ACC Football Power Rankings: Top Of Conference Unchanged After Week 2

The action across the ACC picked up in Week 2 of the 2026 college football season.

The ACC delivered a few impressive non-conference victories, with Duke and Wake Forest taking down Big Ten programs on the road. There was also a sizeable defeat, as Georgia Tech fell to No. 18 Tennessee in Atlanta, 45-24.

While there's no movement at the top, there were some changes to our weekly ACC Power Rankings in the middle of September.

ACC Power Rankings After Week 2

1. Miami Hurricanes (2-0, 1-0 ACC)

Sep 10, 2026; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal gestures after defeating Florida A&M Rattlers at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Last week: No. 1

Miami did what it was supposed to do in Week 2. The Hurricanes built a 77-0 advantage against FAMU and didn't surrender a touchdown until the fourth quarter.

Quarterback Darian Mensah wasn't on the field long, but looked sharp again, completing 14/15 passes for 252 yards with 3 touchdowns.

Miami travels to Wake Forest on Friday night.

2. SMU Mustangs (2-0, 1-0 ACC)

Last week: No. 2

SMU rolled over UC Davis with a 56-10 win on Saturday. There's not a whole lot to take away. Star quarterback Kevin Jennings continued his hot start, connecting on 14/16 passes for 337 yards and 5 touchdowns.

The Mustangs travel to No. 23 Louisville on Saturday afternoon, the only matchup involving two ranked ACC teams in Week 3.

That will tell us a lot about SMU and Louisville.

3. Louisville Cardinals (1-1, 0-0 ACC)

Last week: No. 3

Louisville bounced back in dominant fashion, defeating Villanova 59-13. In his second game, quarterback Lincoln Kienholz put together a productive outing. He completed 16/21 passes for 332 yards and 2 touchdowns, while adding 2 scores on the ground.

The Cardinals also racked up 260 rushing yards.

After falling to Ole Miss in Week 1, Louisville put a ranked win under its belt with a victory against SMU. The Cardinals are favored by a slim margin.

4. Virginia Cavaliers (2-0, 1-0 ACC)

Last week: No. 4

Following a BYE week, Virginia advanced to 2-0 with a 59-3 win against Norfolk State. The Cavaliers weren't tested, compiling 6 touchdown passes and 237 rushing yards.

Virginia concludes its non-conference slate against West Virginia and Delaware.

5. Duke Blue Devils (2-0, 0-0 ACC)

Last week: No. 6

Duke put some of its Week 1 questions to rest with a hard-fought win over Illinois on the road. Quarterback Walker Eget was more efficient, completing 15/21 passes for 206 yards and 3 touchdowns.

The Blue Devils held Illinois to three points in the second half to walk out of Champaign with a victory.

Duke hosts Stanford and William & Mary over the next two weeks, giving Manny Diaz an opportunity to start 4-0.

6. Pittsburgh Panthers (2-0, 0-0 ACC)

Last week: No. 5

Pittsburgh defeated UCF in Week 2, but fell down a spot due to a shaky performance. The weather certainly didn't help, as the game was even delayed due to storms in the area.

The Panthers held the Knights scoreless until the final minutes of the fourth quarter in the 12-7 win. Pittsburgh only averaged 2.4 yards per rush, and Mason Heintschel failed to throw a touchdown pass after accumulating 7 last week.

Pittsburgh welcomes Syracuse to town on Thursday night. Though the Panthers are favored and the Orange are coming off a loss, midweek games can lead to chaos.

7. Virginia Tech Hokies (2-0, 0-0 ACC)

VT Q — Sep 12, 2026; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer (17) warms up before the game against the Old Dominion Monarchs at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bishop-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Last week: No. 7

Virginia Tech didn't have many issues in its 44-21 victory against Old Dominion. With that being said, the Hokies will need to run the ball after compiling just 89 yards on 2.1 yards per carry.

Quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer looked the part, completing 31/42 passes for 327 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Hokies held Old Dominion to 300 total yards.

The next two weekends will be interesting with Virginia Tech playing back-to-back road games against Maryland and Boston College.

8. North Carolina Tar Heels (2-0, 0-0 ACC)

Last week: No. 8

North Carolina was fine in its 35-3 win over East Tennessee State. The Tar Heels' defense is showing the signs of a unit that the team can lean on.

The real test begins this weekend, with North Carolina traveling to Clemson. The Tar Heels face the Tigers, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, and Duke in their next four games.

9. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (2-0, 0-0 ACC)

Last week: 10

A well-deserved bump for Wake Forest, which is staying steady under Jake Dickert. The Demon Deacons are now 4-2 on the road over the past two seasons, after defeating Purdue in double overtime, 38-36.

