ACC Power Rankings 2016: Clemson returns to the top

Now that the race for the ACC title has some new players in the lead positions, here are our Power Rankings after Week 9 of the 2016 season.

In a matter of moments, the whole face of the ACC changed, and we now have a clear leader in the conference following the final regular season games for the month of October.

With a comeback win over Florida State on the road Saturday, the Clemson Tigers have cemented their place as the leaders of the conference for a second straight season, something that shouldn’t change the rest of the way barring a major upset.

With that, where does the rest of the conference fall behind the men from South Carolina? Here’s a look at our power rankings following Week 9 action.

It was going to happen. Everyone across the country was watching as Virginia, a team who lost to FCS foe Richmond earlier this season, looked like they were going to pull off the upset over fifth-ranked Louisville. Unfortunately, someone forgot to tell the Wahoos they were supposed to play defense and the Cardinals came back for the win.

Now, the Cavaliers are one loss away from being guaranteed a spot watching the bowl season from the comfort of home. Virginia this season almost feels like that sad animal who just needs to be put out of their misery.

Just three weeks ago, the Deacs were a 5-1 team that was looking to be one of the surprise teams in the ACC this year. Now, two games later, they are 5-3 and not just lost two in a row, but looked bad against Florida State and even worse against Army — that’s right, Army.

Truth be told, Wake Forest will get that one win they need and end up bowling for the first time in a while. However, they need the running game to show up, because when quarterback John Wolford is your leading rusher, it’s time to panic.

It was an up-and-down game for the men from Durham this week at Georgia Tech. The game started really bad (down 28-7 at the half) before storming back to take a four-point lead in the final quarter, only to blow it and drop to 3-5 on the year.

With games left against North Carolina, Virginia Tech and even Miami, you can pretty much bet all you’ve got that the Blue Devils are done for the season. After several years of being a bowl team and even winning the Coastal Division in 2013, it’s back to bad for the men in blue.

It’s one thing to lose against a rival who has beaten you now seven times in a row, but it’s another thing to lose to the top two teams in the Coastal Division standings. But to go on the road and lose to a 2-5 team that is being condemned throughout out the country? Well, that’s just uncalled for.

While slight kudos has to be given for Miami coming back from 20 points down in the second half, much more criticism needs to be given for the four-game losing slump that has turned a team that people thought was back into one that is fighting for its bowl life.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, it was one thing to watch the Wolfpack go on the road and lose in overtime to Clemson but it was another thing to watch them go on the road and get blown out against Louisville the week later.

But losing to Boston College? At home? On HOMECOMING?!?!?! Words do not even express how bad that makes the Wolfpack as a team. The chance to turn things around takes place this weekend when they host Florida State, but it’s going to take plenty of work.