We have a new number one this week.
The ACC had their “crazy week” in Week 11. The Miami Hurricanes lost on the road to Georgia Tech. I was there. It was brutal. Luckily for the Canes, the Pittsburgh Panthers lost to the Virginia Cavaliers last Saturday night, taking themselves out of being favored to reach the ACC Championship game. There are some huge matchups coming the next three weeks.
Without further ado, let’s get to the rankings.
1. SMU – 8-1 overall, 5-0 conference
The Mustangs were off last week, but you can’t lose if you don’t play. Being the only team without a conference loss, I am comfortable ranking them number one. Rhett Lashlee’s squad seems to be peaking after some early season struggles. SMU will be a tough matchup for whatever ACC team has to face them in Charlotte.
2. Miami – 9-1, 5-1
I think the Canes still deserve the second spot this week. They are right back in the ACC Championship race following Pitt’s loss last weekend. The offense scored a season low in points against GT with 23. That said, I am not concerned with that side of the ball. The defense is another story. If there aren’t major improvements, Miami will not be a threat for this season’s CFP, let alone the national championship. Feel free to watch the video below to induce nausea.
3. Louisville – 6-3, 4-2
The Cardinals finally got a bye after playing seven weeks in a row. They looked awesome against Clemson. Jeff Brohm is one of the best offensive minds and strategists in the country. Louisville could easily have another win or two with how close their losses were to both Miami and SMU. The Cardinals are a really, really good three-loss team.
4. Clemson – 7-2, 6-1
The Tigers played a sluggish first thirty minutes, then put away Virginia Tech after halftime. Cade Klubnik made some plays with his arm and feet. Clemson’s defense settled down and kept getting stops. They even made a field goal! It was after they had yet another one blocked, but still. Clemson seems like the team that is going to win the games against inferior competition, but come up short against similarly talented teams.
5. Pittsburgh – 7-2, 3-2
I did not see Virginia’s road upset coming. Pitt seemed like they would be primed for a big home win after Miami’s loss to GT earlier in the day. Oh well. Thank you Tony Elliott and the Cavaliers squad. You are doing the Lord’s work. Pitt isn’t completely out of the ACC Championship game race, but they need some help. A win against Clemson would go a long way.
6. Georgia Tech – 6-4, 4-3
(Deep sigh). I honestly didn’t see the win over the Canes coming. GT deserves credit though. They had a good game plan on both sides of the ball. It also helped that Miami was mind bogglingly bad on defense. I’m honestly getting mad thinking about it as I type this paragraph. Two devastating losses in a row to Georgia Tech. Ugh.
7. Duke – 7-3, 3-3
The Blue Devils took care of business on the road against an inferior NC State team. Manny Diaz has his squad at 7-3 with a chance at a 10-win season. That’s pretty awesome for his first year at a school like Duke. I know they have had some successful seasons in the past, but I don’t know how many people saw this coming.
8. Syracuse – 6-3, 3-3
The Orange lost a tough game to Boston College last weekend. A record of 7-2, 4-2 looks a lot better than their record after the loss. Kyle McCord threw for 392 yards and 2 touchdowns. That guy can sling it. He might throw for 600 yards against the Canes in a few weeks. Yes, I am still thinking about Miami’s defensive shortcomings.
9. Virginia – 5-4, 3-3
Maybe the Cavaliers should be ranked ahead of Syracuse. Virginia did just beat Pitt on the road and took care of BC when they played. Still, this feels right for Tony Elliott’s squad. They have a tough stretch to finish the season. I would love to see another Virginia upset special. Come on Hoos!
10. Boston College – 5-4, 2-3
The Eagles got back on track with a nice home win over Syracuse. I’ve said it before, but Bill O’Brien is a really good football coach and fits the BC program perfectly. They travel to SMU this weekend. I could see the Eagles keeping this game close. They seem like the type of group that could cause issues for a fast, talented team like SMU. Coach ‘em up this Saturday Bill!
11. Virginia Tech – 5-5, 3-3
The Hokies couldn’t take down Clemson for a season-defining win. This just isn’t Virginia Tech’s year. They are a tough team who came up short a few times. Of course, the injuries aren’t helping. It’ll be interesting to see how their roster looks for next season.
12. UNC – 5-4, 2-3
The Tar Heels are coming off a bye week after whooping Florida State in Tallahassee. Mack Brown’s squad has some momentum. I could see them winning their last three games of the year. If they do, I think Coach Brown gets reenergized and returns for the 2025 season.
13. Wake Forest – 4-5, 2-3
So close! The Demon Deacons were so close to getting above .500 overall and in conference play. Still, it was an exciting, high-scoring affair against Cal last Friday night. Wake plays at UNC this weekend, heads to Hard Rock Stadium for Miami’s Senior Night the following Saturday, then finishes their season vs Duke. It might be four losses in a row for Wake Forest.
14. NC State – 5-5, 2-4
The Wolfpack’s momentum stopped against Duke last Saturday. It wasn’t surprising considering NC State’s youth on offense and Duke’s tenacious defense. Still, Wolfpack quarterback CJ Bailey looks like he could be a difference maker for them in the future.
15. Cal – 5-4, 1-4
The Golden Bears are winless in conference no more! They outscored Wake Forest last Friday night for a 46-36 win. Cal isn’t a bad football team. They’ve had some tough, close losses. I think they are going to lose a bunch of players on defense for 2025 though. It will be interesting to see if they are more or less competitive next season.
16. Stanford – 2-7, 1-5
The Cardinal were on a much-needed bye last weekend. They host Louisville this Saturday. I just realized it’s going to be the Cardinal vs the Cardinals. With how much better of a team Louisville is, the names might be the most interesting aspect of this matchup.
17. Florida State – 1-9, 1-7
Watching Notre Dame run up and down the field and sack FSU’s quarterbacks 57 times should’ve made me feel better after Miami’s terrible loss to GT, but it didn’t. They’re too bad to really enjoy watching them fail. Blame is starting to be passed around, as both the offensive and defensive coordinator were fired. Not sure that changes anything, but whatever. Let the year from hell continue!
See you next week!