Published Feb 27, 2020
ACC Power Rankings: Feb. 27th
Justin Ferber  •  CavsCorner
Editor In-Chief
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Tier I: The League's Best Teams

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1. Florida State (24-4, 14-3)

Last Week: No. 1

The Seminoles now have the inside track to win the regular season title after a very successful week. On Saturday, they went on the road and handled a tough test against an NC State team desperately needing a statement win. Then on Monday, they found themselves down double digits against Louisville, but dominated the Cardinals after halftime on their way to a 15-point victory. With three games to go, FSU is the only team left with just three losses, and winning out would deliver the top seed in Greensboro. With games remaining against Clemson, Notre Dame, and BC, the Noles have a great chance to do just that.


2. Louisville (23-6, 14-4)

Last Week: No. 3

Louisville took care of business against UNC at home but let a pretty big lead slip away in Tallahassee on Monday. That loss dealt the Cardinals a big blow in their regular season title hopes, as Florida State has now beaten Louisville twice on the season. The Cards are still locked in to a top-four finish and will receive a high seed in the NCAA’s, but they would need to sweep their remaining games against Virginia Tech and UVa and get quite a bit of help to finish first in the conference.


3. Duke (23-5, 13-4)

Last Week: No. 2

Duke too stumbled this week, falling at Wake Forest in a double-OT stunner. The Blue Devils ran into foul trouble down the stretch and couldn’t keep up in the second OT session, losing the game by double digits. Duke has been quite good at home, but has not been able to carry that dominance on the road consistently. The Blue Devils still sit in a good spot heading into the final week of the season, but will be tested in Charlottesville on Saturday, in a game that could be critical for ACC Tournament seeding.


Tier II: The League's Hottest Team


4. Virginia (20-7, 12-5)

Last Week: No. 4

UVa is in its own tier for now and is closer to the top group than the next one. The Wahoos aren’t getting it done with style points, but wins this week at Pitt and Virginia Tech have them on a five-game winning streak heading into their final three games. They have a double-bye all but locked up and now turn their attention to a big opportunity game against Duke. A win over the Blue Devils would move the Hoos ahead of them in the ACC standings and would give them a real chance at a top-two or top-three finish. A win would also all but assure UVa would be in the NCAA Tournament field for the seventh straight year. Earning a split of this week’s games against Duke and Miami would be a pretty good result, while sweeping them would be a great one, enough to put UVa in the top tier in our final poll next week.


Tier III: You Win Some, You Lose Some


5. Notre Dame (18-10, 9-8)

Last Week: No. 6

The Irish have officially bounced back from losses to Virginia and Duke with three straight wins over UNC, Miami, and BC. None of those wins help their faint NCAA Tournament hopes much but it’s safe to say they are trending in the right direction as the postseason approaches. Despite a decent record and wins in seven of its last nine, Notre Dame doesn’t have a single quality win worth talking about, and that’s why the Irish will likely be in the NIT barring a very strong finish and a deep run in Greensboro.


6. NC State (17-11, 8-9)

Last Week: No. 5

The Wolfpack have hit peak “NC State mode,” where they win a big game to bolster their bubble chances only to wreck them in their subsequent games. After beating Duke by 22, State lost a close one to FSU. There’s no shame in losing to the Seminoles, of course, but getting swept by UNC, a team with only two other ACC wins, puts the Wolfpack in harm’s way. With three games left, they have two games that won’t do their resume much good (Pitt and Wake at home) and one that they are unlikely to win (at Duke). It’s probably going to be a Selection Sunday sweat for the Pack, at best.


7. Syracuse (16-12, 9-8)

Last Week: No. 7

The Orange are hanging around the middle of the standings and have a decent shot to go to Greensboro as the No. 5 seed. Syracuse knocked off Georgia Tech and Pitt this week to move back over .500, and with contests left against UNC, BC, and Miami, the Orange could have a strong finish to the regular season.


8. Georgia Tech (14-14, 8-9)

Last Week: No. 8

Nobody knows yet if the Jackets will even be in Greensboro as their NCAA troubles linger on in limbo. But they have won four of six and could be a spoiler team if they do get a chance to play in the postseason. Like Syracuse, GT has a manageable finish to the season coming up, with games against Miami, Pitt, and Clemson.


9. Clemson Tigers (14-13, 8-9)

Last Week: No. 9

Clemson’s three-game winning streak came to a halt with a loss in Atlanta on Tuesday night. The Tigers are still in the mix with the rest of the 9-8 and 8-9 teams fighting for strong finishes and potentially higher seeds in the ACC Tournament. They have a chance to do something bizarre this weekend when FSU comes to town: If the Tigers pull off the upset, they will have beaten the Seminoles, Louisville, and Duke this season, all at home.


Tier IV: Tuesday in Greensboro


10. Boston College (13-16, 7-11)

Last Week: No. 10

The Eagles have lost three straight and don’t seem as feisty as they did a few weeks ago. The metrics say that BC is the worst team in the league and that’s looking more and more like it as we close out the season. Only two games left for the Eagles after they get this weekend off, with games against Syracuse and FSU next week.


11. Miami (14-13, 6-11)

Last Week: No. 12

Miami only played once this week, dropping a contest at Notre Dame on Sunday. That loss snapped a three-game winning streak that pulled the Hurricanes out of the cellar, but they’re still headed for a bottom-half finish for the second year in a row. They’ll travel to Georgia Tech before hosting UVa and Syracuse next week.


12. Virginia Tech (15-13, 6-11)

Last Week: No. 12

VT fought back against UVa but didn’t have enough in the tank to pull off the upset at home. The Hokies have now lost three in a row and eight of night, and look destined for a bottom-six finish and a Tuesday start to their ACC Tournament. Their schedule is not too forgiving down the stretch, with a home date with Clemson sandwiched in between road trips to Louisville and Notre Dame.


13. Pittsburgh (15-14, 6-12)

Last Week: No. 11

Pitt has lost five in a row and, after almost rallying for what would’ve been a solid win against Virginia, the Panthers got roasted at home by Syracuse on Wednesday night. They have a chance to completely ruin NC State’s season this weekend before they close out their campaign against Georgia Tech on Wednesday.


14. Wake Forest (12-15, 5-12)

Last Week: No. 14

They beat Duke this week. That will make their fans happy for a few days.


15. North Carolina (11-17, 4-13)

Last Week: No. 15

They beat NC State this week. That will make their fans happy for a few days.