ACC Football Power Rankings Entering Week 9: A New Top Team in the ACC
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The ACC continues to be wide open for anyone's taking.
Four teams sit on the AP Top 25 poll, but there are a couple of teams that are eyeing to make a change. Only a few teams look the same as they did in week one. Programs that were playoff-hopeful are now looking for a fresh start. There has been a plethora of head coaches fired throughout the nation. With a new face sitting at the top of the ACC, here's how all 17 programs rank more than halfway through the season.
Congratulations Georgia Tech, you are the new top dog in the ACC!
It seemed like Miami had a firm grip on the number one spot. Now, the Yellow Jackets remain undefeated and are No. 7 on the AP Poll. Haynes King continued his two-way dominance this week against Duke. It was a tight contest through three quarters, but King pulled through during the clutch as he's been wont to do this season. Brent Key has both side of the ball moving with precision. Their run game is arguably the best in the nation. One of the best stories in college football gets even better with an all-time campaign in the making.
Some may think Miami needs to fall further, but this last loss wasn't on the team. Carson Beck has to take this one on the chin. Four interceptions after playing like one of the best quarterbacks in the country was substandard to how Beck has playe this season. The fact that the Hurricanes remained in this game throughout those tribulations shows how talented this team is. If they got outplayed through four quarters, they might be dropped out of the top three. If Beck cleans up his game just a tad, however, Miami likely walks out of this game on top. They'll still compete on a national level, but if this is what Beck looks like in big games, the ceiling may not be as high as once thought.
Credit to the Cardinals for taking advantage of the opportunities given to them. Miller Moss looked exceptional in the pockets and made big plays whenever they were needed. Chris Bell continued to build on his breakout campaign with a 136-yard, two touchdown outing. Isaac Brown looked 100% after a handful of quiet games. That may have been a result of him getting healthy. Against Miami, he returned to his efficient play out of the backfield and finished with his third 100-yard game of the season. Now that they've earned a spot in the AP Poll, the nation is being put on notice of what Jeff Brohm is brewing.
Chandler Morris and the Cavaliers keep rolling to 5-1, but this one wasn't pretty. They should've beaten Washington State with confidence and instead, narrowly escaped with a win. They were quiet across the board on offense. Nobody rushed over 50 yards, and the team averaged only 3.8 yards per carry. Chandler Morris was accurate but didn't stretch the field like he has in other matchups. Virginia's defense saved them with a game-deciding safety. The 'Hoos should be in the ACC Championship based on their record and remaining schedule. This game, however, did leave some doubt offensively.
The Mustangs have officially returned to their standard. After some shaky games to out-of-conference opponents, they remain a force within the ACC. SMU handled a battered and broken Clemson squad and silenced their hopes of climbing back up the ACC ladder. Tailback Chris Johnson built off his breakout with another efficient day. He finished with 59 yards and a touchdown on just six touches. With him outpacing lead back T.J. Harden, Johnson could run his way into more opportunities. Signal-caller Kevin Jennings threw his seventh interception of the year in just as many games, but remained a high-scoring quarterback. Jennings has tallied only one game with less than two passing touchdowns this year.
WITH THE EXCLAMATION POINT‼️
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) October 18, 2025
Chris Johnson Jr. weaves his way through traffic to secure the win for Clemson@SMUFB | @SMUMustangs | #PonyUp | @CPISecurity pic.twitter.com/NXT6tGaMOq
Mason Heintschel being what turns the Panthers around was not on my bingo card in 2025. However, if anything, the defense pulled through for Pitt. Both Heintschel and Desmond Reid were quiet in this one. The Rickey Collins experiment might have ended this weekend, with Pitt forcing three turnovers from Collins and bringing him down twice. This was a barn burner from start to finish, which was expected. The Panthers played conservatively once they controlled the pace of the game and won with confidence.
There were opportunities in this one for Duke to take the game, and they didn't. The heart and soul of this team is Darian Mensah and the offense. Looking back at Mensah's performance, he may have had one of his best of the year. He finished with 373 yards and two touchdowns and willed the Blue Devils into this matchup. He sits second in the nation among FBS quarterbacks in passing yards and has no sign of slowing down. But asking any defense to stop Georgia Tech is a Herculean task. A big fourth quarter silenced any chance at an upset. They couldn't pressure King at all during dropbacks and had trouble containing him. They suppressed their backfield about as good as anyone has this year, but King prevailed supreme in the end with 120 rushing yards. This is still a competitive team that will be bowl-eligible nonetheless.
Darian Mensah is incredible 🧨 pic.twitter.com/qIL2Yp6MAf
— CFB Kings (@CFBKings) October 18, 2025
The Wolfpack were on a bye this week, coming off the heels of a blowout loss against the Fighting Irish. This wasn’t a game the Wolfpack were expected to win, but their lack of competitiveness was still striking. Notre Dame looked every bit like a team coming off a championship run, and they delivered on that expectation. Hollywood Smothers was missing, leaving the front seven to dominate the trenches. C.J. Bailey tried to carry the offense himself, a role he’s shown flashes of excelling in all season. Against the Fighting Irish, though, he couldn’t find his rhythm. Three interceptions quickly put the game out of reach. With a motivated Panthers squad waiting after the bye, the Wolfpack will need to reset and focus.
