Syracuse, N.Y. ― We decided to delay the first ACC Power Rankings of the 2024-25 season until after the ACC/SEC Challenge and the first weekend of conference play.
We might’ve learned more than we bargained for.
What did we learn exactly? We learned that the ACC lacks the quality and the depth of the SEC. By a mile. The outcome of the ACC/SEC Challenge favored the It Just Means More conference by a final count of 14 to 2.
Duke and Clemson were the only ACC teams that managed to beat their SEC adversaries. Granted, those were two pretty nice wins. Duke took down a nationally ranked Auburn squad and Clemson upset Kentucky.
That made our top two choices in the ACC Power Rankings pretty easy decisions. After that? Woof.
But we did our best to break down the massive 18-team league even if the resumes started to blend together. Here’s what we came up with:
1. Duke
Record: 7-2 (1-0)
Last week’s result: Win 84-78 vs. Auburn; win 76-65 at Louisville
This week’s schedule: Tuesday vs. Incarnate Word
Why No. 1? The Blue Devils have challenged themselves with a rugged early schedule and this past week’s win over Auburn was very impressive. Also give Duke credit for rallying for a win at Louisville on Sunday.
Duke’s Cooper Flagg helped the Blue Devils to a win over Auburn last week in the ACC/SEC Challenge. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown)AP
2. Clemson
Record: 9-1 (1-0)
Last week’s result: Win 70-66 vs. Kentucky; win 65-55 at Miami
This week’s schedule: Saturday vs. Memphis
Why No. 2? The Tigers got a big Quad 1-type win this past week as they knocked off Kentucky. Clemson also avoided a letdown with a solid win at Miami on Saturday. Two key non-conference games remain against Memphis and at South Carolina.
3. Pittsburgh
Record: 8-2 (1-0)
Last week’s result: Loss 90-57 at Mississippi State; win 64-59 at Virginia Tech
This week’s schedule: Wednesday vs. Eastern Kentucky
Why No. 3? Pittsburgh got trucked by Mississippi State, but the Panthers still have some nice early wins over West Virginia, LSU and Ohio State.
4. SMU
Record: 8-2 (1-0)
Last week’s result: Win 101-72 vs. Alabama State; win 63-51 vs. Virginia
This week’s schedule: Saturday vs. LSU
Why No. 4? SMU’s best win is probably a 17-point victory over Washington State. The losses have been to Butler and Mississippi State. The Mustangs avoided the carnage of the ACC/SEC Challenge. This team bears watching.
5. Wake Forest
Record: 8-3 (1-0)
Last week’s result: Loss 57-44 at Texas A&M; win 72-66 vs. Boston College
This week’s schedule: No games scheduled
Why No. 5? Wake’s 8-3, but the Deacons haven’t suffered a bad loss. They’ve lost to Florida, Xavier and Texas A&M. It helps that Wake does have wins over Michigan and Minnesota.
6. Stanford
Record: 8-2 (1-0)
Last week’s result: Win 97-63 vs. Utah Valley; win 89-81 at Cal
This week’s schedule: No games scheduled
Why No. 6? Stanford has a very nice 8-2 record, but I can’t go any higher than No. 6 because the Cardinal hasn’t beaten anyone of note. There’s also a curious loss to Cal Poly. But the win at Cal meant Stanford joined only Duke, Clemson and Pitt with road wins on the first weekend of ACC play.
7. North Carolina
Record: 5-4 (1-0)
Last week’s result: Loss 94-79 to Alabama; win 68-65 vs. Georgia Tech
This week’s schedule: Saturday vs. LaSalle
Why No. 7? I’ll be real here. I had no idea where to slot the Tar Heels. Their best showing was probably a close loss at Kansas. Their best win was against Dayton in Maui. They’ve got four losses, but they’ve been against Alabama, Kansas, Auburn and Michigan State. I think Hubert Davis over-scheduled for this team, but the Tar Heels can be good if their frontline improves.
8. N.C. State
Record: 6-3 (1-0)
Last week’s result: Loss 63-59 vs. Texas; win 84-74 OT vs. Florida State
This week’s schedule: Tuesday vs. Coppin State; Saturday at Kansas
Why No. 8? Here we have another team with a decent record, no good wins and no bad losses. The Wolfpack has lost to Texas, Purdue and BYU. N.C. State did hold off Florida State in its ACC opener. That’s good enough for now.
9. Louisville
Record: 5-4 (0-1)
Last week’s result: Loss 86-63 vs. Ole Miss; loss 76-65 vs. Duke
This week’s schedule: Wednesday vs. UTEP; Saturday at Kentucky
Why No. 9? Louisville is just fine as long as it stays out of the SEC. Three of the Cardinals’ four losses have come against SEC teams: Tennessee, Ole Miss and Oklahoma. In addition to some injuries, Louisville plays at Kentucky this coming Saturday. And Kentucky is a member of the SEC.
