1. Duke – The Blue Devils are No. 1 for the fourth consecutive week in the AP and USA Today Top-25 polls. The Devils are one of three undefeated teams in the nation. All eyes will be on Raleigh Saturday afternoon as Duke travels to take on N.C. State at PNC Arena in a game that could have league championship implications.
2. N.C. State – First halves have been a struggle for the Wolfpack through December and into January, but it has managed to find ways to put its opponents away late in its games, having won eight straight. The Pack is still trying to find a cure for its inconsistency as ACC season rolls around, but despite a scare in Chestnut Hill, it picked up its first ACC road win of the season against Boston College Saturday.
3. Maryland – The Terrapins are winners of 13 straight games following a three-point loss to Kentucky in Brooklyn. Although they have a weak schedule thus far, they have had little problem putting opponents away, including a 94-71 win in their ACC opener against Virginia Tech.
4. Miami – The Hurricanes have had a whirlwind season filled with injuries, suspensions and tough losses. The Hurricanes have played their last five games without their star center, senior Reggie Johnson, losing him to a broken thumb. The Canes have managed quite well without him in the lineup so far, only dropping contests to No. 4 Arizona and a tough Indiana State team in overtime. Miami also picked up its first ACC win of the season with an impressive 62-49 romp on the road at Georgia Tech.
5. Virginia – The Cavaliers have won 10 of their last 11 games. Most recently, they took down UNC at home, a huge win for the Hoos and a possible boost to put them in the mix all season. Head coach Tony Bennett’s slow-paced game helped tear the Tar Heels apart and should continue to do so against other quick-transition teams in the ACC.
6. North Carolina – The Tar Heels have been a difficult team to figure out so far. At times, the Heels have looked like a top-three ACC team, such as in their victory against No. 20 UNLV. At others, they have puzzling losses to teams like UVA and a struggling Texas team. North Carolina has shown signs of potential, but it is clear that this team still has a lot of kinks in the chain.
7. Georgia Tech – Despite the possibility of shaking things up in the ACC this season, the Yellow Jackets did not show much of that potential in their conference opener at home against Miami. Following a strong start to their season, it is clear the Jackets are trying to make a statement. Look for them to try and rebound this week against the Wolfpack or the Hokies.
8. Boston College – The Eagles are perhaps the most surprising and delightful story in the ACC to this point in the season. Last season, they were 9-22 overall and powered by a roster of freshmen. With a bit of experience under its belt, Boston College has made the most of its season so far. They had won five straight contests before N.C. State escaped with a narrow victory on the road.
9. Florida State – The Seminoles’ season has been directly opposite of what the Eagles’ season has been like so far. The reigning ACC champs were a preseason top-25 team but have dropped games to the likes of South Alabama, Mercer and Auburn. Despite it all, the Seminoles are 1-0 in the conference following a five-point win at Clemson.
10. Clemson – Although the Tigers have had a couple of bad losses this season, they have shown fight in losses against top programs such as Gonzaga and Arizona. An ACC home-opening loss to FSU is not helping the Tigers self-esteem, though.
11. Virginia Tech – A team with so much promise following a 7-0 start, including a win against No. 15 Oklahoma State, Virginia Tech has now dropped four of its last six. The Hokies will try to bounce back from a 23-point beating against Maryland as they take on Boston College in the conference home opener.
12. Wake Forest – The Demon Deacons have managed to stay afloat thanks to a weak schedule this season. Their most impressive win was against a dreadful Xavier team. After getting beat up by Duke in Cameron Indoor, Wake needs to find a way to pick up the pieces and steal a conference win before the Devils travel to Winston-Salem at the end of the month.
