Graduate cornerback Juston Burris, graduate safety Hakim Jones, and redshirt sophomore linebacker Jerod Fernandez crowd Clemson's quarterback Deshaun Watson forcing him to slide. The three defensive players combined for 25 tackles in the 56-41 loss in Carter-Finley stadium on Oct. 31." />
Nicholas Faulkner
Graduate cornerback Juston Burris, graduate safety Hakim Jones, and redshirt sophomore linebacker Jerod Fernandez crowd Clemson's quarterback Deshaun Watson forcing him to slide. The three defensive players combined for 25 tackles in the 56-41 loss in Carter-Finley stadium on Oct. 31.
1. No.1 Clemson (9-0, 6-0 ACC)
The Tigers earned a hard fought win in the rain at Death Valley, defeating the Seminoles 23-13. With the win, the Tigers clinched the Atlantic division and a berth in the ACC Championship game. Up next is Syracuse this Saturday at the Carrier Dome.
2. No. 17 UNC-Chapel Hill (8-1, 5-0ACC)
Marquise Williams had 404 yards and Elijah Hood ran three touchdowns, in the first half, as UNC went on to rout the Duke Blue Devils 66-31. The Tar Heels will probably need one more win in order to secure a spot in the ACC title game, and they will have a chance to attain a victory against Miami this weekend.
3. No. 19 Florida St. (7-2, 5-2 ACC)
The Seminoles’ upset bid fell short against Clemson last Saturday, as the Seminoles fell 23-13. The Seminoles have now lost two of their last three games, and will face NC State at home this Saturday with an opportunity to right the ship.
4. Pittsburgh (6-3, 4-1 ACC)
Pittsburgh lost its second straight game this past weekend, falling to Notre Dame 42-30. The Panthers’ three losses have come against teams with a combined record of 25-2, and will now have a matchup against a reeling 6-3 Duke team.
5. Louisville (5-4, 4-2 ACC)
The Cardinals turned it around since their abysmal 0-3 start, winning five of their last six games, including a 41-17 smashing of Syracuse this past weekend. If the Cardinals can get a win against Virginia next, they can become bowl-eligible.
6. NC State (6-3, 2-3 ACC)
The Wolfpack defeated Boston College 24-8 this past weekend to clinch bowl game eligibility. The Wolfpack managed to run efficiently despite losing junior Matt Dayes for the season, rushing for 139 yards and two touchdowns in his absence. The Wolfpack will face Florida St. in Tallahassee, with an opportunity to even its conference record.
7. Miami (6-3, 3-2 ACC)
Miami has looked like a different team under interim coach Larry Scott, winning its second game in a row with a 27-21 win over the Virginia Cavaliers. The Hurricanes will have a chance to get back into the Coastal division race if they can upset the Tar Heels this weekend.
8. Duke (6-3, 3-2 ACC)
Duke seemed to still be reeling from its heartbreaking loss to Miami, as it was throttled by the Tar Heels this past weekend 66-31. Duke has surrendered 30 points or more in its last three games, posting a 1-2 record in those games.
9. Virginia Tech (4-5, 2-3 ACC)
The Hokies had a bye week to prepare for its upcoming matchup with Georgia Tech this Thursday. The return of quarterback Michael Brewer has helped the resurgence of the offense, as the Hokies are 1-1 since he returned to action.
10. Virginia (3-6, 2-3 ACC)
The Cavaliers lost to Miami this past weekend in Miami, 27-21, marking the Cavaliers 14th straight loss on the road. The Cavs will have to win their next three games Louisville, Duke and Virginia Tech to become bowl eligible.
11. Georgia Tech (3-6 1-5 ACC)
Georgia Tech had a bye last week to gather itself for the final three games of the season, starting with Virginia Tech Thursday night. It’s been a stressful year for the Yellow Jackets, who have lost six of their last seven after starting the season 2-0.
12. Syracuse (3-6, 1-4 ACC)
The Orange was routed by the Louisville Cardinals, 41-17, and has now lost six straight games after a very promising start to the season. Syracuse will play host to the No.1 team in the college football playoff rankings, Clemson, this Saturday.
13. Wake Forest (3-6, 1-5 ACC)
The Demon Deacons had a bye week in order to prepare for their matchup with Notre Dame this Saturday. The last time the Deacons played the Irish was in 2012, when they were shellacked 38-0.
14. Boston College (3-7, 0-7 ACC)
The offense continued to struggle for the Eagles as they were defeated by NC State 24-8. The Eagles’ offense has been scoring just 9.3 points per game during their six-game losing skid. They will get a bye week to prepare for their matchup against No. 5 Notre Dame at Fenway Park on Nov. 21.