ACC Power Rankings: Week 12

#1 Clemson (11-0, 8-0) (LW:#1)

Another week, another huge win by Clemson against an overmatched ACC victim. A very nice Senior Day for the Tigers, although a few injuries had us worried. Justyn Ross and Amari Rodgers left the game with injuries, but all reports are showing they’re okay. Trevor Lawrence briefly went under the injury tent but came out and played great until his day was done in the third. Now, we get two weeks to prepare for South Carolina, who’s coming off an, ummm, bad offensive performance vs Texas A&M.

Venables getting two weeks to prep for this just seems unfair. Now the Gamecocks also get two weeks to prep, but what else can you do when your punter is basically your leading rusher? Should be a fun day in Columbia.

#2 Notre Dame (8-2, 4-0 vs ACC) (LW:#2)

Easy thrashing of rival Navy for the Irish. They’ll host Boston College on Saturday.

#3 Virginia (7-3, 5-2) (LW:#3)

Wahoos are coming off a bye before hosting Liberty this weekend.

#4 Virginia Tech (7-3, 4-2) (LW:#4)

The white hot Hokies continue to roll, crushing Georgia Tech 45-0. Virginia Tech now finds itself ranked twenty fifth in the AP poll, which certainly has to make their rivals in Charlottesville nervous, as the Cavs had hopes of breaking their fifteen game losing streak to the Hokies. Virginia Tech is currently playing as well as anyone in the ACC not named Clemson and is firmly in the the race for the Coastal Division. Virginia Tech hosts Pitt on Saturday. The Hokies control their Coastal Division destiny.

#5 Pitt (7-3, 4-2) (LW:#7)

Pitt survived a wild OT game with North Carolina to remain strong in the Coastal division standings. Panthers have a big one at Virginia Tech Saturday.

#6 Miami (6-4, 4-3) (LW:#6)

Miami had a bye, and now this week they’ll be facing Florida International at Marlins Park. Yeah, I don’t know why the Canes are going thirteen miles down 95 to play at a baseball stadium instead of their NFL stadium, but I’m sure this won’t blow up in their face at all!

#7 Louisville (6-4, 4-3) (LW:#8)

And just like that, the Cardinals are going bowling. Louisville got a nice 34-20 win over NC State in Raleigh to earn bowl eligibility. The Cards can keep rolling as they host Syracuse on Saturday.

#8 Wake Forest (7-3, 3-3) (LW:#5)

I’m sure when Wake is fully healthy and playing other teams, their delayed option mesh point thing can work wonders, but Saturday was not the day for it. Clemson’s defense is just too athletic for that to work very well. Deacs can get redemption this week against a struggling Duke team.

#9 Florida State (6-5, 5-4) (LW:#10)

Well, for better or worse, FSU is now bowl eligible after a 49-12 trouncing of Alabama State. The Seminoles get the week off before heading to the Swamp to tangle with #10 Florida.

#10 North Carolina (4-6, 3-4) (LW:#9)

The Tar Heels once again find themselves on the wrong end of a one score game, this time falling in overtime to Pitt. UNC looks to regroup as my beloved Mercer Bears come to Chapel Hill.

#11 Boston College (5-6, 3-4) (LW:#12)

Boston College is coming off a bye. They face Notre Dame on Saturday in South Bend.

#12 Syracuse (4-6, 1-5) (LW:#14)

I don’t think anyone quite expected Cuse to come out and destroy Duke 49-6 in Durham, but here we are. The Orangemen could still make a bowl buy winning their last two games. That starts Saturday as they head to Louisville.

#13 Duke (4-6, 2-5) (LW:#11)

Duke has basically just rolled over and played dead, and the loss to Syracuse showed. The Devils head to Winston-Salem for a Saturday night rivalry game with Wake Forest.

#14 NC State (4-6, 1-5) (LW:#13)

First off, I just want to say how nice it was for South Carolina to let NC State borrow their uniforms. Or at least that’s what it looked like.

Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports

The red helmets look different enough, but the red pants have almost a garnet tinge to them. Anyway, NC State’s ill attempted Gamecock cosplay aside, the Pack lost 34-20 to Louisville in a chilly Carter-Finley Stadium. NC State will head down to Atlanta Thursday for a date with Georgia Tech that could be some of the worst football you’ll see all year.

#15 Georgia Tech (2-8, 1-6) (LW:#15)

After showing glimmers of hope, Georgia Tech ran into an absolute buzzsaw in Virginia Tech, losing 45-0. Thursday night’s game against NC State is essentially the ACC anti Championship as the worst of the Coastal and one of the Atlantic’s bottom teams square off.