Remember when Miami destroyed Pittsburgh? Yeah, that’s the team taking on Clemson this weekend in the ACC championship game. 10 teams are bowl eligible, while Virginia Tech tries to take down Marshall this weekend to become the 11th team. Even with the possibility of 11 of 14 teams going bowling, this was still an incredibly disappointing season for the ACC.
1. Clemson (12-0, 8-0 ACC) (Last Week: 1)
Last Week: vs South Carolina Gamecocks (6-5) – W 56-35
Next Week: vs Pittsburgh Panthers (7-5, 6-2)
It will take a really terrible performance against the Panthers for Clemson to be left out of the College Football Playoff. Travis Etienne should have a field day against a weak Pittsburgh run defense. If Miami was able to hold Pitt to 3 points, what will Clemson’s defense be able to do?
2. Syracuse (9-3, 6-2 ACC) (Last Week: 3)
Last Week: at Boston College Golden Eagles (7-5, 4-4) – W 42-21
After their convincing victory at Boston College, the Orange solidified themselves as the clear second-best team in the ACC. This is a team was projected to finish last in the Atlantic division preseason polls, so congratulations to them for a great season. Unfortunately for Syracuse, they play in the same division as Clemson so they won’t get a chance at the title. But, other than Clemson, they really are the ACC’s only hope for a quality bowl victory.
3. Georgia Tech (7-5, 5-3 ACC) (Last Week: 4)
Last Week: at #5 Georgia Bulldogs (11-1) – L 45-21
The Yellow Jackets move up a spot after getting absolutely destroyed by the Bulldogs on Saturday. That’s how bad the ACC is. Paul Johnson has announced he will step down after the team’s bowl game this season. You know what that means: NO MORE TRIPLE OPTION! Let the celebrations begin.
4. Miami (7-5, 4-4 ACC) (Last Week: 9)
Last Week: vs Pittsburgh Panthers (7-5, 6-2) – W 24-3
Canes fans have to be pulling their hair out after this last weekend. Georgia Tech didn’t even compete against Georgia, Virginia lost to a team the Canes beat by 24, Duke lost by 52 at home to a very “meh” football team, and BC has now lost three straight, one of which was to FSU. Those are the Canes four conference losses, and the reason that the Canes are watching the ACC championship game at home while Pittsburgh, a team they dominated in a game they didn’t even play well in, gets to take on the Tigers. I don’t feel bad at all putting the Canes at number four. They’ve won their last two games by 20+ points. Yes, their offense is still terrible, but guess what. So is the rest of the ACC.
5. Pittsburgh (7-5, 6-2 ACC) (Last Week: 2)
Last Week: at Miami Hurricanes (7-5, 4-4) – L 24-3
Next Week: vs #2 Clemson Tigers (12-0, 8-0)
This is the team representing the Coastal in the ACC championship game. A team that gave up 24 points to Miami despite N’Kosi Perry being just 6-24 for 52 yards. A team that scored just 3 points against a good, but not great, defense. I know Pitt didn’t have anything to play for against Miami, but show a little life. The Panthers are a nice story, but they are in a lot of trouble against Clemson.
6. North Carolina State (8-3, 5-3 ACC) (Last Week: 8)
Last Week: at North Carolina Tar Heels (2-9, 1-7) – W 34-28 OT
Next Week: vs East Carolina Pirates (3-8)
Imagine moving up in the rankings because you beat a 2-9 team in overtime? Welcome to this season’s ACC. The Wolfpack’s record is much better than the Wolfpack’s team, and it will continue to inflate when they take on East Carolina in the final week of the season, in a game that has to be the most pointless game in the history of time.
7. Virginia (7-5, 4-4 ACC) (Last Week: 5)
Last Week: at Virginia Tech Hokies (5-6, 4-4) – L 34-31
I know it was a rivalry game, but losing to the Hokies on Saturday is a really bad loss for a team that has overachieved their way through the 2018 season. They could have ripped the Hokies hearts out and made them suffer through a game against Marshall, knowing that even with a win they weren’t going to become bowl eligible. The defense, which was so dominant earlier in the season, has taken a big step back in the last four games, three of which have been losses. The Cavaliers will probably get a decent bowl, but 4 weeks ago they were thinking Coastal championship, so to end the season the way they have feels very disappointing.
8. Boston College (7-5, 4-4 ACC) (Last Week: 7)
Last Week: vs #20 Syracuse Orange (9-3, 6-2) – L 42-21
That’s three straight losses for the Golden Eagles. Granted, two of those games were against the two best teams in the ACC, but the other was against Florida State, a team that failed to make a bowl for the first time in 37 years. Could an argument be made to have BC higher? Absolutely. But like most of the ACC, heading into bowl season the Eagles are simply mediocre.
