Week 8 | October 18, 2026
By James Baxter
MIAMI LEADS THE PACK, BUT THE RACE IS FAR FROM OVER
While the SEC was busy turning itself upside down Saturday, the ACC continued developing into one of the more interesting conference races in college football.
Miami survived a scare against Florida State. Wake Forest absolutely demolished California. SMU continued winning, and North Carolina delivered another reminder that preseason expectations don’t mean much once the football is kicked off.
And then there’s Clemson.
The Tigers might have won Saturday, but I’m still not convinced Dabo Swinney has this program anywhere close to where it needs to be.
Remember, these aren’t standings. They’re power rankings.
I’m evaluating the quality of football these teams are playing, the level of competition they’ve faced, quarterback development, coaching, and their ability to compete against the conference’s best teams.
Here’s how I see the ACC heading into Week 8.
1. MIAMI HURRICANES (6-0) ↔️
Miami remains the team to beat.
But Saturday’s 43-35 double-overtime victory over Florida State should serve as a warning.
The Hurricanes have tremendous offensive talent, and Darian Mensah continues to demonstrate why I consider him one of the top quarterback prospects in college football.
But allowing a struggling Florida State team to push you into double overtime raises some legitimate concerns.
Miami is capable of winning the national championship.
However, if the Hurricanes expect to compete against the nation’s elite teams in December and January, they’re going to have to play better defensively.
JB’s Take: Still No. 1, but the gap is narrowing.
2. WAKE FOREST DEMON DEACONS (6-1) ⬆️
I’m becoming increasingly impressed with Wake Forest.
The Demon Deacons went across the country and absolutely dismantled California 41-7.
That’s a statement victory.
Wake Forest has now won four consecutive games, and its only loss came against Miami.
Quarterback Gio Lopez has helped turn this offense into one of the more dangerous units in the conference.
What I like most is that Wake Forest isn’t simply winning games. It’s beginning to dominate opponents.
JB’s Take: This team has a legitimate opportunity to reach the ACC Championship Game.
3. SMU MUSTANGS (5-1) ↔️
SMU continues doing what good football teams do.
Winning.
The Mustangs handled Virginia 23-13 Saturday, improving to 5-1.
Kevin Jennings gives this offense an experienced quarterback capable of making plays, and SMU has demonstrated that it can win without needing to score 40 points every Saturday.
The Mustangs aren’t generating the national attention Miami receives, but they’re putting together a solid season.
JB’s Take: Don’t overlook SMU in the conference championship race.
4. CLEMSON TIGERS (4-2) ⬆️
Clemson defeated Charleston Southern 37-0.
Congratulations.
That’s exactly what a program with Clemson’s resources should do against an overmatched opponent.
But let’s not pretend that victory answers the questions surrounding this football team.
I’ve been critical of Clemson’s quarterback development, offensive execution, and overall talent level.
And nothing I’ve seen has convinced me that the Tigers are among the nation’s elite programs.
The 41-13 loss to Miami remains a much better measuring stick than Saturday’s shutout.
JB’s Take: Clemson is still living more on its reputation than its performance.
5. NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS (4-2) ⬆️
North Carolina is beginning to get my attention.
The Tar Heels followed their upset of Pittsburgh with a 24-20 road victory over Duke.
That’s two consecutive wins against quality conference opponents.
What impresses me is that North Carolina is finding ways to win competitive football games.
That’s an important characteristic for a developing team.
JB’s Take: One of the more interesting teams to watch during the second half of the season.
6. VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES (5-2) ⬆️
Virginia Tech picked up an impressive 34-24 victory over Georgia Tech.
The Hokies have quietly put together a five-win season and are beginning to establish some momentum.
Virginia Tech still has limitations, but there’s something to be said for a team that continues improving as the season progresses.
JB’s Take: A dangerous opponent for anybody overlooking the Hokies.
7. PITTSBURGH PANTHERS (5-2) ⬇️
Pittsburgh is heading in the wrong direction.
The Panthers suffered a disappointing 27-21 loss to Boston College Saturday.
That’s consecutive losses after opening the season 5-0.
The injury to quarterback Mason Heintschel has created additional challenges, but good coaching staffs have to find ways to adjust.
Pittsburgh still has talent, but its margin for error is shrinking.
JB’s Take: The Panthers need to regain their offensive identity quickly.
8. LOUISVILLE CARDINALS (4-3) ⬆️
Louisville went into Syracuse and came away with a 34-26 victory.
The Cardinals have been inconsistent this season, but there’s enough offensive talent on this roster to make them dangerous.
The biggest problem has been putting together complete performances.
Louisville can compete with good football teams.
The question is whether it can do that consistently.
JB’s Take: Better than its record suggests, but still difficult to trust.
9. DUKE BLUE DEVILS (4-2) ⬇️
Duke suffered a disappointing 24-20 loss to North Carolina.
The Blue Devils have now lost consecutive conference games after opening the season undefeated.