Wake Forest blew a 23-13 lead in the final frame, but still pulled out the win. Gio Lopez scored the game-winning two-point conversion and is probable for the game against Miami on Friday night.

The Demon Deacons are massive underdogs entering their conference opener.

10. Cal Golden Bears (1-1, 1-0 ACC)

Last week: No. 9

The coast-to-coast games in the ACC have delivered some ugly results over the last two years. That's probably the best way to describe Cal's 21-18 win against Syracuse. The teams combined for 3 turnovers, 24 penalties, and 10/29 third-down attempts.

The Golden Bears didn't score in the opening frame, but put a touchdown on the board in each of the final three quarters. Kingston Lopa's pick-six in the final minutes moved Cal to 1-1.

Even with the win, I dropped Cal a spot, mainly because I'm not sold on Syracuse. The Golden Bears host Clemson later this month.

11. Florida State Seminoles (1-1, 0-1 ACC)

Sep 7, 2026; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell enters the field before the game against the Southern Methodist Mustangs at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Last week: No. 11

How did Florida State lose a BYE week? The situation in Tallahassee is hard to grapple with.

The Seminoles fired their athletic director and ruled out two linebackers with season-ending injuries, and another veteran will be sidelined for the foreseeable future.

Is it over for Mike Norvell if FSU gets wiped off the map by Alabama on Saturday? Five of the Seminoles' next six games are against Alabama, Virginia, Louisville, Miami, and Clemson.

12. NC State Wolfpack (1-1, 0-1 ACC)

Last week: No. 13

North Carolina State was rightfully angry after its Week 0 collapse against Virginia. The Wolfpack resurfaced out of a BYE week and took out their frustration in a 73-0 win over Richmond.

The program can prove its back on the right track with a road victory at Vanderbilt this weekend.

13. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (0-2, 0-0 ACC)

Sep 12, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets head coach Brent Key on the sideline against the Tennessee Volunteers in the first quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Last week: No. 12

Lifeless. That's how Georgia Tech has played in its first two games. The Yellow Jackets actually led Tennessee 10-7 after the first quarter, then were outscored 38-14 the rest of the way.

Buster Faulkner's move to Florida has had more ramifications than originally anticipated, along with Haynes King's graduation.

The Yellow Jackets should finally get a win against Mercer in Week 3.

14. Syracuse Orange (1-1, 0-1 ACC)

Last week: No. 14

Syracuse jumped out to a 12-0 advantage in its conference opener against Cal. With that being said, the Orange failed to find the end zone again until the end of the third quarter.

Eight of Syracuse's final nine drives ended with zero points, producing 3 interceptions and 2 missed field goals.

Things could get ugly from here. Four of Syracuse's next five games come on the road, including three straight trips to Pittsburgh, UConn, and Virginia.

15. Clemson Tigers (1-1, 0-0 ACC)

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney talks with corner back Elliot Washington II (3) during the fourth quarter at Memorial Stadium Saturday, September 12, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Last week: No. 15

Clemson technically won its first game of the season, defeating Georgia Southern 22-7. The defense looked a lot better, but the Tigers lost starting quarterback Christopher Vizzina to an injury in the first half.

Regardless, Clemson only scored 6 points in the second half, struggling to create explosive plays. The offense just looks out of sync. Even with Dabo Swinney turning the reins over to freshman Tait Reynolds, the Tigers have serious issues.

Everything remains ahead of Clemson if it can win its conference opener against North Carolina.

16. Stanford Cardinal (1-1, 0-1 ACC)

Last week: No. 16

The Cardinal were off in Week 2, recovering from a comeback win over Hawaii and a blowout loss to Miami.

Stanford travels to Duke on Saturday. Three of the Cardinal's next four games are on the road.

17. Boston College Eagles (1-1, 0-0 ACC)

Sep 11, 2026; Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA; Boston College Eagles running back Evan Dickens (23) scores a touchdown against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during the first half at Alumni Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Last week: No. 17

Credit to Boston College for winning a game, even if it came against one of the weaker opponents in the FBS. The Eagles prevailed in a 28-21 victory over Rutgers.

Boston College built a 17-0 lead, but Rutgers cut the deficit to 20-14 and 28-21 in the second half. The Eagles connected on a few big plays, with quarterback Mason McKenzie playing a lot better.

While Boston College should handle Maine, the Eagles have some tough games coming up. Three of their next four contests are vs. Virginia Tech, at SMU, and vs. Pitt.

ACC Power Rankings After Week 2

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