ACC Football Power Rankings Week 12: Yellow Jackets Take Back the ACC Throne

Just when the ACC couldn't get more chaotic, week 11 decided to knock down the top two teams in the conference.

The College Football Playoff committee revealed its first rankings of the year last week. Virginia was the highest-ranked team at 14, with Louisville, Georgia Tech, Miami, and Pittsburgh all placing below the Cavaliers. That is certain to change heading into week 12. Those same five teams placed in the newest AP Top 25 poll. Georgia Tech regained the highest polling, with the gap between the rest of the field tightening.

The final stretch of conference games will test who really deserves a shot at making the playoffs. Here's how all 17 teams fare against each other in the ACC.

Welcome back to the mountain top, Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets did the least amount of work needed to regain the top spot in the ACC. They sat and watched as Virginia and Louisville were upset. While it'll be easier to move on from their loss against NC State, there's still a sour taste left in the mouths of fans. This game was the definition of stepping outside Georgia Tech’s comfort zone. The Yellow Jackets aren’t used to playing from behind, and while they’ve managed comebacks against less explosive offenses, NC State proved to be a different challenge.

Quarterback Haynes King put together one of the best statistical performances of his career, throwing for 408 yards, rushing for 103 more, and accounting for four total touchdowns. Still, his effort couldn’t overcome the breakdowns in the secondary, which was routinely picked apart throughout the day. With several tough opponents looming after Boston College, Georgia Tech must tighten up defensively if it wants to stay competitive down the stretch.

This loss seemed inevitable for the Cavaliers after how they've played this season. They tested their own fate after countless tight fourth quarters. If there was any team lined up to take this one from Virginia, it was Wake Forest. They've been on the opposite end of games that the Cavaliers have taken from teams. This was a test of whether they could regain their form and prove that their earlier success wasn’t a fluke. Losing Chandler Morris was the final blow in a game that was never in Virginia's favor. His status going forward will be the deciding factor on whether the Hoos can go after the ACC title.

Miami got its groove back against a depleted Syracuse team. Malachi Toney has been heating up as of late, but it was Keelan Marion who stole the show for the Hurricanes. He took the place of an injured CJ Daniels on the boundary and took advantage of the opportunity. He was a big play machine, with 116 yards on three catches and a touchdown. Toney still got on the stat sheet, however, throwing for his first touchdown on a trick play. The Hurricane defense was expected to dominate, and they did just that.

It's Tricky... it's Tricky (Tricky) Tricky (Tricky) 🙌🎵

📺: ESPN pic.twitter.com/rowdrK0BBw
— Miami Hurricanes Football (@CanesFootball) November 8, 2025

Most have heard the name Rueben Bain Jr., a projected first-round pick in next year's NFL Draft. He's shown incredible skill in both run fits and pass rushes. While he got to the quarterback, he wasn't the star of the show. Akheem Mesidor was all over the place, notching 1.5 sacks and 3.5 TFLs. The team finished with seven sacks and continues to have one of the most dynamic pass rushes in the nation. A factor that will certainly be key in their pursuit of the postseason.

Another team that rose in the rankings on bye was the Panthers. They've been waiting for an opportunity to open up, and now the ball is in the Panthers' court to take advantage of it.

Heintschel has completely transformed Pittsburgh’s offense since taking over at quarterback for Eli Holstein. Under his leadership, the Panthers have scored 30 or more points in five straight games, with Heintschel eclipsing the 300-yard passing mark in four. His aggressiveness and confidence have given this unit a new identity, even if occasional turnovers still crop up. With Pittsburgh now in the playoff rankings, they have a true shot at the ACC title game.10th-ranked Notre Dame lies ahead, followed by Georgia Tech and Miami. Their next three opponents will be the biggest gauntlet possible in the ACC.

The Cardinals kept it too close for comfort against Virginia Tech, and Cal was ready for the opportunity to upset them. Louisville faced the Golden Bears without Isaac Brown. Without their star back, an ACC-altering upset was within grasp. The expectation of Miller Moss taking games over may be something that fades the Cardinals' chances of making the ACC Championship. He was expected to step up, and instead took the team back. They hadn't performed well in overtime before, and the same trend took over. This is still a very talented offense without Brown. However, a team that's been forgotten in the grand scheme of the ACC has been heating up on offense. The Tigers could be the next ones on the hunt for an upset if the Cardinals don't adjust from their loss on Saturday.