9. Wake Forest (6-6, 3-5 ACC) (Last Week: 11)
Last Week: at Duke Blue Devils (7-5, 3-5) – W 59-7
I don’t know what Dave Clawson said to his guys on Saturday, but every coach in America should find the transcript and read it verbatim to their teams before their bowl games. All season long, Duke has been a better team than Wake Forest, yet the Demon Deacons went on the road and played incredible football, decimating the Blue Devils in front of their home crowd on Senior Day. Wake is going bowling.
10. Duke (7-5, 3-5 ACC) (Last Week: 6)
Last Week: vs Wake Forest Demon Deacons (6-6, 3-5) – L 59-7
What is there to say about Saturday’s performance other than that it could be the worst in the history of Duke football. How was that a 7 win team on their home field?
11. Virginia Tech (5-6, 4-4 ACC) (Last Week: 12)
Last Week: vs Virginia Cavaliers (7-5, 4-4) – L 34-31
Next Week: vs Marshall Thundering Herd (8-3)
The Hokies upset their in-state rivals in a thrilling overtime victory at Lane Stadium on Saturday, ensuring that this weekend’s rescheduled game against Marshall will hold great meaning for the team. If VT wins, they are bowl eligible. If they don’t, there are going to be dark times in Blacksburg. The problem is that Marshall isn’t a bad team and could easily pull out the victory. If losing to Old Dominion wasn’t enough of a dark cloud over the season, it could also be what ultimately keeps the Hokies from heading to a bowl.
12. Florida State (5-7, 3-5 ACC) (Last Week: 10)
Last Week: vs #13 Florida Gators (9-3) – L 41-14
The first season under Willie Taggart was a great success… for Canes and Gators fans. While Tallahassee will be singing the blues during the off season, the rest of Florida will be partying like it’s 1981. Enjoy bowl season gentlemen.
13. UNC (2-9, 1-7 ACC) (Last Week: 13)
Last Week: vs North Carolina State Wolfpack (8-3, 5-3) – L 34-28 OT
The final weekend of the season went according to script for the Tar Heels, who again managed to play a really competitive game of football before finding a way to blow it at the end. While there likely aren’t many pros on this team, I’m sure a lot of the players could have a very successful career in boxing or MMA after their college days are over.
14. Louisville (2-10, 0-8 ACC) (Last Week: 14)
Last Week: vs #17 Kentucky Wildcats (8-3) – L 56-10
It’s over. Go hit some golf balls with the Noles.
1. Clemson (12-0, 8-0 ACC) (Last Week: 1)
Last Week: vs South Carolina Gamecocks (6-5) – W 56-35
Next Week: vs Pittsburgh Panthers (7-5, 6-2)
It will take a really terrible performance against the Panthers for Clemson to be left out of the College Football Playoff. Travis Etienne should have a field day against a weak Pittsburgh run defense. If Miami was able to hold Pitt to 3 points, what will Clemson’s defense be able to do?
2. Syracuse (9-3, 6-2 ACC) (Last Week: 3)
Last Week: at Boston College Golden Eagles (7-5, 4-4) – W 42-21
After their convincing victory at Boston College, the Orange solidified themselves as the clear second-best team in the ACC. This is a team was projected to finish last in the Atlantic division preseason polls, so congratulations to them for a great season. Unfortunately for Syracuse, they play in the same division as Clemson so they won’t get a chance at the title. But, other than Clemson, they really are the ACC’s only hope for a quality bowl victory.
3. Georgia Tech (7-5, 5-3 ACC) (Last Week: 4)
Last Week: at #5 Georgia Bulldogs (11-1) – L 45-21
The Yellow Jackets move up a spot after getting absolutely destroyed by the Bulldogs on Saturday. That’s how bad the ACC is. Paul Johnson has announced he will step down after the team’s bowl game this season. You know what that means: NO MORE TRIPLE OPTION! Let the celebrations begin.
4. Miami (7-5, 4-4 ACC) (Last Week: 9)
Last Week: vs Pittsburgh Panthers (7-5, 6-2) – W 24-3
Canes fans have to be pulling their hair out after this last weekend. Georgia Tech didn’t even compete against Georgia, Virginia lost to a team the Canes beat by 24, Duke lost by 52 at home to a very “meh” football team, and BC has now lost three straight, one of which was to FSU. Those are the Canes four conference losses, and the reason that the Canes are watching the ACC championship game at home while Pittsburgh, a team they dominated in a game they didn’t even play well in, gets to take on the Tigers. I don’t feel bad at all putting the Canes at number four. They’ve won their last two games by 20+ points. Yes, their offense is still terrible, but guess what. So is the rest of the ACC.
