Week 2 has officially come and gone for the ACC, and Florida State is set to begin Week 3 with a bang after firing athletic director Michael Alford. The Seminoles are going to move forward in a different direction, but that does not mean Florida State can avoid the bottom of the conference at the moment.
Some programs clawed back into the higher spots in the rankings, while others continued to sink towards the bottom.
17. Stanford Cardinal (1-1) - Last Week: 14
A week away from the playing field could not save Stanford, as other teams performed well and managed to escape the very bottom of the ACC power rankings. It is hard to even put a finger on what needs to be fixed this season, given the mess the program is in.
16. Florida State Seminoles (1-1) - Last Week: 15
The athletic department in Tallahassee just got a little lighter as Michael Alford was fired earlier this morning. Alford is likely just the start of multiple moves that will be made before the year is over, and the long-awaited firing of Mike Norvell is perhaps just around the corner.
Coaches do not always survive the hiring of a new athletic director, and in the Seminoles' case, Norvell may not even be around by the time the new hire has been made official. 2026 already looked like a potential disaster, but with the growing uncertainty surrounding the program, there is no real reason to expect serious changes on the football field.
15. Syracuse Orange (1-1) - Last Week: 12
Another coach who entered the 2026 season without a ton of hope was Fran Brown, who won just three games in 2025 while struggling mightily with the quarterback position. Steve Angeli is healthy now, but his three-interception performance against California wasted away a strong defensive performance from the Orange.
14. Boston College Eagles (1-1) - Last Week: 17
A win is a win, and when at the bottom of the ACC power rankings, a win can be enough to jump a few spots. Boston College still has serious issues, however, and beating perhaps one of the worst teams in the country at the moment, Rutgers, is only a small accomplishment.
13. NC State Wolfpack (1-1) - Last Week: 13
The Wolfpack is another team that managed to get the win, but with an opponent like Richmond, it is hard to move the team anywhere in the rankings. A big challenge in Nashville against Vanderbilt could show what NC State is truly made of.
12. Clemson Tigers (1-1) - Last Week: 16
Maybe dropping Clemson all the way to 16 after a blowout loss to LSU was the wrong thing to do, but that does not mean the Tigers will get a magic pass after a weak win over Georgia Southern. The Eagles are certainly a much stronger team than in past years, but Clemson seemingly has growing quarterback issues that are a major red flag. A return to the very bottom of the rankings is not out of the question.
11. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (2-0) - Last Week: 9
As seen in the NFL, some of the best players in the league have been guys who spent time with the New England Patriots, but put everything together somewhere else. Quarterback Gio Lopez had an unproductive season with Bill Belichick in North Carolina in 2025, but currently has six total touchdowns in two games for Wake Forest. The sky is the limit for the Demon Deacons with Lopez, that is, if the defense can average less than 26 points allowed per game against two weak offenses.
10. North Carolina Tar Heels (2-0) - Last Week: 10
Speaking of Belichick, North Carolina actually looks like a competent college football team this season with a 2-0 start. The Tar Heels are moving and grooving early, but clashes against Clemson and Notre Dame could turn the happiness into despair quickly.
9. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (0-2) - Last Week: 8
Losing two games to start the season while avoiding a significant drop in the power rankings may seem unfair, but it may not be time to give up on Georgia Tech yet. The Yellow Jackets have two get-right games against Mercer and Stanford before hosting Duke, and a win over the Blue Devils likely puts a hold on the doubts surrounding the program.
8. Duke Blue Devils (2-0) - Last Week: 11
With a fourth 2-0 start in the last five seasons, the Blue Devils hope to cross into double-digit win territory in 2026. Illinois put a hurting on Duke in 2025, but getting revenge this season was enough to help boost the Blue Devils in the power rankings.
7. California Golden Bears (1-1) - Last Week: 7
The Golden Bears managed to improve to 1-1 with a win over Syracuse, but ugly mistakes from the Orange are what prevent California from moving up in the rankings.
6. Virginia Tech Hokies (2-0) - Last Week: 6
Offense has not been an issue for the Hokies, as the team is currently second in the ACC with 117 points scored. Catching up to the buzzsaw that is the Miami offense is not an easy task, but with a handful of home run hitters, the offense of Virginia Tech could carry the team farther to the top than some thought ahead of the season.
5. Louisville Cardinals (1-1) - Last Week: 2
Louisville fought hard against a top team in the country in Ole Miss to start the season, and then delivered a much-needed win over Villanova that gave the team a chance to work out some issues. Other teams in the conference are performing at a very high level, which is really the only reason the Cardinals dropped in the rankings. A win over SMU, however, could allow the Cardinals to sneak back into the second spot.
4. Pitt Panthers (2-0) - Last Week: 4
The Panthers had a historic offensive display during Week 1 behind quarterback Mason Heintschel, but only mustered up 12 points against the UCF defense. The high-flying potential is certainly still there, which is why Pitt did not move this week, but another similar offensive output could send the team down a few spots.
3. SMU Mustangs (2-0) - Last Week: 3
The Mustangs faced UC Davis in Week 2 and delivered a far more promising performance on offense after struggling at times against Florida State. SMU needs a more convincing FBS win to truly challenge the top teams in the ACC at the moment.
2. Virginia Cavaliers (2-0) - Last Week: 5
Miami has displayed an incredible offense through two games, but fighting fire with fire is likely not how someone is going to beat the Hurricanes. Virginia currently has the most effective defense in the ACC, allowing just 11 points through two games, while dismantling NC State in the process. Until the defense cracks, a spot directly behind the Hurricanes seems appropriate.
1. Miami Hurricanes (2-0) - Last Week: 1
Something massive needs to happen to pry Miami out of the top spot in the power rankings, and unfortunately, that probably will not happen anytime soon.
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