With all 14 teams in the ACC playing for the first time since week four, it was a busy week for the conference.
With all 14 teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference in action during week nine, there was a lot to watch. Each team has played eight games this season while the number of conference games each has played fluctuates between four and six.
With four games to go in the regular season for each team, there is a lot on the line in the final month. While Florida State is the only undefeated team in the conference, there are eight teams with two or fewer conference losses.
There are currently four ACC teams to become bowl-eligible with three more sitting at five wins, just one away from eligibility.
1. Florida State Seminoles (8-0, 6-0 ACC)
Week Nine Result: Win over Wake Forest, 41-16
The Seminoles jumped out to a 34-7 halftime lead and won another game easily. It is the fourth straight game they have won by at least 18 points. They now go on the road to take on Pittsburgh before hosting Miami.
2. Louisville Cardinals (7-1, 4-1 ACC)
Week Nine Result: Win over Duke, 23-0
The team currently in position to make the ACC Championship game is Louisville and they control their destiny. With a 23-point shutout victory over Duke, they sit second in the conference standings and have Virginia Tech, Virginia, and Miami left on their conference schedule. They are in a win-and-you’re-in position.
3. North Carolina Tar Heels (6-2, 3-2 ACC)
Week Nine Result: Loss to Georgia Tech, 46-42
After looking like the second-best team in the ACC for the first six games of the season, North Carolina has fallen apart in back-to-back weeks. Giving up 77 points in losses to Virginia and Georgia Tech has put the Tar Heels in a tougher spot to make the ACC Championship game. They aren’t out of it, but they need some teams to lose for a shot to get in now.
4. Miami Hurricanes (6-2, 2-2 ACC)
Week Nine Result: Win over Virginia, 29-26
After a huge win over Clemson, Tyler Van Dyke returned to the starting lineup for Miami against a Virginia team that just beat North Carolina. Even with Van Dyke under center, the game was a struggle. But the offensive line was dominant all game and the defense made some huge plays to give the Hurricanes a chance.
If Van Dyke can get right and limit his turnovers, the team has a lot of elite players that could give them a chance against anyone.
5. NC State Wolfpack (5-3, 2-2 ACC)
Week Nine Result: Win over Clemson, 24-17
The NC State Wolfpack held off a late surge from Clemson to stay above .500 on the season. A 72-yard touchdown pass from MJ Morris to Kevin Concepcion gave the Wolfpack a 24-7 lead with just over four minutes left in the third quarter. The Tigers scored 10 points in the fourth to make it close, but they couldn’t complete a comeback.
They host Miami this week and look to become bowl-eligible with their next win.
6. Duke Blue Devils (5-3, 2-2 ACC)
Week Nine Result: Loss to Louisville, 23-0
The Duke Blue Devils had a great start to the season with four straight wins including a three-touchdown victory over Clemson. Since then, they have lost three of four with each of those losses coming to ranked opponents.
With four games remaining, Duke has multiple opportunities to pick up a sixth win, if not more than that with Wake Forest, North Carolina, Virginia, and Pittsburgh remaining on the schedule.
7. Virginia Tech Hokies (4-4, 3-1 ACC)
Week Nine Result: Win over Syracuse, 38-10
After beginning the season 1-3, Virginia Tech has bounced back with wins in three of their last four. Their only loss in that stretch was to Florida State. A month ago, it didn’t feel like there was any road map to the Hokies making a bowl game. But with two wins out of their next four games against Louisville, Boston College, NC State, or Virginia would reach the six-win mark. Three of those games are on the road though.
8. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (4-4, 3-2 ACC)
Week Nine Result: Win over North Carolina, 46-42
The absolute weirdest schedule you will ever see is currently that of Georgia Tech. They have not won or lost two games in a row this season. And yet they are somehow fourth in the ACC with two wins over ranked opponents.
After a huge upset loss to Bowling Green, they had a stunning upset of their own over Miami, and then they lost by 15 to Boston College. But then bounced back and beat North Carolina. They go on the road to play Virginia this week before visiting Clemson. So expect a bad performance this week and a win over the Tigers the following week.
9. Boston College Eagles (5-3, 2-2 ACC)
Week Nine Result: Win over UConn, 21-14
Though the season started rough, Boston College has won four straight games and find themselves a game away from bowl eligibility and technically have a shot at a spot in the ACC Championship game with their 2-2 ACC record. They would need to win out and need a lot of other things to happen, but the game between the Eagles and Miami to close the season in Boston could be an important one.
10. Clemson Tigers (4-4, 2-4 ACC)
Week Nine Result: Loss to NC State, 24-17
Saying this has been a disappointing season for Dabo Swinney and the Tigers would be a huge understatement. And to say I have enjoyed it a ton would also be a huge understatement. With their loss to NC State, it is the second straight loss and the first time Clemson has lost four games in a season since 2011.
11. Virginia Cavaliers (2-6, 1-3 ACC)
Week Nine Result: Loss to Miami, 29-26
After a huge upset of North Carolina for their first loss of the season, Virginia almost pulled off another upset on the road. They may be 2-6 on the season and on the verge of missing out on a bowl game, but the Cavaliers are not a team any other program should want to play right now.
12. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (4-4, 1-4 ACC)
Week Nine Result: Loss to Florida State, 41-16
Wake Forest had their largest loss of the season, losing by 25 to Florida State. It is their fourth loss in their last five games. They have Duke, NC State, Notre Dame, and Syracuse remaining on their schedule to try and reach six wins.
13. Syracuse Orange (4-4, 0-4 ACC)
Week Nine Result: Loss to Virginia Tech, 38-10
For the second consecutive season, Syracuse began the season with a nice winning streak just to match that streak with the same number of losses in a row. Last year, they won six in a row before losing the next six. This year, it was four wins before four losses. Those four losses have been by a combined 150 points to just 34 points. The Orange are also the only team remaining in the conference without an ACC win.
14. Pittsburgh Panthers (2-6, 1-3 ACC)
Week Nine Result: Loss to Notre Dame, 58-7
The only thing keeping Pittsburgh from being an absolute horror show this season is their huge upset over Louisville a few weeks ago. But they turned around and lost to Wake Forest and then got their butts whooped by Notre Dame. They can’t lose another game if they want to participate in a bowl game. And with Florida State coming to town this week, they need a miracle to get that win before worrying about the three games after that.