5. Pittsburgh (7-5, 6-2 ACC) (Last Week: 2)
Last Week: at Miami Hurricanes (7-5, 4-4) – L 24-3
Next Week: vs #2 Clemson Tigers (12-0, 8-0)
This is the team representing the Coastal in the ACC championship game. A team that gave up 24 points to Miami despite N’Kosi Perry being just 6-24 for 52 yards. A team that scored just 3 points against a good, but not great, defense. I know Pitt didn’t have anything to play for against Miami, but show a little life. The Panthers are a nice story, but they are in a lot of trouble against Clemson.
6. North Carolina State (8-3, 5-3 ACC) (Last Week: 8)
Last Week: at North Carolina Tar Heels (2-9, 1-7) – W 34-28 OT
Next Week: vs East Carolina Pirates (3-8)
Imagine moving up in the rankings because you beat a 2-9 team in overtime? Welcome to this season’s ACC. The Wolfpack’s record is much better than the Wolfpack’s team, and it will continue to inflate when they take on East Carolina in the final week of the season, in a game that has to be the most pointless game in the history of time.
7. Virginia (7-5, 4-4 ACC) (Last Week: 5)
Last Week: at Virginia Tech Hokies (5-6, 4-4) – L 34-31
I know it was a rivalry game, but losing to the Hokies on Saturday is a really bad loss for a team that has overachieved their way through the 2018 season. They could have ripped the Hokies hearts out and made them suffer through a game against Marshall, knowing that even with a win they weren’t going to become bowl eligible. The defense, which was so dominant earlier in the season, has taken a big step back in the last four games, three of which have been losses. The Cavaliers will probably get a decent bowl, but 4 weeks ago they were thinking Coastal championship, so to end the season the way they have feels very disappointing.
8. Boston College (7-5, 4-4 ACC) (Last Week: 7)
Last Week: vs #20 Syracuse Orange (9-3, 6-2) – L 42-21
That’s three straight losses for the Golden Eagles. Granted, two of those games were against the two best teams in the ACC, but the other was against Florida State, a team that failed to make a bowl for the first time in 37 years. Could an argument be made to have BC higher? Absolutely. But like most of the ACC, heading into bowl season the Eagles are simply mediocre.
9. Wake Forest (6-6, 3-5 ACC) (Last Week: 11)
Last Week: at Duke Blue Devils (7-5, 3-5) – W 59-7
I don’t know what Dave Clawson said to his guys on Saturday, but every coach in America should find the transcript and read it verbatim to their teams before their bowl games. All season long, Duke has been a better team than Wake Forest, yet the Demon Deacons went on the road and played incredible football, decimating the Blue Devils in front of their home crowd on Senior Day. Wake is going bowling.
10. Duke (7-5, 3-5 ACC) (Last Week: 6)
Last Week: vs Wake Forest Demon Deacons (6-6, 3-5) – L 59-7
What is there to say about Saturday’s performance other than that it could be the worst in the history of Duke football. How was that a 7 win team on their home field?
11. Virginia Tech (5-6, 4-4 ACC) (Last Week: 12)
Last Week: vs Virginia Cavaliers (7-5, 4-4) – L 34-31
Next Week: vs Marshall Thundering Herd (8-3)
The Hokies upset their in-state rivals in a thrilling overtime victory at Lane Stadium on Saturday, ensuring that this weekend’s rescheduled game against Marshall will hold great meaning for the team. If VT wins, they are bowl eligible. If they don’t, there are going to be dark times in Blacksburg. The problem is that Marshall isn’t a bad team and could easily pull out the victory. If losing to Old Dominion wasn’t enough of a dark cloud over the season, it could also be what ultimately keeps the Hokies from heading to a bowl.
12. Florida State (5-7, 3-5 ACC) (Last Week: 10)
Last Week: vs #13 Florida Gators (9-3) – L 41-14
The first season under Willie Taggart was a great success… for Canes and Gators fans. While Tallahassee will be singing the blues during the off season, the rest of Florida will be partying like it’s 1981. Enjoy bowl season gentlemen.
13. UNC (2-9, 1-7 ACC) (Last Week: 13)
Last Week: vs North Carolina State Wolfpack (8-3, 5-3) – L 34-28 OT
The final weekend of the season went according to script for the Tar Heels, who again managed to play a really competitive game of football before finding a way to blow it at the end. While there likely aren’t many pros on this team, I’m sure a lot of the players could have a very successful career in boxing or MMA after their college days are over.
14. Louisville (2-10, 0-8 ACC) (Last Week: 14)
Last Week: vs #17 Kentucky Wildcats (8-3) – L 56-10
It’s over. Go hit some golf balls with the Noles.
