1. Miami (8–0, 4–0 Atlantic Coast)
No. 5 Miami picked up its eighth win of the season behind running back Damien Martinez’s stellar performance, whose 148 rushing yards and two touchdowns led the Hurricanes to a 36–14 win over Florida State last week. Surprisingly, Heisman candidate Cam Ward stayed relatively quiet, tallying 208 yards and one receiving touchdown. Miami has earned a top-five spot in the AP Top 25 poll for the first time since 2017 and looks to keep surging through its 2024 campaign.
Next Up: Duke, Saturday, 12:00 p.m.
2. Clemson (6–1, 5–0)
No. 11 Clemson took its final bye week on Saturday, coming off of six straight wins during which it boasted a 27.3 average point differential. The Tigers fall behind Miami in total yards per game and points per game in the ACC, making for an interesting potential showdown in the ACC title race. Clemson continues its pursuit of eight ACC championships in 10 years Saturday night versus Louisville.
Next Up: Louisville, Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
3. Pittsburgh (7–0, 3–0)
No. 18 Pittsburgh picked up a dominant defensive win over Syracuse last week, recording 21 of its 41 points off pick-sixes. Despite boasting an undefeated record, an eyesore sticks out for the Panthers—their schedule is the 10th easiest in the nation according to ESPN. That being said, there’s not much more Pitt can do to prove itself, as it is currently averaging 40 points per game and has won all three of its ACC matchups. The Panthers’ biggest test comes this week against No. 20 Southern Methodist on Saturday night.
Next Up: No. 20 Southern Methodist, Saturday, 8:00 p.m.
4. Southern Methodist (7–1, 4–0)
No. 20 Southern Methodist needed some extra time to sneak by one-loss Duke in its 28–27 victory last week. Quarterback Kevin Jennings looked iffy—completing 13 of his 24 passes to go along with his three picks. Wide receiver Roderick Daniels Jr. saved the day with 153 yards and a touchdown on just two catches. SMU stands in a similar position to Pitt—it has an impressive record but not the toughest schedule to show for it, setting up nicely for the two teams’ Top-25 clash this week.
Next Up: No. 18 Pittsburgh, Saturday, 8:00 p.m.
5. Duke (6–2, 2–2)
A blocked field goal in the final seconds of regulation during Duke’s game against then-No. 22 SMU handed the Blue Devils their second loss of the year in overtime and prevented them from potentially securing a spot in the AP Top 25. Duke has yet to prove itself with a convincing ACC win but will have the chance to do so in its most difficult matchup of the year against No. 5 Miami this Saturday.
Next Up: No. 5 Miami, Saturday, 12:00 p.m.
6. Virginia Tech (5–3, 3–1)
Virginia Tech improved to 3–1 in conference play last week after holding Georgia Tech to six points. Quarterback Kyron Drones completed the touchdown gauntlet—passing, rushing, receiving for scores—and accounted for all 21 of the Hokies’ points. The defense put up another impressive outing, snagging two interceptions and keeping Georgia Tech’s stud running back Jamal Haynes to 47 yards on 18 carries. Virginia Tech travels to Syracuse this week seeking its fourth straight win.
Next Up: Syracuse, Saturday, 12:00 p.m.
7. Louisville (5–3, 3–2)
Louisville survived a scare last Friday night at Boston College, scoring 21 unanswered points to storm back for a 31–27 victory. The Cardinals were once ranked as high as No. 15, but are now looking to crawl their way back up the ladder after dropping three of four games before last week’s matchup. Quarterback Tyler Shough displayed flashes of stardom in Louisville’s comeback, but he’ll need to stray from costly turnovers heading into the second half of the season.
Next Up: No. 11 Clemson, Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
8. Syracuse (5–2, 2–2)
Syracuse falls to .500 in the ACC after an ugly—emphasis on ugly—41–13 loss versus undefeated then-No.19 Pittsburgh. Kyle McCord has failed to live up to the early season hype he gained, accumulating five interceptions and completing 35 of his 64 passing attempts last week. The Orange still have an overall record that looks good on paper, but some play-calling questions need to be answered for this offense that ranks second to last in the ACC for rushing yards per game.
Next Up: Virginia Tech, Saturday, 12:00 p.m.
