total of the season in their win against California. The Mustangs were down at halftime but got it going in the second half and ran up the score. They only converted one third down all game, which is not a recipe to win games moving forward. SMU’s defense only gave up one first down in the second half and completely shut down California. The Mustangs rose to No. 19 in the AP Poll and jumped Louisville in this week’s ACC power rankings.

Next Matchup: SAT noon @ Syracuse

4. Louisville

BYE

Next Matchup: SAT 3:15 p.m. vs Stanford

5. Virginia Tech

WIN 20-16 @ Clemson

Virginia Tech went into Death Valley and came out victorious. It was an ugly performance where the Hokie offense only recorded 234 yards of offense, but a 2 touchdown performance by Luke Reynolds was the difference in this game. Virginia Tech is now bowl eligible at 6-2 as they head into a bye week.

Next Matchup: Nov. 6 @ SMU

6. Florida State

BYE

Next Matchup: SAT 7:00 p.m. vs Clemson

7. Boston College

WIN 49-27 @ Georgia Tech

A rise of 5 spots in the ACC power rankings is the result of a dominant performance from Boston College. They attacked on the ground and put up 399 total rushing yards in the blowout. Defensively, Charlie Comella had 2 interceptions and took one for a pick six. Now at 4-3, Boston College is in a good spot in the ACC as a force to be reckoned with.

Next Matchup: SAT noon @ Duke

8. Clemson

LOSS 20-16 vs Virginia Tech

The passing game continues to be a glaring issue for Clemson. Tait Reynolds threw for only 153 yards in the loss to Virginia Tech. The ground game also struggled, and as a result, the offense put up just 299 yards. This is not a good sign for Clemson as they go into a tough matchup on the road at Florida State Saturday.

Next Matchup: SAT 7:00 p.m. @ Florida State

9. Syracuse

WIN OT 31-30 @ North Carolina

As one of the biggest risers in this week’s ACC power rankings, Syracuse is back to good form. Having Steve Angeli back at quarterback makes a huge difference for the Orange. He was 20-34 for 256 passing yards and 2 touchdowns. The offense runs more fluidly with Angeli behind center and he got them their first ACC win of the season.

Next Matchup: SAT noon vs SMU

10. North Carolina

LOSS OT 31-30 vs Syracuse

North Carolina was a two point conversion stop away from winning this game. They played turnover-free football, but the Tar Heel defense had a poor performance which cost them. With another defensive showing like this next weekend, North Carolina stands no chance at pulling off the upset against Miami.

Next Matchup: SAT 7:30 p.m. vs Miami

11. Duke

WIN 19-16 @ Virginia

It’s ironic that Duke broke their 2 game losing streak when Nate Sheppard only had 66 yards from scrimmage in the win over Virginia. Duke’s defense kept them in the game and the Blue Devils went ahead on a 28-yard game winning touchdown catch by Brody Keefe, thrown by Sheppard. They rise back up in the ACC power rankings.

Next Matchup: SAT noon vs Boston College

12. Virginia

LOSS 19-16 vs Duke

This marks 3 losses in 4 games for Virginia. Offense continues to be problematic for the Cavaliers with production and turnovers. They had 202 rushing yards against Duke, but only 158 passing yards. Virginia is now 4-4, with the road to bowl eligibility much more rocky from here.

Next Matchup: SAT 3:45 p.m. @ Wake Forest

13. Stanford

WIN 31-28 vs NC State

What a game it was for Stanford under the Friday night lights. Davis Warren threw for 303 yards and 4 touchdowns, while Micah Ford replicated success from last week and had 208 total yards. Caden High also had a 103 yard receiving performance with a touchdown. The vibe of the team has completely shifted in the positive direction. Stanford is back to 4-4 on the season.

Next Matchup: SAT 3:15 p.m. @ Louisville

14. Pittsburgh

LOSS 52-23 @ Miami

3 straight losses for Pittsburgh after starting 5-0. They looked better than last week against Boston College, but had no answer for the Miami offense. On the bright side, Cataurus Hicks has emerged as a star at receiver, putting up 149 yards and a touchdown in this game. Pittsburgh just needs to win one more game for bowl eligibility.

Next Matchup: SAT 7:30 p.m. vs Georgia Tech

15. California

LOSS 59-20 @ SMU

The success Cal had in the first half against SMU did not translate to the second half at all. 265 yards of offense in the first half to 40 yards in the second half. This issue needs to be fixed during the week before California travels to NC State.

Next Matchup: SAT noon @ NC State

16. NC State

LOSS 31-28 @ Stanford

A Friday night loss at Stanford was the final straw for Dave Doeren’s 14 year tenure as NC State’s head coach. He was fired Saturday afternoon after another poor performance that left the Wolfpack at 3-4 on the season. Running backs coach Todd Goebbel will take over as interim head coach for the remainder of the season.

Next Matchup: SAT noon vs. California

17. Georgia Tech

LOSS 49-27 vs Boston College

Grady Adamson saw some time at quarterback after Alberto Mendoza was taken out towards the end of the loss against Boston College. It looks like the job is back up for grabs after Mendoza threw 2 interceptions and played poorly overall. The Yellow Jackets are back at the  bottom of the ACC power rankings.

Next Matchup: SAT 7:30 p.m. @ Pittsburgh

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