This may be the lowest-ranked five-win team in the nation solely based on their strength of schedule. When the Golden Bears have been tested, they've appeared lackluster. But the matchups they're favored in, they handle. They have a massive trap game lined up for them in Blacksburg on Friday night. All eyes will be on true freshman Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele. He escaped with a win against North Carolina. He kept the ball out of harm's way and moved the offense down the field effectively. Jacob De Jesus had his best game of the year, and Kendrick Raphael continues to build a solid season as the lead back. The back half of ACC play will test Cal significantly more, but 5-2 is a great record no matter how easy a schedule is. The eye test is a big factor in these rankings and that's where Cal is faulted the most.
Probably my favorite shot of the night 🎥
— Brad (@Graham_SFN) October 19, 2025
Cal Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele hits Jacob De Jesus for a touchdown vs UNC pic.twitter.com/flGzuUaF7i
Wake Forest has had an extra week to prepare for a hot Mustangs team. They couldn't pull through against NC State and Georgia Tech and could've easily lost to the Hokies, had Virginia Tech managed the ball better. They ran through a winless Oregon State squad and continue to outplay expectations. With the Mustangs gaining traction at the right time, the Demon Deacons will likely find themselves in another tight contest. They still need to prove they can come out on top against greater opponents. If they can't pull through against SMU, however, they'll likely stay in this range of the rankings.
As if things couldn't get worse for Dabo Swinney, the Tigers are now being hit with the injury bug. They entered the game without stating quarterback Cade Klubnik. On Saturday, they lost wide receiver Bryan Wesco Jr. and offensive lineman Colin Sadler. The Tigers continue to feel endless woes despite the evident talent scattered throughout the roster. With the slew of head coaches being let go, it won't be long before Swinney is held accountable for a tumultuous 2025 season.
Stanford has as many wins as Florida State and Clemson. It's funny how college football works. Frank Reich had easily his best win since being named interim head coach. Fans stormed the field after upsetting the Seminoles. The vibes have never been higher for general manager Andrew Luck. The passing attack was nonexistent outside of two receivers, but the Cardinal run game was exceptional. Cole Tabb was called upon as the workhorse and showed out. 118 yards and a touchdown led Stanford to an unforgettable statement win.
Is there any shock here that the Seminoles are the biggest fallers? Simply put, there's no reason they should've lost this game. The buyout for head whistle Mike Norvell wouldn't be cheap, but what is the ceiling of the program underneath his coaching? Tommy Castellanos' injury makes this team significantly less competitive in the ACC. After the start that was week one, this fall from grace is truly stunning. There is no indication of where to go next.
Syracuse remains directionless since the loss of Steve Angeli. There's no telling how long the Rickie Collins experience goes on, but what other choice do the Orange have? He continues to make enough plays on the ground to warrant snaps. He was eager to make the big plays when needed, but just couldn't keep the ball secure. There aren't many matchups ahead of them that are in their favor. Fran Brown can try his best, but this season looks to be crashing post-Angeli injury.
The Hokies entered their bye week following a blowout loss to the ACC’s top team. Hopes of reaching .500 faded after narrow defeats to Wake Forest and Georgia Tech. The 2025 loss in Atlanta marked Virginia Tech’s first road defeat to the Yellow Jackets since 2019. Georgia Tech controlled the game on the ground, taking advantage of the Hokies’ continued struggles against the run. Quarterback Kyron Drones committed multiple turnovers, and the offense failed to find rhythm. Virginia Tech hasn’t played complementary football since its win over NC State, but an extra week of preparation before a primetime matchup offers a chance to regroup.
2025 continues to be forgettable for North Carolina. A full offseason of recruiting for Bill Belichick has never looked more valuable. This team doesn't feel complete and struggles to mesh. They had an opportunity to take this game from Cal, but the Golden Bears played off each other better. There's still a mountain of work to be done on this program, and this past week was no exception. Rome wasn't built in a day, so the benefit of time can be given to Belichick. If he can just get out of 2025 and never think about it again, then things will start to come together. There's plenty of season left, though.
Boston College turned to a new quarterback in Grayson James but still came up short against UConn. Running back Jordan McDonald was a bright spot, rushing for 123 yards on 23 carries, though the rest of the backfield struggled to maintain consistency. The Eagles dropped their sixth straight game as the Huskies pulled away late. With upcoming matchups against Louisville, Notre Dame, SMU, Georgia Tech and Syracuse, Boston College may have to wait until the season finale against the Orange for another chance at a win.
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Brett Holmes has been covering the Hokies as a Sports Media & Analytics student at the school for the past two years. Alongside writing, he works behind the scenes as a production assistant for Virginia Tech's athletic production organization Hokie Vision. In his free time, he produces his own podcast, Holmes Field Advantage, on his YouTube. You can find him on X @_BrettHolmes
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