ACC Power Rankings After Week 10

Virginia Tech stays at number one in the power poll, as they were the only team at the top to win this week. With every contender in the Atlantic Division losing this week, it would be hard to argue that anyone can contend with the Hokies in the ACC Championship Game.

(1) Virginia Tech Hokies

Virginia Tech continues to prove two things each week: One, that their loss to James Madison was a fluke, and two, that they are the best team in the ACC- by a mile. Even at their worst on Thursday night when they looked slow and unmotivated, they were able to take care of Georgia Tech.

(2) NC State Wolfpack

Honestly, NC State is only still at number two because of the debacle that was the Atlantic Division on Saturday. State failed to take advantage of numerous Clemson mistakes, and Russell Wilson continued his trend of throwing an interception in the red zone each game. Luckily for the Pack, they are right back where they started on Saturday- in the driver's seat for the Atlantic Division title. Though, I can see Tom O'Brien's ridiculous call to punt on fourth and one at the Clemson 40 yard line with a couple minutes to go and trailing by one to end up costing the Pack the Atlantic Division.

(3) Florida State Seminoles

The Seminoles never can escape their demons from the past- apparently the wide-right curse has carried over to the Jimbo Fisher era. Florida State choked away a perfect chance to take back control of the Atlantic Division on Saturday losing to a short-handed Carolina team at home hours after NC State dropped their game to Clemson.

(4) Miami Hurricanes

The Hurricanes bounced back from their loss to Virginia by beating Maryland at home without Jacory Harris. Freshman quarterback Stephen Morris lead Miami to a victory in his first collegiate start, helping the Hurricanes become bowl eligible and to keep pace with the first-place Virginia Tech Hokies.

(5) Clemson Tigers

Somehow Clemson managed to win on Saturday at home against NC State. They did not play well enough to deserve to win- but on the contrary neither did NC State. Tahj Boyd, the freshman quarterback who is expected to be the future of Clemson football, came in and lead the Tigers to their fifth win of the season, and their seventh straight win over NC State.

(6) Maryland Terrapins

Maryland lost its chance to take control of the Atlantic Division on Saturday when they lost to Miami on the road. They had a perfect chance to beat the Hurricanes with Jacory Harris out of the lineup for the Hurricanes, but they couldn't manage to pull out the win in South Beach. Luckily for the Terrapins (like NC State and Florida State), they are right back where they were Saturday morning, and still control their own destiny to win the division.

(7) North Carolina Tar Heels

The Tar Heels became bowl eligible on Saturday by upsetting Florida State on the road. No one was happier about this than NC State and Maryland, as Carolina's win merely kept those teams still alive. As for Carolina, they are bowl eligible and T.J. Yates is having his best season as a starter. Through all of the distractions, Butch Davis continues to keep his team focused and prepared.

(8) Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Georgia Tech lost starting quarterback Joshua Nesbitt (possibly for the season) on Thursday night during their loss to Virginia Tech. The Jackets should still qualify for a bowl game this year, but 7-5 is probably the ceiling for their success this season. If they want to win their last three games their defense will need to step up, the offense has done its job as they are number one in the nation in rushing yards per game.

(9) Boston College Eagles

If Boston college wins two of their final three games they will qualify for a bowl game- but that is a tall task for a team that has been wildly inconsistent this season- but those games are against Duke, Virginia, and Syracuse so its not completely unlikely. They beat the ACC's worst team in Wake Forest on Saturday, in the process it was Wake's best defensive performance against a FBS team this season, but Boston College's defense won the game for the Eagles.

(10) Virginia Cavaliers

Virginia's loss to Duke all but solidified a losing season for Mike London's team in his first season. The Cavaliers would have to win all three of their remaining games to qualify for a bowl game (one of which being the Commonwealth Cup against Virginia Tech). But all in all the Mike London era has a tremendous amount of promise in Charlottesville, and the win against Miami last week will serve as his first of many monumental wins for the Cavaliers in the coming years.

(11) Duke Blue Devils

Duke has won two games against FBS opponents in a row for the first time in a long while. The Devils are starting to gel together as a team, which should carry over into next season. They are a young team who should get a better feel for the playing style of David Cutcliffe as time goes by. Expect them to give their final three opponents trouble- especially rival North Carolina in the season finale.

(12) Wake Forest Demon Deacons

The 2-7 Demon Deacons cannot buy a victory this season. The defense had its best showing against an FBS team this season, yet the offense fell flat against Boston College on Saturday. All coach Jim Grobe can do is scratch his head as watches his team continue to come up short each week.