By Will Vandervort.
Where does 22th-ranked Clemson stand in the ACC power rankings heading into Saturday’s game with Georgia State? Who is in line to get the Orange Bowl bid? The Clemson Insider breaks down the ACC and more as the league gets ready for Week 13 of the College Football Season.
1. Florida State (10-0, 7-0 ACC), last week No. 1: Four the fifth time this season, the Seminoles rallied to win a game. This time they rallied from 16-points down, twice, to beat the Hurricanes and clinch the ACC Atlantic Division title for a third straight season. They also remained No. 3 in the College Football Playoff Rankings and have won 26 straight games and 22 straight ACC teams. They host Boston College this Saturday to conclude the ACC regular season.
2. Georgia Tech (9-2, 6-2 ACC), last week No. 5: Yes, Deshaun Watson’s injury is the reason Tech beat the Tigers. Clemson’s offense was not even close to being the same once the freshman went out of the game. However, give the Yellow Jackets credit for making the plays on defense and doing just enough on offense to pull away from the Tigers in the second half. Tech may not be the second best team in the ACC in reality, but they won the game head-to-head when it matters. On that day they were the better team and deserve to be No. 2. The Yellow Jackets are now the favorites to land in the Orange Bowl if FSU is selected for the College Football Playoff. Tech, who finished its ACC season, can also land in the ACC Championship game if Duke were to lose one of its final two games.
3. Clemson (7-3, 6-2 ACC), last week No. 2: The loss to Tech was the Tigers’ first loss to anyone in the ACC not named Florida State since a November loss at NC State in 2011. Despite the defeat, the Tigers are still in the running for the Orange Bowl. If they can win out and Tech loses to either Georgia and/or to FSU in the ACC Championship game, then the Tigers could be the ACC’s highest ranked team outside of the Seminoles and could steal the Orange Bowl bid from Georgia Tech. Clemson is currently ranked No. 22 in the latest College Football Playoff Poll. The Yellow Jackets are ranked No. 18.
4. Louisville (7-3, 5-3 ACC), last week No. 4: Like the Tigers and Yellow Jackets, the Cardinals are done with their ACC schedule and will close the season at Notre Dame and at home against archrival Kentucky. Louisville will start freshman Reggie Bonnafon at quarterback after sophomore Will Gardner was lost for the season with a knee injury.
5. Duke (8-2, 4-2 ACC), last week No. 3: Duke blew a second-half lead to Virginia Tech and put itself in position to lose the Coastal Division title in the process. Kicker Ross Martin missed a 40-yard field goal in the fourth quarter that could have won the game for the Blue Devils. Duke still controls its own destiny in regards to advancing to the ACC Championship Game. It host North Carolina tonight and then closes the season by hosting Wake Forest on Thanksgiving weekend. Due to its earlier victory over Georgia Tech, if Duke wins both games they will play the Seminoles for a second straight year in the ACC Title Game.
6. Miami (6-4, 3-3 ACC), last week No. 6: Twice Miami blew a 16-point lead to the Seminoles and with it a chance to make a statement that it was indeed back in the top four of the ACC. Instead, at 6-4, the Hurricanes will try to position themselves for the best bowl possible with winnable games at Virginia and vs. Pittsburgh.
7. Boston College (6-4, 3-3 ACC), last week No. 7: After a week off, the Eagles go to No. 3 Florida State where their powerful running game (264 yds/gm) and quarterback Tyler Murphy will try to end the Seminoles’ 26-game winning streak – the nation’s longest.
8. Virginia Tech (5-5, 3-3 ACC), last week No. 11: The Hokies got a big win at Duke last week and are now one-game from being bowl eligible with two games to play. They’ll have a good chance to get that this week at Wake Forest, who has lost six straight games – all in the ACC. The Hokies are 3-1 in road games this year, including wins over ranked teams Ohio State and Duke.
9. North Carolina (5-5, 3-3 ACC), last week No. 8: North Carolina rallied to get a good 40-35 victory at Pittsburgh and is one game from becoming bowl eligible. The Tar Heels need either a win over Duke tonight or vs. NC State in the season finale on Nov. 29.
10. Pitt (4-6, 2-4 ACC), last week No. 9: After a 3-0 start to the season, the Panthers are in jeopardy of not qualifying for a bowl game after losing six of their last seven games. This week they will host Syracuse, who they have played every year since 1955. Pitt has won 10 of the last 12 meetings and need to beat the Orange as well as Miami in the season-finale to become bowl eligible.
11. NC State (6-5, 2-5 ACC), last week No. 13: The Wolfpack got their second ACC win of the season against Wake Forest last week, while kicker Nikias Sade became the school’s all-time scoring leader in the process. The ‘Pack is off this week as it prepares to visit North Carolina in the season-finale on Nov. 29 in Chapel Hill.
12. Virginia (4-6, 2-4 ACC), last week No. 10: Do you remember when Virginia was 4-2 and was talking bowl games? That’s no longer the case. The Cavaliers are just hoping to go to a bowl game now that it has dropped four straight and is in jeopardy of not participating in one. It doesn’t get any easier in the fact they host Miami on Saturday and then conclude the season at archrival Virginia Tech on Nov. 28.
13. Syracuse (3-7, 1-5 ACC), last week No. 12: Why is Syracuse 1-5 in the ACC and having a horrible year? Well, it has one the toughest schedules in the country to start off with and nine of their FBS opponents have already qualified for a bowl game. This week’s opponent, Pitt, has an opportunity to make that 10.
14. Wake Forest (2-8, 0-6 ACC), last week No. 14: The Demon Deacons have owned this spot for most of the year and I don’t see that changing unless they are able to pull of upset wins over Virginia Tech this weekend at home and then at Duke in the season-finale on Nov. 29. Basketball season has started in Winston-Salem, right?