ACC Power Rankings
By: will-vandervort August 17, 2016

We are just 17 days away from the 2016 season opening for the Clemson Tigers, and just 15 days away from its opening in the ACC.

It’s no surprise Clemson leads off this year’s power rankings. The Tigers were the best team in the ACC all year last year and this season they seem to be in position to defend their ACC Championship.

Of course Florida State, Louisville and North Carolina might have something to say about that, but as of right now the Tigers are the top cats.

Here is this week’s TCI ACC Power Rankings.

  1. Clemson (14-1, 8-0 ACC): The Tigers start the year at No. 1 and why not. They return eight starters on offense, including Heisman Trophy Finalist Deshaun Watson at quarterback. Though they lost seven starters on defense, but they are plenty good enough with all the talent stocked up from five straight top 10 recruiting classes. Opens the season: at Auburn, Sept. 3, 9 p.m.
  2. Florida State (10-3, 6-2 ACC): The Seminoles return 17 starters from last year’s team that went to the Peach Bowl. They also bring back running back Dalvin Cook, who rushed for 1,691 yards and averaged 7.4 yards per carry. Opens the season: vs. Ole Miss, Sept. 3, 8 p.m.
  3. Louisville (8-5, 5-3 ACC): The Cardinals won six of their last seven games last year and return electrifying quarterback Lamar Jackson and 16 other starters. The sophomore set an ACC record for rushing yards by a quarterback in a game when he rushed for 226 yards in the Music City Bowl win over Texas A&M. Opens the season: vs. Charlotte, Sept. 1, 7 p.m.
  4. Miami (8-5, 5-3 ACC): Mark Richt takes over and he inherits 17 starters including nine on offense. One of those starters is quarterback Brad Kaaya, who is considered one of the best pure passers in college football. Opens the season: vs. Florida A&M, Sept. 3, 6 p.m.
  5. North Carolina (11-3, 8-0 ACC): The Tar Heels are once again loaded on offense, though they do have to break in a new quarterback in Mitch Trubisky. Running back Elijah Hood averaged 6.68 yards per carry last season. Opens the season: vs. Georgia, Sept. 3, 5:30 p.m.
  6. Pitt (8-5, 6-2 ACC): The Panthers welcome back 18 starters, but the biggest return is running back James Conner, who tore his ACL in last year’s season opener and then found out in December he had cancer. After chemo and radiation treatment Conner, the 2014 ACC Player of the Year, is back on the team and returns as the ACC’s active rushing leader. Opens the season: vs. Villanova, Sept. 3, 1:30 p.m.
  7. Duke (8-5, 4-4 ACC): Duke has played in a bowl in each of the last four years, the longest such streak in the program’s history. The Blue Devils also return 12 starters after finishing last season with the program’s first bowl win since 1961. Opens the season: vs. North Carolina Central, Sept. 3, 6 p.m.
  8. Georgia Tech (3-9, 1-7 ACC): The Yellow Jackets welcome back 16 starters including quarterback Justin Thomas. They also welcome back A-Backs Clinton Lynch and Isiah Willis as well as four starters on the offensive line. Opens the season: vs. Boston College, Sept. 3, 7:30 a.m.
  9. Virginia Tech (7-6, 4-4 ACC): Justin Fuente becomes Virginia Tech’s first head coach not named Frank Beamer in 30 years. The new coach inherits 15 starters off last season’s squad, but he still has not settled on a starting quarterback. Opens the season: vs. Liberty, Sept. 3, 12:30 p.m.
  10. NC State (7-6, 3-5 ACC): Dave Doeren begins his fourth season in Raleigh as he smarts an 18-20 overall record. The Wolfpack bring back 16 starters, including eight on a defense that held its own at times last season. The issue is still finding a starting quarterback. However, running back Matt Dayes and his 6.5 yards per carry returns. Opens the season: vs. William & Mary, Sept. 1, 7:30 p.m.
  11. Virginia (4-8, 3-5 ACC) New coach Bronco Mendenhall takes over the Cavaliers after leaving a long tenure at BYU. He inherits 14 starters overall, including seven on offense. They return four starters on the offensive line as well. Opens the season: vs. Richmond, Sept. 3, 3:30 p.m.
  12. Syracuse (4-8, 2-6 ACC): Dino Babers takes over a Syracuse team that struggled offensively but should flourish in his wide open attack especially with the return of electrifying sophomore quarterback Eric Dungy. Opens the season: vs. Colgate, Sept. 2, 7 p.m.
  13. Wake Forest (3-9, 1-7 ACC): It is hard to imagine the Demon Deacons will be much better despite welcoming back 17 starters. They bring back nine starters on offense, but raked last or near last in almost every offensive category last season. Opens the season: vs. Tulane, Sept. 1, 7 p.m.
  14. Boston College (3-9, 0-8 ACC): Boston College has one of the best defenses in the country year after year. The problem is it has one of the worst offenses, too. In the last two seasons, BC has allowed just 2.73 yards per attempt on the ground. Opens the season: vs. Georgia Tech, Sept. 3, 7:30 a.m.