Kevin Jennings kept rolling against Boston College after they took down Miami. He now leads in passing yards amongst Power Four quarterbacks, at 2,810 yards. He's now had two straight games throwing over 300 yards. SMU's offense remains one of the best in the ACC, yet something still doesn't feel right.

Kevin Jennings career ranks for @SMUFB
🏈 2nd completion pct. (64.4%)
🏈 4th total offense (7,407)
🏈 4th TD responsibility (58)
🏈 5th passing yards (6,878)
🏈 5th TD passes (50)
🏈 6th completions (551)
🏈 7th 300-yard games (6) https://t.co/7ZlAPlYREj
— SMU Stats & Info (@SMUStatsInfo) November 9, 2025

The one thing that continues to be hard to get over is his trend of turnovers. Even when Jennings has good games, or even dominant ones, he still puts the ball in harm's way. He passes with such high volume that it doesn't look bad on his season stats. He sits at 21 touchdowns to nine interceptions on the year. When looking at his game logs, those interceptions don't just come on bad days. In nine of his 10 outings, he's turned the ball over. He's had just two zero-interception games against Miami and Stanford. Even against Miami, he lost a fumble. The scoring potential is through the roof every week, and Jennings still shows tons of promise. The ball security holds the team's ceiling back in the long run and brings reluctance pertaining to their height in the ACC ranks.

Wake Forest is the talk of the town after being the ones to take advantage of a close matchup against Virginia. They're not the first to take down the Cavaliers in the ACC, but they are the first to do so in an ACC-sanctioned game. Some may point to the absence of Chandler Morris as what took down Virginia. The Demon Deacons led throughout the matchup, however. Virginia was ranked 14th in the playoff rankings for more than just their quarterback. Wake Forest didn't light it up on offense, and Demond Claiborne had a mediocre day for his standards. They've had plenty of close matchups not go their way this season. This win shouldn't be excused because of injury. They are arguably one of the best-coached units in the nation based on what their preseason expectations were. The Florida State loss stung, but this is the best possible way to erase that from fans' memories.

This game was more than a much-needed upset. The Golden Bears hadn't performed well in the ACC this year. They lost in double overtime to the team that was scoreless against the Cardinals the week prior. This team is as scrappy as they come. They walked into Louisville's home turf like it was their own and fought until the very end. Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele looked exceptional. His connection to Jacob De Jesus has been strong all year and proved to be the winning factor against the Cardinals. JKS kept the ball clean and stretched the field better than he has all season. He might not have shown quite the dual-threat ability he's capable of, but the true freshman got the job done every time he was called upon. After losing a Heisman candidate in Fernando Mendoza to Indiana, the Golden Bears might have something special in their young Hawaiian star.

CAL UPSETS NO. 15 LOUISVILLE ON THE ROAD IN OT 🤯 pic.twitter.com/tMuPPZdiUF
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 9, 2025

NC State had the pleasure of sitting on its upset victory against Georgia Tech for a week. As they prepare for Miami, there's plenty of offensive firepower for the Hurricanes to be afraid of. CJ Bailey was unstoppable in the absence of top running back Hollywood Smothers, delivering a near-flawless performance through the air while showcasing his dual-threat ability against one of the ACC’s strongest front sevens.

Jayden "Duke" Scott also stepped up, filling in for Smothers with over 200 total yards and a touchdown, proving the depth and versatility of the Wolfpack’s offense. This upset perfectly captures the story of NC State’s season: when the offense is clicking, the team is extremely difficult to beat. Unfortunately, inconsistent play on the defensive side has kept the team from fully reflecting the potential of their high-powered offense in the win-loss column.

Darian Mensah has been the quarterback to watch in the ACC. After he showed out against Clemson, he was getting national buzz the likes he hadn't seen all year. So when he faced off against UConn, Duke was expected to take the game over. The Huskies have been quietly great this year despite not playing the greatest of competition. Mensah had a solid day for most players' standards, but it ended up being one of his weaker showings of the year. He was bested by UConn's Joe Fagnano, who now sits at second in the nation in passing yardage. While the window was slim for the ACC title, Duke now remains nothing but bowl-hopeful for the remainder of the season. The future is still bright with Mensah as their quarterback, however.

