MY NEW ACC FOOTBALL POWER RANKINGS:

IT’S OFFICIALLY CLEMSON AND THE REST

ACC  Football had one dominant team from start to finish, the Clemson Tigers, who finished the race undefeated with a spot in the College Football Playoff.

ACC Football finished their reason with a major showdown in the conference title game as Clemson took on Pittsburgh. In a game that was pretty much over by the end of the first series, Clemson won in dominating fashion.

Let’s dive into our ACC Football power rankings after Championship weekend.

14: LOUISVILLE CARDINALS

(2-10) Last Week: 14,

Louisville had a disastrous season, boasting the worst defense in school history and one of the worst in the nation. Appalachian State head coach Scott Satterfield has since taken over. He should bring stability back to the program.

13: NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS

(2-9) Last Week: 13,

Larry Fedora had a lot of delusional moments as the head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels, none that stood out more than the “non-fight” between UNC and NC State players at the end of their rivalry game. The head of the athletics department decided Mack Brown was the best choice available, and you have to seriously wonder if that decision will dig this team further into ACC football obscurity.

12: FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES

(5-7) Last Week: 12,

Willie Taggart and the Seminoles won’t be going bowling this season, so they get a jump start on the recruiting trail. Florida State currently has the 14th best-recruiting class according to 247sports. Expect a major turnaround in year two under the current coaching staff.

11: DUKE BLUE DEVILS

(7-5) Last Week: 11,

Duke started the season off hot, then stumbled down the stretch going 2-4 the second half of the season. The Blue Devils face Temple in the Independence Bowl, and it should be a good matchup against two very hard-hitting teams.

10: VIRGINIA CAVALIERS

(7-5) Last Week: 10,

Virginia had a shot to win the ACC Coastal division as the season drew to a close but wasn’t able to get the job done against Pittsburgh’s dominant rushing attack. A 7-5 season is still good, and they can pick up win number eight against South Carolina in the Belk Bowl.

9: WAKE FOREST DEMON DEACONS

(6-6) Last Week: 9,

Although they are only 6-6 and ranked ahead of two teams with better records, Wake Forest can still be a problem matchup for teams. They face off against Memphis in the Birmingham Bowl and will have to figure out a way to slow down Darrell Henderson, who is nearing the 2,000-yard rushing mark this season.

8: VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES

(6-6) Last Week: 8,

The Hokies picked up win number six after making easy work of Marshall, winning the game 41-20. They will face Cincinnati in the Military Bowl and if the offense is firing on all cylinders they should come up with the upset over the Bearcats.

7: BOSTON COLLEGE EAGLES

(7-5) Last Week: 7,

Boston College had a pretty good season, as AJ Dillon faced a few injuries that hurt their chances at a championship run. He should be at 100% for the bowl game against Boise State, and if Zach Allen lines up against the Broncos offense expect him to get a handful of sacks.

6: GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS

(7-5) Last Week: 6,

Paul Johnson is retiring at the end of this season, in what was a very successful run as head coach of the Yellow Jackets. They face Minnesota in the Quick Lane Bowl, and if they can control the clock they should walk out of the stadium with win number eight.

5: PITTSBURGH PANTHERS

(7-6) Last Week: 5,

The Panthers were out of the ACC title game as soon as Travis Etienne took the first handoff from scrimmage to the house for a 75-yard touchdown run. After that, it was all downhill as they got thumped 42-10. They face Stanford in the Sun Bowl and it may take a miracle for them to win that game.

4: MIAMI HURRICANES

(7-5) Last Week: 4,

Miami’s run defense needs to be ready for their bowl game against Wisconsin. If it’s one thing the Badgers have always liked to do it is run the football right at their opponents. A 7-5 season was not what fans were hoping for, but a win against a major Big Ten program could give them momentum heading into 2019.

3: NORTH CAROLINA STATE WOLFPACK

(9-3) Last Week: 3,

NC State had one final regular season game before bowl season started, and they easily dispatched East Carolina 58-3. Ryan Finley threw for over 400 yards and three touchdowns and the Wolfpack picked up win number nine. The Gator Bowl against Texas A&M will close out the season as they hope to pick up win number 10.

2: SYRACUSE ORANGE

(9-3) Last Week: 2,

Syracuse takes their high-powered offense to the Camping World Bowl to face Will Grier and the West Virginia Mountaineers. This game may end up 53-50 when it’s all said and done, and should be one of the most exciting bowl games of the postseason. Can Syracuse pick up win number 10? We will have to wait and see.

1: CLEMSON TIGERS

(13-0) Last Week: 1,

It was a foregone conclusion, regardless who was the starting quarterback, that Clemson would win the ACC championship. They had too much talent on both sides of the ball, and when Trevor Lawrence was inserted into the lineup the offense got even better. A matchup against 12-0 Notre Dame awaits them in the College Football Playoff, as fans are hoping for Clemson vs Alabama for the fourth time in as many years.

So those are our ACC Football power rankings after championship weekend. Are you happy with your team’s ranking? Comment below and let’s get ready for the slate of bowl games heading our way!