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ACC Power rankings, Week 8: Miami upset, Clemson-NC State showdown on tap

By Rucker Haringey

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - OCTOBER 13: Bryce Perkins #3 of the Virginia Cavaliers stiff arms Gerald Willis III #9 of the Miami Hurricanes in the first half during a game at Scott Stadium on October 13, 2018 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - OCTOBER 13: Bryce Perkins #3 of the Virginia Cavaliers stiff arms Gerald Willis III #9 of the Miami Hurricanes in the first half during a game at Scott Stadium on October 13, 2018 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images) /
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Five ACC teams enjoyed an open week, but there was a big loss by Miami against Virginia that sees a ripple effect at the top of the ACC power rankings.

This wasn’t a weekend of high-profile matchups around the ACC with five off, including Clemson and NC State in advance of this weekend’s game, but quite a few teams ended up playing more competitive games than expected. Often, avoiding upsets during weeks like these makes the difference between magical seasons and ordinary ones.

Credit Notre Dame for keeping their College Football Playoff hopes alive against Pittsburgh. It wasn’t pretty for Brian Kelly’s squad, but they managed to scrape by with an important home win. Given Georgia’s hideous performance at Baton Rouge, it’s possible the Fighting Irish are one of college football’s top four teams at the moment.

Not everyone in the league was so lucky. Miami, in particular, will be kicking themselves for a narrow loss to Virginia. It could be the game that costs the Hurricanes a shot at an ACC Title game appearance.

Without a doubt, let’s dive right into this week’s rankings. We start with a team that’s getting all too comfortable in the ACC basement.

In all fairness, this was one of Carolina’s best performances of the season. They had a real shot to upset Virginia Tech at home. Unfortunately for fans in Chapel Hill, they couldn’t make the plays down the stretch required to knock off the Hokies. The silver lining for the Tar Heels was the breakout performance from Michael Carter on the ground. He racked up 165 yards on 18 carries against a pretty talented defense. It’s possible he can help this team move up if they stick with him at running back. Time will tell if this is a fluke or a trend for the sophomore running back.

We flirted with the idea of dropping the Cardinals to the No. 15 slot, but they did manage to keep it close for a half against Boston College. Bobby Petrino isn’t into moral victories, but this wasn’t an awful performance by his team. Louisville continues to put games into Jawon Pass’ hands, and he continues to prove incapable of leading them to wins. Going 17 for 31 for 170 yards and an interception isn’t going to help this team beat anyone in the ACC. At some point, Petrino needs to try something different.

The bye came at a good time for the Demon Deacons. They desperately need to revamp their defensive scheme. Hopefully, for fans in Winston-Salem, the off week gave Dave Clawson and company an opportunity to figure something out on that side of the ball. We’ll find out next week when they take on Florida State.

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