ACC Power Rankings
By: will-vandervort September 9, 2015

Thanks to its expected rout of Wofford, ACC preseason favorite and 12th-ranked Clemson holds on to its top spot in TCI’s ACC Power Rankings heading into Week 2 of the college football season. Defending ACC Champion and eighth-ranked Florida State is No. 2, followed by 15th-ranked Georgia Tech. Duke moved up two spots from No. 6 to No. 4 in the power poll following its impressive win at Duke, while Miami moved up two spots as well from No. 11 to No. 9.

There is one conference game on the schedule this week, as Wake Forest visits Syracuse in the first ACC game of the season. Both teams are coming off impressive victories to start the season.

Tenth-ranked Notre Dame’s visit to Virginia is perhaps the game of the week. The Irish are coming off a 38-3 victory over Texas in South Bend to open the 2015 season.

  1. Clemson (1-0, 0-0 ACC), Last week No. 1: The Tigers had no issues with the Terriers. Clemson held Wofford to 213 total yards and just 123 on the ground. On offense, the Tigers amassed 533 total yards, while quarterback Deshaun Watson was 18-22 for 194 yards and two scores. Clemson lost wide receiver Mike Williams indefinitely with a small fracture in his neck. Who is next: vs. Appalachian State, Saturday, 12:30 p.m.
  2. Florida State (1-0, 0-0 ACC), Last week No. 2: Quarterback Everett Golson seems to light up in Tallahassee, Golson posted a 230.3 pass efficiency mark in his Seminole debut against Texas State. In two games at Doak Campbell thus far, one for FSU and one against as Notre Dame’s quarterback, Golson has completed 50 of 77 passes for 615 yards, seven touchdowns and only two interceptions. Who is next: vs. South Florida, Saturday, 11:30 a.m.
  3. Georgia Tech (1-0, 0-0 ACC), Last week No. 3: The average yards per carry for freshman B-Back Marcus Marshall was 23.0 yards in the Yellow Jackets’ win over Alcorn State. Marshall had 184 yards on just eight carries, including touchdown runs of 49 and 64 yards. His total of 184 yards was the third best nationally. Who is next: vs. Tulane, Saturday, 3:30 p.m.
  4. Duke (1-0, 0-0 ACC), Last week No. 6: Wide receiver Johnell Barnes had 11 receptions in the Blue Devils’ 37-7 triumph over Tulane. Barnes recorded his first career 100-yard receiving game with 109 yards against the Green Wave. Who is next: vs. North Carolina Central, Saturday, 6 p.m.
  5. Louisville (0-1, 0-0 ACC), Last week No. 4: Safety Josh Harvey-Clemons picked off a pair of passes, while also making a game-high 14 tackles in the loss to Auburn in last week’s Chick-fil-A Classic. The loss was the season-opening loss for head coach Bobby Petrino in his college coaching career. Who is next: vs. Houston, Saturday, noon.
  6. Virginia Tech (0-1, 0-0 ACC), Last week No. 5: Quarterback Michael Brewer broke his collarbone in the Hokies loss to to-ranked Ohio State Monday night. Brewer is expected to miss four to eight weeks. That means Brenden Motley will now get the start for Virginia Tech at quarterback. Who is next: vs. Furman, Saturday, 3:30 p.m.
  7. NC State (1-0, 0-0 ACC), Last week No. 7: Quarterback Jacoby Brissett 21 of 23 passes in NC State’s, 49-21, victory over Troy. His .913 percent completion percentage, currently leads the nation. Brissett has now thrown 93 consecutive passes without an interception. Who is next: vs. Eastern Kentucky, Saturday, 6 p.m.
  8. Boston College (1-0, 0-0 ACC), Last week No. 9: When Boston College held Maine to just 91 total yards in its season-opening win, it marked the fewest yards allowed by a BC defense since yielding just 75 yards to Northwestern in 1992. Who is next: vs. Howard, Saturday, 1 p.m.
  9. Miami (1-0, 0-0 ACC), Last week No. 11: Wide receiver Rashawn Scott had six receptions for 100 yards and a touchdown in the Hurricanes win over Bethune-Cookman. The Hurricanes held Bethune-Cookman to 79 total yards in the win. Who is next: at Florida Atlantic, Friday, 8 p.m.
  10. Pitt (1-0, 0-0 ACC), Last week No. 10: Freshman running back Qadree Ollison rushed for 207 yards in Saturday’s win over Youngstown State. Ollison became the first freshman in ACC history to run for 200 or more yards in the opening game of the season, and he did it in just the second half after an injury sidelined 2014 ACC Player of the Year James Conner. It was announced on Monday Conner will miss the rest of the season with an MCL tear in his knee. Who is next: at Akron, Saturday, 6 p.m.
  11. North Carolina (0-1, 0-0 ACC), Last week No. 8: Running back Elijah Hood rushed for a career-high 138 yards on 12 carries against South Carolina, the most by a Tar Heel running back in a season-opener since Torin Dorn gained 165 yards against Illinois on Sept. 5, 1987. Who is next: vs. North Carolina A&T, Saturday, 6 p.m.
  12. Virginia (0-0, 0-1 ACC), Last week No. 12: It doesn’t get any easier for the Cavaliers this week. After losing to UCLA in the season opener, they come home to host No. 10 Notre Dame, who is coming off a 38-3 win over Texas. Irish quarterback Malik Zaire completed 19-of-22 passes for 313 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers in the win over the Longhorns. Virginia running back Taquan Mizzell caught eight passes for 100 yards, and the Cavaliers’ lone touchdown, in the loss to No. 13 UCLA. Who is next: vs. No. 10 Notre Dame, Saturday, 3:30 p.m.
  13. Wake Forest (1-0, 0-0 ACC), Last week No. 13: Wake Forest’s 591 yards of total offense, recorded last Saturday against Elon, was the school’s highest yardage output since a 598-yard performance against Virginia in 1975. Who is next: at Syracuse, Saturday, 12:30 p.m.
  14. Syracuse (1-0, 0-0 ACC), Last week No. 14: Syracuse’s defense allowed just 64 total yards in the Orange’s 47-0 season-opening win over Rhode Island. That was the fewest amount of yards allowed in a game by a Syracuse defense since 1967. Who is next: vs. Wake Forest, Saturday, 12:30 p.m.