9. Georgia Tech (5–4, 3–3)
Georgia Tech posted a meager six points last Saturday in its 21–6 loss to Virginia Tech. The Yellow Jackets had to suffer through a loss against then-No. 13 Notre Dame in Week 8 without starting quarterback Haynes King. It didn’t get much prettier last week with him once again missing. Avoiding a third straight loss seems unlikely since its next game is against No. 5 Miami. But a bye this week may help King make a full recovery for the Yellow Jackets’ biggest game yet.
Next Up: No. 5 Miami, Saturday, Nov. 9, TBD
10. Wake Forest (4–4, 2–2)
Wake Forest has now won three of its past four games, its latest coming in a 27–24 victory over Stanford. Defensive back Nick Andersen, the ACC’s leader in total tackles, had a game-sealing interception in the dwindling seconds of regulation. The wide receiver room shared the love last week with three different players securing a receiving touchdown. The Demon Deacons will rest up in Week 9 to prepare for a possible fourth win in five games versus California in Week 10.
Next Up: California, Friday, Nov. 8, 8:00 p.m.
11. North Carolina (4–4, 1–3)
North Carolina ended its four-game losing streak with a huge 41–14 win over Virginia last Saturday. ACC leader in rushing yards Omarion Hampton put together 105 yards on the ground with two touchdowns, and wide receiver J.J. Jones caught two touchdown passes himself to complement his 129 receiving yards. The Tar Heels have every implication to win out and keep their bowl chances alive, especially after such a dominant win with big plays on both sides of the field.
Next Up: Florida State, Saturday, 3:30 p.m.
12. Virginia (4–4, 2–3)
Virginia added onto a three-game beater last Saturday with its 41–14 loss to North Carolina. Quarterback Anthony Colandrea failed to complete a touchdown to offset his two interceptions and was eventually replaced by backup Tony Muskett midway through the fourth quarter. The Cavaliers’ next three games consist of all Top 25 teams, so this bye week will be crucial for Colandrea and his offense to find its stride.
Next Up: No. 18 Pittsburgh, Saturday, Nov. 9, TBD
13. Boston College (4–4, 1–3)
Boston College’s fourth-quarter collapse against Louisville added to a disappointing three-game skid after a solid 4–1 start. BC jumped out to an early 20–0 lead, but the defense spit out another breakdown. Expectations to compete with the big dogs of the ACC earlier in the season have transformed into begging for a bowl game appearance with two ranked opponents remaining on the calendar.
Next Up: Syracuse, Saturday, Nov. 9, TBD
14. NC State (4–4, 1–3)
NC State’s inconsistency through its 2024 campaign has been evident. It has yet to win back-to-back games but got to relax on a bye after a one-point win over California in Week 8. It’s hard to pick a stand-out guy from this squad, as the Wolfpack appears at the bottom of almost all ACC offensive statistics. It’s fitting the Wolfpack stands at .500 because they haven’t seen many distinct highs or lows. NC State will stay in Raleigh for the next two weeks for matchups with Stanford and Duke.
Next Up: Stanford, Saturday, 12:00 p.m.
15. California (4–4, 0–4)
California finally won its first conference matchup versus Pac-12 foe Oregon State last week—never mind, they’re in the ACC. Although not having much impact on their inaugural ACC season, the Golden Bears got a much-needed 44–7 win over the Beavers to lay off its four straight losses. The Golden Bears fall in the middle of the pack for most offensive averages, but their main issue is closing games out.
Next Up: Wake Forest, Friday, Nov. 8, 8:00 p.m.
16. Stanford (2–6, 1–4)
After its last-second field goal winner in Week 3 versus Syracuse, Stanford has dropped five straight games—a fact made less pathetic by three of them coming to ranked opponents. Its 24 points last week versus Wake Forest is tied for the second-most all season for the Cardinal. The Pac-12 transferee has not seen much success so far, raising further questions about the future repercussions of conference realignment.
Next Up: NC State, Saturday, 12:00 p.m.
17. Florida State (1–7, 1–6)
It’s safe to say that this is nowhere near where anyone thought Florida State would end up. It was fun to rag on them after those first few weeks—but now a record of 1–6 in the ACC? The Seminoles have not posted more than 20 points since Week 0 versus Georgia Tech, DJ Uiagalelei was a subpar replacement to Jordan Travis and his 13–0 campaign in 2023, and head coach Mike Norvell enters the hot seat after winning ACC Coach of the Year just last season. We can’t even be sure about the outcome of the Seminoles’ Week 13 matchup versus FCS opponent Charleston Southern.
Next Up: North Carolina, Saturday, 3:30 p.m.
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