Through four weeks of the 2014 college football season, the 14 Atlantic Coast Conference teams have left us all scratching our heads.
Florida State beat Clemson, which is supposed to be the league’s second-best team, despite not having Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston.
All of the teams that opened up eyes during the season’s first three weeks- Pitt, Virginia and Virginia Tech — all lost on Saturday to make the conference look fairly weak.
It has been a weird start to the season in the ACC as right now it looks like it is the defending national champions on top and spots 2-14 can be a flip of the coin between the other 13 teams.
With that being said, after a week off, it is time to jump right back into my ACC Power Rankings.
1. Florida State (3-0, 1-0 ACC, Last Week defeated Clemson 23-17, Previous Ranking 1)
The Seminoles look bad for the way they handle Winston’s behavior, but they are clearly the class of the conference. They need to improve up front to contend for a second consecutive national title, but their best chance to slip up and lose an ACC game likely has already come and gone. Up Next: Saturday at North Carolina State
2. Clemson (1-2, 0-1, Lost to Florida State 23-17, Previous Ranking 4)
It’s hard to make a case for any team in the No. 2 spot, although I will bump the Tigers up here even though they have only one win on the season. Losses to FSU and Georgia are tough, but have come against quality competition. Clemson had every chance in the world to knock off the Seminoles and failed, but they may have found their quarterback of the future in Deshaun Watson. Up Next: Saturday vs. North Carolina
3. Duke (4-0, 0-0, Defeated Tulane 47-13, Previous Ranking 6)
The Blue Devils have picked right up where they left off a season ago and have looked impressive. The offense is explosive and the defense is impressive. However their four wins have come against Elon, Troy, Kansas and Tulane, which is the only reason they aren’t in the No. 2 spot. Up Next: Saturday at Miami
4. Georgia Tech (4-0, 1-0, Defeated Virginia Tech 27-24, Previous Ranking 10)
Georgia Tech could be the least impressive 4-0 team in the country, trailing in all four of its games, but give the Yellow Jackets credit, they keep finding ways to win. The win against Virginia Tech would have looked better a week ago, but quarterback Justin Thomas keeps playing well and the Yellow Jackets are on the rise. Up Next: BYE
5. Pitt (3-1, 1-0, Lost to Iowa 24-20, Previous Ranking 5)
A tough loss for the Panthers on Saturday, but given the state of the conference right now, you still have to be happy with Pitt’s start to the season. The loss to Iowa shouldn’t be as shocking, even though Pitt should have won the game. What is shocking is that in 24 years of playing in a conference, the Panthers have never boasted an undefeated non-conference record (H/T ESPN’s Brett McMurphy).
However they still boast the nation’s leading rusher in James Conner and are still a real contender for the Coastal Division crown. Up Next: Saturday vs. Akron
6. Virginia (2-2, 1-0, lost to BYU 41-33, Previous Ranking 9)
Playing by far the toughest schedule so far in the conference, maybe the entire nation, Virginia has to feel pretty good about themselves sitting at 2-2. Considering the Coastal Division is going to be a wide open race, the Cavaliers have as good of a chance as anyone right now. Up Next: Saturday vs. Kent State
7. Boston College (3-1, 0-1, Defeated Maine 40-10, Previous Ranking 11)
Back-to-back wins against USC and Maine have the Eagles looking pretty good right now. With Tyler Murphy under center, the wins could keep coming for BC. Up Next: Saturday vs. Colorado State
8. Louisville (3-1, 1-1, Defeated FIU 34-3, Previous Ranking 3)
The Cardinals are very close to being a 4-0 team, but have major issues on the offensive line and question marks at the quarterback spot, but Louisville could be the best of a group of average teams when it is all said and done. Their defense is so good it can carry them for most of the season, even though the offense is less than spectacular. Up Next: Saturday vs. Wake Forest
9. North Carolina State (4-0, 0-0, Defeated Presbyterian 42-0, Previous Ranking 12)
Jacoby Brissett continues to impress and at 4-0 the Wolfpack have already won more games than they did a season ago. But those four wins have come against Georgia Southern, Old Dominion, South Florida and a powerhouse Presbyterian program. They will get a large dose of reality this week. Up Next: Saturday vs. Florida State
10. Virginia Tech (2-2, 0-1, Lost to Georgia Tech 27-24, Previous Ranking 2)
So what we have learned is that Ohio State really wasn’t that good after all. After looking great against the Buckeyes, the Hokies have looked bad in back-to-back losses against East Carolina and Georgia Tech. What’s shocking is how bad Frank Beamer’s defense has looked. Up Next: Saturday vs. Western Michigan
11. Miami (2-2, 0-1, Lost to Nebraska 41-31, Previous Ranking 8)
Brad Kaaya has improved under center through four games, but the Miami run defense is atrocious. It doesn’t matter who is under center if teams can have that much success on the ground against the Canes. Up Next: Saturday vs. Duke
12. Syracuse (2-1, 0-0, Lost to Maryland 34-20, Previous Ranking 13)
Notre Dame, Louisville and Florida State are on deck in the next three weeks so the Orange did themselves no favors by being beaten handily by Maryland on Saturday. The offense is improving a little, but they just don’t take care of the football. Up Next: Saturday vs. Notre Dame
13. Wake Forest (2-2, 0-0, Defeated Army 24-21, Previous Ranking 14)
I didn’t think there was any chance in the world that the Deamon Deacons would find their way out of the cellar all season. But they get bumped to No. 13 after North Carolina’s pitiful performance on Saturday. Up Next: Saturday vs. Louisville
14. North Carolina (2-1, 0-0, Lost to East Carolina 70-41, Previous Ranking 7)
The Tar Heels did not look good in their first two wins on the season, but they hit an all-time low on Saturday by allowing 70 points and 798 yards to East Carolina. That is not a misprint. A performance like that and you can see why UNC is bringing up the rear. It doesn’t get any easier as a trip to Clemson awaits. Up Next: Saturday at Clemson
Photo Credit: USA Today Sports
