Week 6 has officially come and gone, and there has been plenty of chaos going on in the ACC this season. Miami is beginning to truly run away with the conference as the teams fighting to prove themselves are beating up on each other. Meanwhile, Florida State is a complete mess without a real path to improving this season.
Coach Mike Norvell entered yet another pivotal game in Week 6 against an injury-riddled Louisville team, with a chance to pick up two straight wins before facing Miami. Norvell and the Seminoles fell completely flat against the Cardinals, and the loss does not bode well for Florida State's chances at salvaging the 2026 season.
Here is a look at where each team falls in the newest edition of the ACC power rankings, following an interesting slate of Week 6 games.
17. Stanford Cardinal (2-4) - Last Week: 15
Despite a brief climb thanks to the offense, Stanford still cannot figure out how to play defense this season without giving up touchdowns. The Cardinal have allowed 249 points to be scored this season, which is 83 points more than the next closest team in NC State.
16. Syracuse Orange (2-3) - Last Week: 14
There is Stanford bad, and then there is Syracuse bad this season in the ACC. The Cardinal cannot figure out defense, and the Orange still does not have any real answers at the quarterback position after struggling last season.
15. Boston College Eagles (2-3) - Last Week: 16
Things have not been pretty for Boston College this season, with the second-worst scoring offense in the ACC, with just one point more than Stanford. Without Stanford or Syracuse, Boston College would be the worst team in the ACC by a landslide.
14. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (2-3) - Last Week: 17
The curious case of Georgia Tech got even weirder in Week 6 with a win over a tough opponent in Duke. Could this finally be the start of a hot streak for Georgia Tech, or was the win a one-off event?
13. NC State Wolfpack (3-3) - Last Week: 9
The Wolfpack has been another team that seems to be special at times, and then at other times completely falls off. The loss to Wake Forest is difficult to deal with, but besides a game against Duke, the remaining schedule for NC State is nothing crazy.
12. Florida State Seminoles (3-3) - Last Week: 8
The Seminoles finally looked like a cohesive unit in Week 5 against Virginia, but the result in Week 6 proved this team still cannot play consistent football. Mike Norvell was upset with the result, stating that the performance of the staff and players was "not good enough", but the real question is, can Florida State truly return to being a team that can compete with the best under Norvell?
The loss to Louisville is a particularly ugly one due to the amount of notable injuries the Cardinals have suffered, and the number of players fighting through injuries to stay on the field. The same can be said about Florida State's depth, but with healthy starters for the most part, there is no excuse for the Seminoles' performance.
It is hard to feel any sort of confidence in Florida State at this point as Norvell continues to struggle to win road games. The team looks different each week, the success from one week does not carry over to the next, and the looming potential changes could be taking a toll on the program at this point.
11. North Carolina Tar Heels (3-2) - Last Week: 13
It is certainly hard to predict which North Carolina team will take the field each game this season, but the defense has had some special moments so far. If the Tar Heels can figure out the offensive side of things, this team could be a much more serious ACC contender.
10. California Golden Bears (3-3) - Last Week: 12
Losses to UCLA and UNLV stand out given the hype the Golden Bears received ahead of the season, but a win over Wake Forest in Week 6 would flip what has been a difficult season completely around for a moment.
9. Louisville Cardinals (3-3) - Last Week: 11
With the win over Florida State, Louisville proved the offense is dangerous regardless of who is leading the charge. The Seminoles may have a bad defense, but a 44-point performance is not a fluke, and with Syracuse, Stanford, and Georgia Tech awaiting, the Cardinals could be right back in the thick of things in the ACC in the matter of a few weeks.
8. Virginia Cavaliers (4-2) - Last Week: 10
The loss to Florida State stings, especially after watching the Cardinals dismantle the Seminoles in Week 6. Virginia is still a very talented team, but the team no longer strikes fear into opponents after being exposed in Tallahassee.
7. Clemson Tigers (3-2) - Last Week: 7
Clemson has become one of the most interesting teams in the ACC this season, after bouncing back from a 51-10 loss to LSU to open the season with three-straight wins. The Tigers have lost both ranked games this season by a margin of 69 points, but with Florida State, Syracuse, and Georgia Tech looming on the schedule, Clemson may still be able to secure eight wins.
6. SMU Mustangs (4-1) - Last Week: 6
With no game this week, it is hard to really move the Mustangs anywhere in the rankings. SMU is a dangerous team on offense, but there needs to be a convincing win before the team climbs any higher in the rankings.
5. Duke Blue Devils (4-1) - Last Week: 2
The Blue Devils entered the second-overall spot in the power rankings last week, but a loss to Georgia Tech might've exposed just where the program is at the moment.
4. Virginia Tech Hokies (4-2) - Last Week: 5
Two straight ACC losses are definitely not how James Franklin expected to finish the first half of the season, but with a consistent quarterback in Ethan Grunkemeyer, the Hokies still have a very realistic shot at ending the season with an 8-4 record.
3. Pittsburgh Panthers (5-1) - Last Week: 4
The loss to UNC ended the chances of securing a perfect season for the Panthers, while additionally causing chaos to an already unsteady ACC landscape. Without a true starting quarterback in the picture, the Panthers likely cannot catch up to Miami this season.
2. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (5-1) - Last Week: 3
The Demon Deacons have had an impressive climb in the rankings this season, in part due to the success of quarterback Gio Lopez. With a loss to Miami already this season, can Wake Forest still overtake the Hurricanes as the top ACC program?
1. Miami Hurricanes (5-0) - Last Week: 1
With unparalleled success in the ACC this season and an extremely dominant team in all phases, it is going to be hard for someone to dethrone Miami.
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