Week 4 ACC power rankings
By TED GIOIA
College Contributor Network
1. Florida State: Florida State is clearly the best team in the ACC right now. That being said, this weekend's game against Clemson gets a lot more interesting after the Seminoles announced Jameis Winston is benched for the first half.
2. Clemson: Regardless of the Winston benching, Clemson has the best chance of any ACC team to knock off Florida State. It will be interesting to see how much the Tigers use talented freshman Deshaun Watson on Saturday. Vic Beasley claimed he's better than Clowney?
3. Pittsburgh: Can anyone stop James Conner? The sophomore running back leads the nation in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. If Pitt develops a passing attack, it could be dangerous.
4. Duke: Quietly taking care of business. Senior quarterback Anthony Boone has been sharp to start the season. The Blue Devils boast a talented offense, especially if Shaun Wilson can keep running the ball the way he did last week.
5. Virginia: The Cavaliers are proving that Charlottesville is a tough place to play. After taking seventh-ranked UCLA down to the wire in the season opener, Virginia got its first big win of the season last week against Louisville. Huge game this weekend at No. 21 BYU.
6. Boston College: Statement win against USC after dropping one to Pittsburgh. Tyler Murphy can flat out fly with the ball in his hands. Home games against Maine and Colorado State should give the Eagles the confidence they need heading into ACC play.
7. Virginia Tech: I don't think anyone saw that loss coming. The Hokies are continuing last year's "one step forward, two steps back" trend.
8. Louisville: A heartbreaking loss against a tough Virginia team. Although they failed to complete the comeback, it's promising that the Cards were able to erase a 20-7 deficit in the fourth quarter. I expect a bounce back.
9. Miami: So it turns out Brad Kaaya can play after all. We'll see how he fares on the road this weekend against 24th-ranked Nebraska. A pivotal game in the Hurricanes' season.
10. North Carolina: A close call against San Diego State leaves questions about this Tar Heel team. Hopefully they enjoyed the bye week, because their upcoming schedule is daunting. At East Carolina, at No. 22 Clemson, home to Virginia Tech, at ninth-ranked Notre Dame. Buckle up.
11. Syracuse: After a terrifying double-OT scare against Villanova in Week 1, Syracuse looked good at Central Michigan last week. Plain and simple, this team will go as far as Terrel Hunt takes them. Saturday's game against Maryland will tell us a lot about the Orange.
12. NC State: Close calls against Georgia Southern and Old Dominion are enough to keep me doubting until the Wolfpack face legitimate competition.
13. Georgia Tech: Like NC State, Georgia Tech also survived a scare against Georgia Southern. We'll see what the Yellow Jackets are capable of this weekend when they travel to Blacksburg to take on Virginia Tech.
14. Wake Forest: It could be a long season for the Demon Deacons
Ted Gioia is a junior at Syracuse University with majors in Finance as well Television, Radio, and Film. Born in North Buffalo, he is an avid Bills and Sabres fan. Follow him on Twitter: @Ted_Gioia
