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ACC Power Rankings: Jan. 16th

After beating UVa on Wednesday, the Noles take over the top spot in our power rankings.
After beating UVa on Wednesday, the Noles take over the top spot in our power rankings. (USATSI)

1. Florida State (15-2, 5-1)

Last Week: No. 2

The Seminoles only played one game this week, but moved up to No. 1 in the rankings as they moved into a tie for first place in the ACC. The home win over Virginia on Wednesday wasn’t a clean win or their most impressive effort, but the fact that they were able to handle business on a night where they made a host of mistakes speaks to the potential of this team. Florida State takes on Miami and Notre Dame this week and shouldn’t be underdogs again until the Noles go to Cameron Indoor in mid-February.


2. Duke (15-2, 5-1)

Last Week: No. 1

The Blue Devils became the final team in the ACC to drop a league game when they were upset by Clemson on Tuesday night. After eviscerating Wake Forest on Saturday, everyone expected them to handle the Tigers, but after digging a seven-point halftime hole, Duke wasn’t able to climb out this time. The outlook going forward is still positive, especially since they were short handed on Tuesday without Wendell Moore and Joey Baker. This weekend the Devils take center stage when they host Louisville in a huge tilt that could have a big impact on the title race down the road.


3. Louisville (14-3, 5-1)

Last Week: No. 3

UL went on the road and walked away with a pair of victories this week but had to battle to win both of them. Saturday’s win at Notre Dame came down to the wire and it took overtime for the Cardinals to take out Pittsburgh on Tuesday. They have a good record and some quality wins but they haven’t quite been dominant yet in a league that is there for the taking. We’ll learn a lot more about the Cards when they travel to Durham on Saturday.


4. Virginia Tech (13-4, 4-2)

Last Week: No. 5

Since getting trounced in Charlottesville a few weeks ago, the Hokies are 3-0 and now sit just outside the top three in league play. Tech handled NC State and Wake Forest by double digits this week and has a very manageable upcoming schedule with Syracuse and UNC at home before road trips to BC and Miami. The Hokies look like they could be the surprise of the conference this year after being picked 14th in the preseason poll.


5. NC State (12-5, 3-3)

Last Week: No. 6

The Wolfpack had an up and down week, which can be said for almost every team in the conference almost every week. After losing in Blacksburg by 14 over the weekend, State handled Miami in Raleigh on Wednesday night. It’s still tough to trust the Pack on a nightly basis but they have talent and will probably finish somewhere in the top half of the league standings. At 3-3, NC State has a pivotal stretch coming up with games against fellow 3-3’s Clemson and Virginia.


6. Syracuse (10-7, 3-3)

Last Week: No. 15

Perhaps burying Syracuse at the bottom of the rankings last week was a bit harsh. The Orange had a great week and bounced back to .500 in conference play, beating UVa in overtime on the road before blasting BC by 26 at home on Wednesday. Buddy Boeheim came alive late in the win at Virginia and had a big night against the Eagles, and if he can keep shooting the ball well that does raise the ceiling for this Syracuse team. The Orange have a pair of road tests at Virginia Tech and Notre Dame coming up, so we should see if they are really surging or if they just had a good week in an up-and-down league.


7. Virginia (11-5, 3-3)

Last Week: No. 4

UVa is in a tough spot right now, losers of three straight after a 3-0 conference start. A few plays here or there against Syracuse and FSU could have the Hoos at 5-1 but this team struggles so much on the offensive end, their margin for error gets exposed late in games. It’s hard to see a dramatic turnaround coming, and it now looks like an uphill battle for the Cavaliers to make their seventh-straight NCAA Tournament. UVa has to find a way to get wins this week, first at Georgia Tech and then at home against NCSU.


8. Clemson Tigers (9-7, 3-3)

Last Week: No. 13

The Tigers are our team of the week in the ACC. Despite a disappointing result on the football field Monday night, Clemson basketball had a pretty historic week. The Tigers finally ended their (long) losing streak in Chapel Hill, winning at UNC for the first time on Saturday. Then, they followed it up with a big upset win over Duke at home on Tuesday. Could this be the high watermark for Clemson this year? Sure. But the Tigers head into a road game in Raleigh on a three-game winning streak and have proven that they can hang with the conference’s top teams.


9. Notre Dame (11-6, 2-4)

Last Week: No. 8

The Irish may be a little better than their league record would indicate. Three of their four ACC losses came by a total of nine points, and if they could flip one of those results they would be .500 in conference play and feeling a bit better about themselves. A four-point win at Georgia Tech this week could give Notre Dame a boost heading into a home date with Syracuse early next week after a few days off.


10. Georgia Tech (8-9, 3-4)

Last Week: No. 12

Georgia Tech rolled past BC on the road last week but couldn’t carry that momentum into the home contest with Notre Dame. The Jackets are still under .500 for the season overall and not a threat to make the NCAA’s but they do seem slightly more competitive this year. UVa has dominated Georgia Tech for years, but Saturday’s game in Atlanta might not be an easy out for the Cavaliers.


11. Pittsburgh (11-6, 2-4)

Last Week: No. 7

Pitt’s win at UNC last week isn’t as impressive as it looked at the time and the Panthers have lost their two games since. They did play Louisville tough, forcing the Cards into overtime before eventually falling short. As we said here last week, the Panthers are clearly improved during their rebuild and this weekend they’ll go for a season sweep of the Tar Heels at home.


12. Boston College (9-8, 3-3)

Last Week: No. 9

We said last week that BC’s early 3-1 ACC record wouldn’t stick, and it didn’t. Since taking down UVa at home, the Eagles dropped winnable games against Georgia Tech and Syracuse, as they regress to where most thought they would end up. The good news is that BC has a pair of winnable games against Wake and Pitt coming up, but can we really trust Jim Christian and Co. to pull off either of those?


13. Miami (10-6, 2-4)

Last Week: No. 10

The Canes seem like one of the more predictable teams in an unpredictable league this year. Their two ACC wins came over Pitt and Clemson, and every game against one of the conference’s top teams has been a loss. Miami was handed its fourth conference loss at NC State on Wednesday, and now has a tall task on deck with FSU coming to town this weekend to renew the in-state rivalry.


14. North Carolina (8-8, 1-4)

Last Week: No. 14

Like Virginia, UNC is in the midst of a rare three-game losing streak. Carolina didn’t have a midweek game and has about a week to recover from its home loss to Clemson before traveling to Pittsburgh this weekend. It’s looking more and more like a lost season for the Tar Heels.


15. Wake Forest (8-8, 1-5)

Last Week: No. 11

Wake is what we thought. Since sneaking by Pittsburgh a couple of weeks ago, the Deacs have lost three straight, all by double digits. Perhaps Sunday’s game against Boston College can get Wake back on track, but it looks like another year in the basement for the Demon Deacons.


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