College football rankings 2021: Projected Week 14 AP Top 25 after Michigan downs Ohio State, Alabama escapes, Oklahoma collapses in Bedlam

18. Wake Forest Demon Deacons

The task at hand was simple for Wake Forest, at least on paper. If the Sam Hartman-led Demon Deacons could go on the road to Chestnut Hill and beat a feisty Boston College team, then they would be headed for an ACC Championship Game matchup against Pittsburgh. While some thought that task might be a bit too much for a team that has stumbled as of late, the Deacs took care of business.

Not only was Hartman back in form with another big game to add to his résumé but the Wake defense played one of their best games of the season, helping lead the way to an impressive 41-10 victory that puts them in the conference title matchup. This has been a dream season in many capacities for Wake Forest, so it was good to see them put the exclamation point on it.

17. Pittsburgh Panthers

With their spot in the ACC Championship Game already secured, the Panthers seemed like they might be in line to do the Pitt thing under Pat Narduzzi that has frustrated so many fans over the years: lose a game that they have no business even being in danger of losing. So when Syracuse jumped out to a 7-0 first-quarter lead, that was the thought on almost everyone’s mind.

Instead, Kenny Pickett again proved that this iteration of Pitt is different than the ones that preceded it. The all-star quarterback threw for four touchdowns — passing Dan Marino’s single-season school record in the process — as he led the Panthers to the 31-14 victory on the road in the Carrier Dome. 10-win Pitt is now a reality.