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ACC Basketball: Power rankings heading into 2021-2022 season

By Mike Phillips

DURHAM, NC - OCTOBER 15: Head coach Mike Krzyzewski of the Duke Blue Devils speaks to fans during Countdown To Craziness at Cameron Indoor Stadium on October 15, 2021 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images)
DURHAM, NC - OCTOBER 15: Head coach Mike Krzyzewski of the Duke Blue Devils speaks to fans during Countdown To Craziness at Cameron Indoor Stadium on October 15, 2021 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images) /
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UNCASVILLE, CONNECTICUT – NOVEMBER 25: Makai Ashton-Langford #4 of the Boston College Eagles makes a pass against the Villanova Wildcats during the 2K Empire Classic at Mohegan Sun Arena on November 25, 2020 in Uncasville, Connecticut. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
UNCASVILLE, CONNECTICUT – NOVEMBER 25: Makai Ashton-Langford #4 of the Boston College Eagles makes a pass against the Villanova Wildcats during the 2K Empire Classic at Mohegan Sun Arena on November 25, 2020 in Uncasville, Connecticut. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

15. ACC Preseason Power Rankings – Boston College Eagles

Far and away the lowest-ranked team in the ACC’s own preseason poll, head coach Earl Grant has his work cut out for him at Boston College. Grant is taking over a program that hasn’t reached the NCAA Tournament since 2009 or even finished .500 in the ACC since 2011, meaning there’s nowhere to go but up.

It could take a bit for Grant to establish his culture and having guard Makai Ashton-Langford back will certainly help. The only hope this season for Boston College is to show some spunk at the end of the year because there will be a lot of losses.

14. ACC Preseason Power Rankings – Pittsburgh Panthers

The seat could be warming for head coach Jeff Capel, who is entering his fourth year at the helm for Pittsburgh and hasn’t finished with a winning record yet for the Panthers. Things looked promising for Pitt last year when they started off 8-2 but the Panthers went just 2-10 the rest of the way to finish well shy of the ACC Tournament.

That Panthers team had more talent than this year’s group, which doesn’t have Justin Champagnie, Xavier Johnson or Au’Diese Toney anymore. Expect another year down near the bottom of the standings for Pittsburgh.

13. ACC Preseason Power Rankings – Wake Forest Demon Deacons

It is fair to say that second-year head coach Steve Forbes deserves a mulligan. Forbes was the only coach inside the conference to take over his program last year, meaning he had to try and lay the foundation of a winner at Wake Forest in the midst of the oddball pandemic season.

The Demon Deacons have made only one trip to the NCAA Tournament since 2010 but it will be interesting to see how Forbes does with a more normal year under his belt. There is plenty of talent on the roster but the results may not come right away due to the strength of the ACC.