Dabo Swinney's last push for bowl eligibility is back on. A duel against Duke last week showed how much gas is still in the tank on offense. Now that they weren't facing one of the best passers in the country, the Tigers took over against Florida State. Antonio Williams has been relied on heavily without Bryan Wesco Jr. in the mix. He's filled that role well, finding the endzone in back-to-back weeks. Cade Klubnik has been poised since he came back from injury to get everything he can out of this season. They have all the talent to make these final games close. Defensive studs like Aevion Terrell, Peter Woods, and TJ Parker can make a difference on defense. With a weakened Louisville offense coming off an upset, the Tigers could return to .500.

This play had it all 😮‍💨🏈

📺 ACCN || @a_williams2022 pic.twitter.com/YV1jSl518F
— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) November 9, 2025

Every week, the Mike Norvell hot seat fluctuates. Sometimes he's the story of the week, and every insider is watching their phones waiting for a call about his relief. Then he'll turn around, have a great week, and silence any rumors. It's fair to assume the worst about troubled head coaches when the college football landscape has been shifted time and time again. The best thing to come out of this season has been Duce Robinson. He continues to be the spark in this offense as a towering deep threat. He sits at 813 receiving yards, ranking sixth among Power Four wideouts and second in the ACC. Unfortunately, the Seminoles ' lack of success has clouded over his. They've fared well in the past against Virginia Tech. The Hokies have had some tight ACC contests and are ready for an upset coming off a bye.

The quiet push for bowl eligibility is upon the Tar Heels. Their latest victories against both California and Stanford have set them up for a possibility that was once not thought of for this group. Stanford might have been a little too close for comfort, but North Carolina will take the wins when they can get them. The run game was absent. Gio Lopez stepped up for the lack of ground game with 203 yards and two touchdowns. The defense has continuously been building up and was outstanding versus the Cardinal. They brought down Elijah Brown nine times. Both Melkart Abou Jaoude and Tyler Thompson had three sacks. Abou Jaoude now leads the ACC in sacks with 10 and ties for third in the FBS. Thompson isn't far behind in the ACC ranks, with his seven sacks sitting at third. Bill Belichick is working his defensive magic for the Tar Heels.

The story in Blacksburg remains their hunt for a head coach, but the Hokies could have a couple of upsets up their sleeve. Their Friday night win against Cal showed every ounce of potential this team has. They were neck and neck with the Cardinals all the way to the end and could be in for a similar contest against the Seminoles. The run game went from misguided to the heart of the offense. Kyron Drones looks the most comfortable he's been all year, but still hasn't found his footing through the air. The secondary has to step up against Duce Robinson. The front seven will be dialed in on containing Tommy Castellanos. With Kemari Copeland playing the way he has as of late, he'll be focused on throughout every down for the Seminoles' offensive line. Names that have been looked past need to step up in order for the Hokies to walk into Tallahassee and upset Florida State as heavy underdogs.

⬇️ pic.twitter.com/f1hTunj2Ba
— Virginia Tech Football (@HokiesFB) November 1, 2025

Elijah Brown had a long day. He was pressure constantly from strat to finish. The fact that the Cardinal kept it within one score in the final score is shocking considering the nine sacks they gave up. Cole Tabb has been a great back for them since stepping into a lead role. Micah Ford came back from injury and made Tabb an afterthought. However, Ford wasn't impressive for the Tar Heels against UNC. Tabb still found the endzone with limited touches and should get more usage going into their game against Cal. They need every bit of juice they can on offense, especially with their quarterback being pressured at the rate he was.

When a depleted unit faces talent like Syracuse has, the picture is never going to be pretty. Fran Brown has tried to get the most out of Rickie Collins. With 10 interceptions to six touchdowns, that potential may not have much else to go. The unfortunate thing is that there's nowhere else the Orange can look. Joseph Filardi checked in and got his first touchdown, but the upside is unknown for him. The defense hasn't held its own all year, and Brown has established a system that is reliant on their passing game. No matter who they put in at quarterback, the outlook won't change.

Make that nine straight losses for the Eagles. Another week at the bottom of the ACC has put the Eagles in a position to only look forward. Dylan Lonergan was called upon due to a hip pointer injury to Grayson James. While James played through it against Notre Dame, he was given just a few naps against the Mustangs. Lonergan hasn't been much of a spark in 2025, and that trend continued. His yardage eclipses his highest mark since week three, but the negative game script played a heavy part in that. With Georgia Tech as their next matchup, it would take a miracle for the Eagles to get back into the win column.

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