Week 5 in the ACC has officially come and gone, and another week meant another batch of dramatic results on the field. Florida State epically defeated Virginia after previously entering the week as home underdogs, while Wake Forest continued to display offensive dominance.
Just when Florida State looked like it could suffer a knockout punch during the 2026 season, the Seminoles returned with their best performance of the season. Florida State might have a more serious team than some had previously thought, or Virginia might not be as good as everyone thought ahead of the season. There will not be a way to truly know until the end of the season, but before that point, here is a look at the updated ACC power rankings after Week 5.
17. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (1-3) - Last Week: 17
Without a game to prove themselves in Week 5, it is hard to really give the Yellow Jackets any room after losing to Stanford in Week 4. The loss looks even worse after Wake Forest dominated Stanford, 57-3, away from home. At this point, the rest of the 2026 season is damage control for Georgia Tech.
16. Boston College Eagles (2-3) - Last Week: 14
It was a solid fight against SMU, but Boston College simply does not have enough playmakers to seriously compete. Quarterback Mason McKenzie does a bit of everything for the team, and when he makes mistakes, the errors are magnified because he needs to be near perfect to keep the team in a winning position.
15. Stanford Cardinal (2-3) - Last Week: 12
The offense might be able to score with ease against certain opponents, but the defense has been bad against everyone this season for Stanford.
14. Syracuse Orange (2-2) - Last Week: 16
Coach Fran Brown might have an exciting option at quarterback in Amari Odom after the win over UConn, but Syracuse needs a lot more than a better quarterback.
13. North Carolina Tar Heels (2-2) - Last Week: 11
At some point this season, North Carolina needs to prove that the offense can score at a much higher rate. The Tar Heels put up a good fight against a powerful team like Notre Dame, but more than 26 points will be needed to beat most of the ACC.
12. California Golden Bears (2-3) - Last Week: 10
With the bizarre situation surrounding Tosh Lupoi's contract aside, California has never quite reached expectations this season through five games. Quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele has thrown all five of his interceptions this season during losses, and without him, the Golden Bears needed to hit the restart button on offense.
11. Louisville Cardinals (2-3) - Last Week: 6
At this point, it is hard to give Louisville the benefit of the doubt because the level of competition has drastically changed. A loss to a talented Ole Miss team is understandable, but NC State was not in the most positive spot heading into the game. Another loss for Louisville this early is tough to swallow, and Florida State is hot coming into the Week 6 game.
10. Virginia Cavaliers (3-2) - Last Week: 9
Virginia ran straight into a wall against Florida State, and despite some positive moments on defense, the team looked like one that was not ready for a big game in Tallahassee. A lot rides on the success of quarterback Beau Pribula, and when he struggles, the rest of the offense suffers.
9. NC State Wolfpack (3-2) - Last Week: 15
A lot can change for a team in just one week, and the combination of a Virginia loss and a win over Louisville gives the Wolfpack plenty to be happy about. The win is a big one for an NC State team that had previously struggled against power conference teams with two early losses.
8. Florida State Seminoles (3-2) - Last Week: 13
With a big ACC win over Virginia officially secured, some of the concerns surrounding Florida State can wait for at least a week. The Seminoles still have plenty of problems on both sides of the ball, but the win proves that this current team can beat even the teams perceived to be the toughest in the conference.
Florida State needs to prove itself once again against Louisville to move up further in the power rankings, but the team is certainly making noise. The defense finally looked like one that could disrupt quarterbacks, while the offense went almost entirely through quarterback Ashton Daniels. It is absolutely vital for the Seminoles that this momentum is not lost with tough games still looming later on in the season.
7. Clemson Tigers (3-2) - Last Week: 7
A big 41-13 loss to Miami definitely hurt Clemson's chances at moving into a striking position at the top of the conference. However, the Hurricanes are an absolute buzzsaw this season, and it is hard to truly knock a team for losing to them. An upcoming challenge at the end of the month against Virginia Tech could reveal where this team can truly go.
6. SMU Mustangs (4-1) - Last Week: 8
With a win over Boston College secured, the Mustangs were able to jump up two spots in part due to struggles across the conference. SMU is arguably the best-worst team in the ACC, with a 10-point win over Missouri State being the most convincing win of the year. Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest could all pose a serious threat.
5. Virginia Tech Hokies (4-1) - Last Week: 4
The narrow loss to Pitt definitely stings, but with 206 points scored on the season, Virginia Tech's offense might be enough to provide the team with a few extra wins this season.
4. Pitt Panthers (5-0) - Last Week: 3
A win over a tough ACC opponent in Virginia Tech, and yet Pitt drops back a spot? Quarterback Mason Heintschel tearing his ACL could be a serious problem for the Panthers, and backup Holden Geriner needs to prove himself before Pitt climbs back into the third spot in the rankings.
3. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (4-1) - Last Week: 7
The Demon Deacons are off to the best start the program has seen since the 2022 season. Things fell apart towards the end of that season, but Wake Forest does not look like an ACC bottom dweller any longer.
2. Duke Blue Devils (4-0) - Last Week: 2
No game, no problem for the Blue Devils, who remain as the team that could bring enough force to take down Miami.
1. Miami Hurricanes (5-0) - Last Week: 1
With a perfect record and still no real challengers in the ACC, Miami is still the top dog in the conference.
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