ATLANTIC
No. 2 Florida State (8-0, 5-0) – The ‘Noles once again proved they are capable of overcoming large deficits against tough opponents. They trailed 21-0 early in Thursday night’s 42-31 victory over Louisville, and it marked the fourth time this season that they entered the fourth quarter trailing but came back to win the game. Jameis Winston threw three picks but picked up the slack by finishing with 401 passing yards.
No. 19 Clemson (6-2, 5-1) – Despite having their bye week, the Tigers moved up three spots in the Associated Press poll simply due to other top-25 teams losing. Additionally, there is a small chance that freshman quarterback Deshaun Watson returns from injury Thursday night against Wake Forest to add an extra dynamic to their offense.
Louisville (6-3, 4-3) – The Cardinals were absolutely heartbroken on Thursday night, giving up 21 points in the fourth quarter in a loss to the No. 2 Seminoles. Their defense was truly exposed for the first time all season, but their offense has emerged as a legitimate threat now that senior running back Michael Dyer and senior wide receiver DeVante Parker are fully healthy.
Boston College (6-3, 3-2) – The Eagles barely squeaked a victory against the struggling Virginia Tech Hokies, 33-31, earning bowl eligibility in the process. Back-to-back division matchups against stagnant opponents Louisville and No. 2 Florida State will truly test if they belong in the top half of the division.
NC State (5-4, 1-4) – In what was a must-win game, the Wolfpack came away with its first conference victory for the first time since November 2012. An 82-yard pick six by freshman defensive end Pharoah McKever gave the Wolfpack the lead, and it didn’t look back from there. From here, the Wolfpack has a manageable schedule, starting with next week’s homecoming game against Georgia Tech, and need just one more win to become bowl eligible.
Syracuse (3-6, 1-4) – Looking to capitalize on its first conference victory the week before, the Orange dropped its weekend contest to NC State in what should have been a winnable game. However, chances of a rebound look slim as Syracuse takes on the Coastal division leader, Duke, this weekend.
Wake Forest (2-6, 0-4) – The Demon Deacons took a much-needed bye week to prepare for a Thursday night game against No. 19 Clemson. However, they haven’t shown many signs of life all season and, as the teams enter Week 10, they are easily the worst team in the ACC.
COASTAL
No. 22 Duke (7-1, 3-1) – The Blue Devils barely hung on against a mediocre Pittsburgh team, but in the end, a win is a win. In the 51-48 victory, redshirt senior quarterback Anthony Boone increased his record to 17-3, tying the school record for most wins by a QB. Duke has a comfortable schedule to close out the season and should win the division handily barring any slipups.
Miami (6-3, 3-2) – The Hurricanes absolutely dominated the Tar Heels on Saturday, winning 47-20 in Miami. Junior and freshman running backs Duke Johnson and Joseph Yearby combined for 281 rushing yards and four touchdowns en route to earning bowl eligibility. The ‘Canes look to end in-state rival FSU’s 24-game winning streak Saturday.
Georgia Tech (7-2, 4-2) – Since losing back-to-back conference games to Duke and UNC-Chapel Hill, the Yellow Jackets have dominated their games against Pitt and Virginia, winning by a combined 91-38. Led by their fourth-ranked rushing attack, a division title is not out of the question should they win out.
North Carolina (4-5, 2-3) – Despite getting manhandled by Miami, the Tar Heels sit on top of a four-way tie at the bottom of the division simply because they are the only one of the four who has won twice in the last four games. Their matchup against Pitt will hopefully clear some things up in this mess of a division.
Pittsburgh (4-5, 2-3) – Pitt has lost five of its last six games; however, the Panthers were a missed 26-yard field goal at the end of regulation away from a potential upset of the division-leading Blue Devils. Sophomore running back James Conner has carried the weight of the team, racking up 1342 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns this season.
Virginia (4-5, 2-3) – Not long ago, the Cavaliers sat atop the Coastal division in our power rankings. They were demolished by Georgia Tech on Saturday and simply haven’t looked like the same team during their three-game losing streak, and things don’t get much easier as they are matched up against No. 2 Florida State this week.
Virginia Tech (4-5, 1-4) – The Hokies just lost their third-straight game in a close contest with Boston College, and have looked a shell of the team that beat Ohio State in week two. They get a bye week to prepare against next week’s matchup against the Blue Devils.