10. Florida State
Record: 7-3 (0-1)
Last week’s result: Loss 85-75 at LSU; loss 84-74 OT at N.C. State
This week’s schedule: Saturday vs. Tulane
Why No. 10? Here we go again: Florida State’s 7-3 record is built on decent (at best) wins and no bad losses. The Seminoles have lost to LSU, Florida and N.C. State. The Seminoles had a chance to move way up in the rankings, but lost in overtime at N.C. State on Saturday.
11. Notre Dame
Record: 5-5 (1-0)
Last week’s result: Loss 69-48 at Georgia; win 69-64 vs. Syracuse
This week’s schedule: Wednesday vs. Dartmouth
Why No. 11? Notre Dame has lost to the likes of Houston, Creighton and Rutgers. There’s a bad loss to Elon. But the real reason I’ve got the Irish here? I couldn’t put them any lower after they won their conference opener on Saturday. Everybody else below them is 0-1 in the league. Not sure how long Notre Dame will stay this high with point guard Markus Burton on the shelf with a knee injury.
12. California
Record: 6-3 (0-1)
Last week’s result: Loss 98-93 at Missouri; loss 89-81 to Stanford
This week’s schedule: Tuesday vs. Cornell; Saturday vs. Northwestern State
Why No. 12? The Bears have lost to Missouri, Stanford and Vanderbilt. They’ve got a nice win over Southern California, which is probably one of the better wins for an ACC team so far this season.
13. Virginia
Record: 5-4 (0-1)
Last week’s result: Loss 87-69 at Florida; loss 63-51 at SMU
This week’s schedule: Thursday vs. Bethune-Cookman
Why No. 13? It’s hard to find separation between teams at this point. But I’ve got the Cavaliers ahead of those below them because of a win over Villanova and no bad losses (Florida, SMU, Tennessee, St. John’s).
14. Syracuse
Syracuse forward Jyare Davis tries to get off a shot in the Orange’s loss at Notre Dame on Saturday.
(Scott Schild | sschild@syracuse.com)
Scott Schild | sschild@syracuse.com
Record: 4-4 (0-1)
Last week’s result: Loss 96-70 at Tennessee; loss 69-64 at Notre Dame
This week’s schedule: Tuesday vs. Albany; Saturday vs. Georgetown
Why No. 14? This wasn’t a good week for the Orange. JJ Starling suffered a broken left hand, there was a blowout loss at Tennessee and then the Orange came up short late in a loss at Notre Dame. What’s more troubling than the losses have been the wins. Syracuse has barely survived scares from Le Moyne, Colgate, Youngstown State and Cornell.
15. Georgia Tech
Record: 4-5 (0-1)
Last week’s result: Loss 76-61 at Oklahoma; loss 68-65 at North Carolina
This week’s schedule: Sunday vs. Northwestern (in Milwaukee)
Why No. 15? Georgia Tech has five losses, but none to be ashamed of. The worst was to North Florida. But the Yellow Jackets almost zoomed up the rankings on Saturday when they had North Carolina on the ropes until fading late.
16. Boston College
Record: 6-4 (0-1)
Last week’s result: Loss 73-51 vs. South Carolina; loss 72-66 at Wake Forest
This week’s schedule: Sunday vs. Stonehill
Why No. 16? The Eagles don’t have any impressive wins and there’s a home loss to Dartmouth that’s dragging them down.
17. Virginia Tech
Record: 3-6 (0-1)
Last week’s result: Loss 86-64 to Vanderbilt; loss 64-59 to Pittsburgh
This week’s schedule: Thursday vs. North Carolina A&T; Sunday vs. Navy
Why No. 17? It’s been a tough start to the season for Virginia Tech, which suffered massive losses to the transfer portal after last year. After wins over Delaware State, USC Upstate and Winthrop to start the season, the Hokies have lost six in a row.
The Hokies are at No. 153 in KenPom’s rankings. Among the losses is a bad one to Jacksonville.
18. Miami
Record: 3-6 (0-1)
Last week’s result: Loss 76-73 vs. Arkansas; loss 65-55 to Clemson
This week’s schedule: Tuesday vs. Tennessee at Madison Square Garden; Sunday vs. Presbyterian
Why No. 18? Miami is similar to Virginia Tech having won its first three games before losing its last six. The wins came against Fairleigh Dickinson, Binghamton and Coppin State. There’s a bad loss to Charleston Southern, but none have been by more than 11 points, so there’s hope the ‘Canes can turn this around.
