We are far enough into the season to stop ranking teams by reputation. Miami remains the team to beat, Louisville made a statement, and Clemson may have won—but nobody should feel comfortable about what we saw.
1. Miami Hurricanes — 3-0
Miami remains the clear No. 1 team in the ACC. Darian Mensah was nearly flawless against Wake Forest, completing an ACC-record 24 consecutive passes. The Hurricanes let off the gas in the second half, but their combination of quarterback play, speed and talent still separates them from everyone else in this conference.
2. Louisville Cardinals — 2-1
Louisville’s loss to Ole Miss looks better every week, and the Cardinals just handed SMU its first defeat, 41-31. Lincoln Kienholz and Isaac Brown give Jeff Brohm one of the conference’s most dangerous offenses. Louisville looks like Miami’s biggest threat right now.
3. Duke Blue Devils — 3-0
The defending ACC champions just keep winning. Duke has beaten Tulane, won at Illinois and dismantled Stanford 35-7. The Blue Devils may not have the flashiest roster in the conference, but they are disciplined, physical and exceptionally well coached.
4. Virginia Tech Hokies — 3-0
James Franklin has Virginia Tech looking like a different football team. The Hokies went into Maryland and earned a 35-26 victory behind another strong performance from Ethan Grunkemeyer. We still need to see them against ACC competition, but this start deserves respect.
5. Pittsburgh Panthers — 3-0
Pitt’s defense is legitimate. The Panthers held UCF to seven points and Syracuse to 13. The offense has not been nearly as impressive, but when you are undefeated and playing that kind of defense, you belong near the top.
6. SMU Mustangs — 2-1
SMU was competitive with Louisville before three late possessions ended with turnovers. The Mustangs are still one of the ACC’s most talented teams, but they had an opportunity to make a statement and failed to finish.
7. Wake Forest Demon Deacons — 2-1
Wake Forest fell behind Miami early but fought its way back into the game behind Gio Lopez, who threw for 312 yards and three touchdowns. The Demon Deacons are better than the final score suggested, but an offensive line that produced only 22 rushing yards remains a serious concern.
8. Virginia Cavaliers — 2-1
Virginia looked impressive through two games, especially in its 34-8 destruction of NC State. Then the Cavaliers lost at home to West Virginia. There is talent on this team, but Virginia must prove that its strong start was more than the product of a favorable opening schedule.
9. California Golden Bears — 2-1
Cal recovered from an ugly opening loss to UCLA by winning at Syracuse and handling Wagner. The defense creates turnovers and keeps Cal competitive, but the offense remains inconsistent. Friday night against Clemson will tell us plenty about both teams.
10. Clemson Tigers — 2-1
Clemson beat North Carolina 28-20, but that is not a performance anyone should celebrate. The Tigers were beaten in the trenches early, fell behind 17-6 and once again looked like a team without elite playmakers. They found a way to win, but Clemson still looks like a shell of the program it once was.
11. Florida State Seminoles — 1-2
Florida State showed some fight at Alabama and was leading during the third quarter before losing 50-35. Moral victories do not count in the standings, but the Seminoles have at least shown flashes against good competition. Mike Norvell is still coaching for his job.
12. North Carolina Tar Heels — 2-1
North Carolina had Clemson in trouble and failed to finish the job. The Tar Heels were outscored 22-3 after taking a 17-6 lead. They are improved, but improved does not necessarily mean good.
13. Boston College Eagles — 2-1
Boston College is 2-1, but needing four quarters to put away Maine does not inspire confidence. The Eagles have a chance to prove me wrong when Virginia Tech comes to Chestnut Hill.
14. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets — 1-2
Beating Mercer stopped the bleeding, but it did not erase losses to Colorado and Tennessee. Georgia Tech desperately misses Haynes King, and the Yellow Jackets still have a lot to prove.
15. Syracuse Orange — 1-2
Syracuse is already 0-2 in conference play after losses to Cal and Pitt. The Orange have been competitive, but turnovers, offensive inconsistency and an inability to finish have buried their season early.
16. NC State Wolfpack — 1-2
Giving up the winning touchdown to Vanderbilt in the final seconds was bad enough. Doing it after surrendering a 97-yard drive makes it worse. The Wolfpack have one victory—and it came against Richmond.
17. Stanford Cardinal — 1-2
Stanford has played two ACC games and been blown out in both of them. Miami beat the Cardinal 45-6, and Duke followed with a 35-7 beating. The rebuilding project still has a long way to go.
