ACC Power Rankings 2016: Clemson returns to the top

For fans of the Seminoles, Saturday’s game against Clemson was the entire season in a nutshell. A horrible first quarter was followed by the ‘Noles fighting back and looking like they are going to win. This time, however, the comeback couldn’t be completed and the team’s small ACC title hopes said bye bye.

Now, we get to see what this year’s FSU team is made of. With some small accomplishments still left to play for (state title, 10 wins), will players like Dalvin Cook, DeMarcus Walker and Travis Rudolph continue to fight this season or will the team mail it in and drop several more games?

For much of the season, I have buried the Eagles in the bottom part of these rankings, even once having them as the worst team in the entire ACC. But I have to give credit where credit is due and Saturday’s win vaults BC up for at least one week.

Boston College went on the road and came back against a Wolfpack team and their defense that has been playing well most of the year. That was, yet again, in spite of the play of quarterback Patrick Towles, who may go down as the worst grad transfer this season.

The bye week strikes again and knocks a team down one spot as per protocol. Even with that, the Tar Heels still find themselves in the race to head back to the conference title game if they can handle their business and get the slightest bit of help.

With their toughest game of November coming this week against Georgia Tech, the Tar Heels can easily be  a 10-win team again as long as they don’t beat themselves from this point on. Stranger things have happened, but North Carolina will do their part.