This is where coaching becomes important.
When opponents begin identifying your weaknesses, you have to make adjustments.
Duke needs to demonstrate that it can respond to adversity.
JB’s Take: Still competitive, but the early-season momentum has disappeared.
10. VIRGINIA CAVALIERS (4-3) ⬇️
Virginia fell to SMU 23-13 Saturday.
The Cavaliers have shown flashes of being a competitive football team, but offensive consistency remains a problem.
You can’t expect to beat the better teams in this conference when you’re struggling to put points on the scoreboard.
JB’s Take: Virginia needs more offensive production to move into the upper half of the conference.
11. FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES (3-4) ⬆️
I know what you’re thinking.
How can a team with a losing record move up after another loss?
Because power rankings aren’t simply about wins and losses.
Florida State pushed the No. 3 team in America into double overtime before falling 43-35.
Ashton Daniels and the Seminoles’ offense demonstrated that they have the ability to challenge quality opponents.
But here’s the problem.
Florida State has to learn how to finish games.
JB’s Take: Better than its record, but close losses don’t count as victories.
12. NC STATE WOLFPACK (3-3) ↔️
NC State had the weekend off.
The Wolfpack have been inconsistent, particularly against stronger conference opponents.
Quarterback CJ Bailey has talent, but this team needs more consistent execution around him.
JB’s Take: A middle-of-the-pack team that needs to establish an identity.
13. CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS (3-4) ⬇️
California was embarrassed at home by Wake Forest.
Losing 41-7 is bad enough.
Doing it on your home field against a conference opponent raises serious concerns.
The Golden Bears have some offensive talent, particularly at quarterback, but they’re not playing complementary football.
JB’s Take: California has to become more competitive defensively.
14. BOSTON COLLEGE EAGLES (3-3) ⬆️
Boston College delivered one of the more surprising results Saturday with its 27-21 victory over Pittsburgh.
The Eagles have struggled this season, but that victory demonstrates they are capable of competing with quality opponents.
Now comes the difficult part.
Building on it.
JB’s Take: A good win, but Boston College needs to demonstrate consistency.
15. GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS (2-4) ⬇️
Georgia Tech continues to disappoint.
The Yellow Jackets lost 34-24 to Virginia Tech, dropping to 2-4.
This is a program that entered the season with expectations of competing in the ACC.
Instead, Georgia Tech has struggled to establish any consistency.
JB’s Take: One of the conference’s biggest disappointments.
16. SYRACUSE ORANGE (2-5) ↔️
Syracuse fell to Louisville 34-26.
The Orange have struggled to finish games and simply haven’t demonstrated the ability to consistently compete against ACC opponents.
There have been competitive stretches, but those don’t mean much without victories.
JB’s Take: A program searching for answers.
17. STANFORD CARDINAL (3-4) ↔️
Stanford defeated Elon 34-7 Saturday.
That’s a positive result, but it doesn’t erase the Cardinal’s struggles against better competition.
Stanford has been overmatched too frequently this season, particularly defensively.
JB’s Take: Still a long way from becoming a competitive ACC program.
JB’S ACC STOCK REPORT
STOCK UP: WAKE FOREST
Four consecutive victories, including a 41-7 demolition of California. The Demon Deacons are becoming a legitimate threat to Miami.
STOCK UP: NORTH CAROLINA
Back-to-back victories over Pittsburgh and Duke. The Tar Heels are beginning to find their identity.
STOCK DOWN: PITTSBURGH
Two consecutive losses after a 5-0 start. The Panthers need answers offensively.
STOCK DOWN: GEORGIA TECH
At 2-4, the Yellow Jackets have fallen well short of expectations.
TEAM TO WATCH: FLORIDA STATE
The record isn’t impressive, but the Seminoles demonstrated against Miami that they’re capable of competing with one of the nation’s best teams.
JB’S FINAL TAKE
Here’s my biggest takeaway from the ACC after seven weeks.
Miami is clearly the conference’s most talented football team.
But I’m beginning to wonder whether Wake Forest might be the more complete team right now.
The Demon Deacons are playing with confidence, they’re executing offensively, and they’re demonstrating an ability to put opponents away.
Miami, meanwhile, needed double overtime to escape Florida State.
That doesn’t mean Wake Forest is better than Miami. The Hurricanes already beat the Demon Deacons earlier this season.
But it does tell me something about the direction these teams are heading.
And then there’s Clemson.
I continue to believe the Tigers are a long way from returning to the elite level they enjoyed during their national championship years.
The recruiting reputation is still there.
The brand recognition is still there.
But the product on the football field simply isn’t what it used to be.
My prediction?
Miami remains the favorite to win the ACC, but Wake Forest and SMU are going to make this conference championship race much more interesting than people expected.
And don’t be surprised if North Carolina becomes a factor before the season is over.
JB TALKING SPORTS
Beyond the Rankings. Inside the Game.
