With Week 1 in the books, it’s fair to say the results are exactly how everyone predicted, with absolutely no deviations whatsoever. It was certainly one of the most surprising weeks in recent memory, with Florida State defeating No. 8 Alabama in Tallahassee, 31-17. No. 4 Clemson was also defeated by No. 9 LSU, and Syracuse fell to No. 24 Tennessee. In a more embarrassing defeat, unranked Stanford was defeated by noted Mountain West Conference member Hawaii.
You got a good one, ACC.
But in all seriousness, the conference did very well in its first week. They went 12-5 with a mix of FCS and non-conference wins. With ACC conference play beginning next week with NC State welcoming Virginia to town, we’re just getting started.
There’s still so much football left to be played, and teams will rise and fall in these power rankings. Here are our ACC football power rankings following Week 1 of the season.
No. 17: Stanford Cardinal (0-1)
Dropping any game to Hawaii of all teams is a testament to how awful Stanford has been in recent memory. Let’s just keep moving.
No. 16: Virginia Tech Hokies (0-1)
Lost 24-11 to South Carolina. While I had the Gamecocks winning this game, there’s not much to be excited about for Hokie Nation this season.
No. 15: Wake Forest Demon Deacons (1-0)
Winning 10-9 against Kennesaw State reminds me of that game the Seahawks played against Minnesota in the NFC Wild Card where it was freezing and no team could do anything. Consider me not impressed with this win, which is why Wake is down all the way here.
No. 14: North Carolina Tar Heels (0-1)
An absolute beatdown by TCU. For Bill Belichick’s first year at the helm, this is extremely concerning. They should be able to bounce back against Charlotte and Richmond, though. If they don’t, Tar Heel Nation will fall into despair.
No. 13: Duke Blue Devils (1-0)
The Blue Devils thrashed Elon 45-17, but this is expected. Keep winning and the Blue Devils will keep rising in these rankings. Barring another mid-season collapse, of course.
No. 12: Pittsburgh Panthers (1-0)
Scoring 61 points against FCS Duquesne is less of a “game” and more of a “Power Five pity party.” Good win though. A paper soft schedule in the beginning, and a very difficult schedule to end, might complicate things, though.
No. 11: Louisville Cardinals (1-0)
Louisville is starting 3-0 this season, but make no mistake, they’re going to be low in our rankings until they beat a real team. Beating FCS Eastern Kentucky 51-7 is not a real team.
No. 10: Boston College Eagles (1-0)
A 66-10 win over the Fordham Rams is a nice way to start. If the Eagles can handle their business in Week 2 versus Michigan State, that will go a long way to cement their legitimacy.
No. 9: Virginia Cavaliers (1-0)
A 48-7 victory over Coastal Carolina is a win that any program with the history like Virginia will take to start the season. Will they get to 3-0 for their matchup versus Florida State? Perchance.
No. 8: Syracuse Orange (0-1)
The Orange got rushed 45-26 by No. 24 Tennessee. Their offense sputtered like a car out of gas, and Tennessee took them on a scenic, but humiliating tour.
No. 7: NC State Wolfpack (1-0)
NC State defeated in-state rival East Carolina 24-17. Like Cal, this isn’t anything flashy. Efficient, yes. Maintaining the momentum is all you can legitimately ask for.
No. 6: California Golden Bears (1-0)
The Bears beat Oregon State 34-5. Not a bad win for the Bears. Oregon State isn’t an Alabama, but it’s a solid step towards respectability.
No. 5: Clemson Tigers (0-1)
Falling 17-10 to LSU is not a death blow to the Tigers’ season. The defense looks better, but the offense leaves much to be desired. Cade Klubnik might not be the Heisman contender that many are making him out to be.
No. 4: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (1-0)
Georgia Tech beat a Colorado team 27-20 on the road, which is about as good a start for a non-conference game as you can ask for. Whether this momentum translates into the rest of the season remains to be seen.
No. 3: SMU Mustangs (1-0)
The Mustangs handled East Texas A&M convincingly, winning 42-13. A solid showing by the second-year ACC member. They are up this high because of their showing last season.
No. 2: Florida State Seminoles (1-0)
What. A. Game. Florida State took down No. 8 Alabama in a game that no one had them winning, except Lee Corso and sickos across X, that is. It was perhaps the most cathartic and most impressive win in Norvell’s Florida State tenure. ESPN’s FPI had them at a 44.2 percent chance to get six wins before the Alabama game, and now it’s at 94.4 percent.
No. 1: Miami Hurricanes (1-0)
Defeating a ranked Notre Dame team is going to help the Hurricanes come playoff seeding time, if they can make it through the rest of the season. Can anyone completely trust Carson Beck to lead them to the promised land, though? Can this team win an ACC title, finally? Too many question marks for my comfort, but for now, they are No. 1 until otherwise noted.
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This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: ACC Football Power Rankings after Week 1: FSU, Miami make statements
Reporting by Jacob Smith, FSU Wire / FSU Wire
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