ACC Football Power Rankings: Week Five

With week four of college football now wrapped up, some of the ACC teams have shifted within the updated power rankings.

Unsurprisingly, Miami continues to hold the helm for one more week, but many programs have found new placements. Time will tell who will have a shot at reaching the ACC Championship, but some teams are much closer than others.

17. Wake Forest (2-1)

During Wake Forest's last matchup on Sept. 11, they faced NC State. Needless to say, the outcome was rather disappointing for the Demon Deacons, but that doesn't diminish the effort they put into the game. They were off this past week but will soon be gearing up for their next appearance against Georgia Tech.

16. Virginia Tech (1-3)

The beginning of Virginia tech's season was anything but successful. It wasn't until this week when finally made a comeback while playing Wofford. The Hokies' season is filled with uncertainty right now, but there's certainly time for things to turn around. This could be the case if they can keep their momentum high heading into their game against NC State.

15. North Carolina (2-2)

It's undeniable that North Carolina had a hideous start to the season which was made evident early on once they faced a blowout loss to TCU in week one. Since then, they've slowly been making forward progress, but not fast enough. Their latest loss took place on Saturday when UCF clinched the victory 34-9. With such a dreadful start, the Tar Heels have dropped down in the power rankings.

14. Boston College (1-2)

Boston College hit the ground running this season, but they've slowly started to pull back. Their last matchup took place on Sept. 13, which ended in a loss by Stanford. Their next appearance will be against California next weekend.

13. Stanford (1-3)

To be candid, expectations have been low for Stanford. On Saturday, they dropped yet another game, this time against Virginia. So far, the only victory they've secured was on Sept. 13 when Boston College fell behind. Despite the low expectations, there is always a chance that they could surprise everyone.

12. Duke (2-2)

Duke Footbal — Sep 20, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils wide receiver Cooper Barkate (18) runs for a touchdown in the third quarter against the NC State Wolfpack at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

After uncertainty loomed, Duke was able to rally and secure a 45-33 victory against NC State on Saturday. The Blue Devils have been experiencing a rocky season thus far, but is this a turning point for the program?

11. Pittsburgh (2-1)

Pittsburgh is on a break this week, but the clock is still ticking. Next weekend, they will play against Louisville.

10. Clemson (1-3)

Clemson just endured a gut-wrenching loss to Syracuse over the weekend. However, this isn't the type of program to wallow in self-pity for long. They've made remarkable comebacks in the past, and they are certainly capable of doing so again.

9. California (3-1)

Hopes were held high for California has they entered their recent matchup against San Diego State. Unfortunately, all hopes blew away once the second quarter rolled around as the Aztecs surged ahead. The Golden Bears tried to rally, but ended up walking away with a brutal 34-0 loss. Prior to Saturday, California appeared to be in a good spot, so this was a bit of a shocking result.

8. Virginia (3-1)

Sep 20, 2025; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Virginia Cavaliers running back Harrison Waylee (21) carries the ball as Stanford Cardinal linebacker Zach Johnson (38) attempts a tackle during the fourth quarter at Scott Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Overall, Virginia is in a solid spot with a record of 3-1. Saturday's matchup was against Stanford, and the Cavaliers immediately took the lead in the first quarter. The final score reached 48-20, allowing Virginia to walk away with their heads held high. Soon, they will face Florida State, which will mark the end of their month.

7. SMU (2-2)

SMU had an ugly loss to TCU over the weekend after managing to pull off a win against Missouri State. There have been some glaring inconsistencies with SMU this season. Will they be able to turn it around before facing Syracuse?

6. NC State (3-1)

NC State managed to hold a clean record for a few weeks, but after their loss to Duke, they're now 3-1. Things aren't looking great for the program right now, but they might be able to pull off a win against Virginia Tech next week.

5. Syracuse (3-1)

Considering the massive upset that Syracuse had over Clemson on Saturday, it's no surprise that they've found a new home in the power rankings. With another win under their belt, they are heading into their matchup against Duke with some additional confidence.

4. Florida State (3-0)

After such a colossal victory on Saturday against Kent State, Florida State was bound to rise in the power rankings. During week four,

3. Louisville (3-0)

Louisville took a few days off but resumed play on Saturday when they played Bowling Green. The Cardinals clung onto their winning streak and brought home a 40-17 victory.

2. Georgia Tech (4-0)

Georgia Tech has been a consistent program that continues to display immense skill on the field. They played their latest game on Saturday against Temple and won with a whopping score of 45-24. Next week, they will be facing Wake Forest — one can imagine how that game is likely to play out.

1. Miami (4-0)

Unsurprisingly, Miami has survived another week atop the latest power rankings. So far, the program has served as a dominating force on the field throughout the season. They kicked off the season on the right foot by defeating Notre Dame right off the bat, later followed with consecutive wins against Bethune-Cookman, South Florida and the Florida Gators. With a clean streak of victory, taking their place at No. 1 will be no easy feat.