ACC power rankings: Miami hangs on to top spot, Duke and SMU make moves up after Week 5

It was an eventful week in the ACC, even as some of its better teams were getting some much-needed rest during bye weeks.

The league’s highest-ranked team survived an upset bid in the most dramatic fashion possible, with what would have been the game-winning 30-yard touchdown reception as time expired getting overturned after a lengthy video review. One of the conference’s newcomers thumped the preseason favorite, with a former U.S. president and a Pro Football Hall of Famer among those in attendance to soak up the triumph.

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Here’s how the ACC’s 17 teams stack up after Week 5 of the 2024 college football season:

ACC football power rankings

1. Miami (5-0, 1-0 ACC)

• Last week: 1

• This week: at Cal

After winning each of their first four games by at least 24 points, the Hurricanes had to sweat a bit before earning their fifth victory of the season — and not just because of the oppressive south Florida heat. Miami trailed Virginia Tech by 10 points with nine minutes remaining, but got two late touchdown passes from Cam Ward, along with a hotly debated reversal of what would have been a game-winning touchdown for the Hokies, to remain undefeated.

2. Clemson (3-1, 2-0)

• Last week: 2

• This week: at Florida State

The Tigers continue to impress, having won their past three games by an average of 32 points. In the most recent of those victories, Clemson overcame a porous run defense and a subpar evening from quarterback Cade Klubnik — who threw for four touchdowns, but completed only 15 of his 31 passes — to beat Stanford 40-14.

3. Pitt (4-0)

• Last week: 5

• This week: at North Carolina

The Panthers were idle over the weekend after an unblemished run through nonconference play. Their ACC slate begins with a game at North Carolina, where they’re 0-4 against the Tar Heels since joining the league in 2013.

4. Boston College (4-1, 1-0)

• Last week: 4

• This week: at Virginia

The Eagles needed two touchdowns in the final 12 minutes to eke by Western Kentucky at home, 21-20. Without injured starting quarterback Thomas Castellanos, the Boston College offense struggled against a porous Hilltoppers defense, finishing with just 285 total yards and 4.4 yards per play.

5. Louisville (3-1, 1-0)

• Last week: 3

• This week: vs. SMU

The Cardinals’ unbeaten season came to an end after a fourth-quarter comeback attempt fell short in a 31-24 loss at Notre Dame, a game in which they outgained the Irish by a 437-283 margin. Three turnovers and poor clock management undid Jeff Brohm’s team, which has another big game on deck against surging SMU.

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6. SMU (4-1, 1-0)

• Last week: 9

• This week: at No. 22 Louisville

The Mustangs’ ACC debut went as well as it could have, with Eric Dickerson and George W. Bush on hand to see them wallop Florida State 42-16. Since an 18-15 loss to what is now a ranked BYU team, SMU’s offense has excelled under starting quarterback Kevin Jennings, with 108 combined points in wins against TCU and Florida State the past two weeks.

7. Duke (5-0, 1-0)

• Last week: 8

• This week: at Georgia Tech

The Blue Devils remained undefeated with their most thrilling and resounding victory yet, coming back from a 20-0 deficit in the final 21 minutes to defeat rival North Carolina 21-20. Manny Diaz’s defense came up big when it needed to, holding the Tar Heels to 85 yards across their final five drives, only one of which got past midfield. A game next week at Georgia Tech could be revealing for Duke — and, with a win, already get it to bowl eligibility.

8. Syracuse (3-1, 1-1)

• Last week: 6

• This week: at No. 23 UNLV

The Orange bounced back from a heartbreaking loss the previous week against Stanford by pulling away from FCS Holy Cross 42-14, a game it led by only a touchdown with one minute remaining in the second quarter. The drop in the rankings has less to do with coach Fran Brown’s team than it does with big wins from those just behind it.

9. Georgia Tech (3-2, 1-2)

• Last week: 7

• This week: vs. Duke

Brent Key, Haynes King and the Yellow Jackets were idle this past week, a break for a team that began its season a week before much of the rest of the sport. Like Syracuse, Georgia Tech’s modest drop is a product of Duke and SMU’s wins, not the missteps of a team that wasn’t even playing.

10. Cal (3-1, 0-1)

• Last week: 11

• This week: vs. No. 8 Miami

The Golden Bears were off last week, but they didn’t need a game to get a bit of good news — they’ll be the host site of ESPN’s “College GameDay” next Saturday ahead of their game against Miami, the first time the popular pregame show has ever made its way to Berkeley.

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11. Virginia (3-1, 1-0)

• Last week: 12

• This week: vs. Boston College

The Cavaliers’ 3-1 start is their best since 2019, a season in which they made the ACC championship game and the Orange Bowl. That kind of history is unlikely to repeat itself, but it was an encouraging September for third-year coach Tony Elliott.

12. Stanford (2-2, 1-1)

• Last week: 10

• This week: vs. Virginia Tech

The Cardinal wasn’t able to pull off road upsets in back-to-back weeks, falling to Clemson 40-14. Though quarterback Ashton Daniels was picked off three times, Stanford largely had its way on the ground, with Daniels and Micah Ford combining for 209 yards and eight yards per carry.

13. NC State (3-2, 0-1)

• Last week: 14

• This week: vs. Wake Forest

The Wolfpack rebounded from a lopsided loss at Clemson to pick up a 24-17 home win against coach Dave Doeren’s former team, Northern Illinois, which is no small feat (just ask Notre Dame). NC State’s offense, though, continued to languish, finishing with just 176 total yards and 3.8 yards per play.

14. Virginia Tech (2-3, 0-1)

• Last week: 15

• This week: at Stanford

The Hokies very nearly scored a monumental upset of Miami that would have shaken up the ACC title race, but Kyron Drones’ 30-yard pass to Da'Quan Felton as time expired was determined to be incomplete after initially being ruled a touchdown catch. Bhayshul Tuten was exceptional for Virginia Tech in the loss, rushing for 141 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. The Hokies’ latest setback only added to a maddening start to the 2024 season, one in which their three losses have come by a combined 14 points.

15. North Carolina (3-2, 0-1)

• Last week: 13

• This week: vs. Pitt

Despite maintaining a winning record, the Tar Heels’ season is inching toward disaster. One week after allowing 70 points to James Madison in a 20-point loss, coach Mack Brown’s team gave up three late touchdowns to rival Duke on its way to squandering a 20-point third-quarter lead in a 21-20 loss. The loss carried some extra sting for Brown, who fired Duke coach Manny Diaz as his defensive coordinator two games into Texas’ 2013 season.

16. Florida State (1-4, 1-3)

• Last week: 16

• This week: at No. 14 Clemson

The Seminoles’ 14-9 win against Cal in Week 4 appears to have been more of a temporary reprieve than a true turning point. Florida State was outscored 28-7 in the second half of a 26-point loss at SMU and was outgained for the game by nearly 200 total yards. If the Seminoles don’t pick things up next week against Clemson, it could get ugly.

17. Wake Forest (1-3, 0-1)

• Last week: 17

• This week: at NC State

What had already been a tough season for the Demon Deacons got even more difficult last Saturday with a home loss against Louisiana. Two of Wake Forest’s three losses this year have come by a combined four points, but it’s still allowing 37.3 points per game against FBS opponents.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: ACC power rankings: Duke, SMU move up after big wins in Week 5