ACC football power rankings: Week 13

12 weeks in the books and only one week of the regular season remains. Week 12 provided some surprises (a top team in the rankings getting embarrassed on the road), some impressive performances (check out that Pitt final score), as well as some stability (one team punched its ACC Championship ticket). This weekend is lined up to be a mix of teams playing their final conference games as well as some teams who have already wrapped up ACC play taking part in annual rivalry matchups. How do the power rankings look entering week 13?

1. Clemson (10-1, 7-1, up one spot from last week)

After a one-week hiatus from the top spot of the rankings, Clemson is back on top this week not so much due to anything in particular the Tigers did (a 35-13 victory at Wake Forest to clinch the Atlantic Division) but rather what the teams around them did last week. Clemson continues to struggle a bit for consistency but if the Tigers can come out in top in their final two games, they will be a playoff team for the second straight season.

Up next: CU looks to get one step closer to realizing their playoff dreams in a home rivalry game against nearby South Carolina in a 7:30 game on Saturday.

2. Louisville (9-2, 7-1, down one spot from last week)

In perhaps the shocker of the season, at least among ACC teams, UL came up flat on the road against unranked Houston, trailing 31-0 at the half and losing by a final margin of 36-10, watching their College Football Playoff dreams come crashing down. However, Lamar Jackson remains the runaway favorite for the Heisman and UL should lock up an Orange Bowl bid this weekend.

Up next: Should the Cardinals wish to earn that bid to the Orange Bowl, they will have to do so with a win at home against in-state foe Kentucky this Saturday.

3. Florida State (8-3, 5-3, no change from last week)

For the second straight week, FSU handily defeated an ACC bottom-feeder, this time dismantling Syracuse 45-14 in the Carrier Dome. In the win, Dalvin Cook became the school’s all-time leading rusher, surpassing Warrick Dunn’s mark.

Up next: FSU looks to make it four straight wins over rival Florida in a primetime kickoff in Tallahassee on Saturday.

4. Virginia Tech (8-3, 5-3, no change from last week)

It wasn’t always pretty but VT came storming back from a 14-0 deficit against Notre Dame, outscoring the Irish 13-0 in the final quarter to take away a 34-21 victory in South Bend behind a very accurate outing from the Hokies’ quarterback, Jerod Evans.

Up next: Virginia Tech is one of the few teams to be playing both an ACC game and a rivalry matchup this weekend. The Hokies play host to Virginia on Saturday. If they come out victorious, they clinch the Coastal and punch their tickets to Orlando for the ACC Championship in two weeks.

5. North Carolina (8-3, 5-2, no change from last week)

North Carolina was the sole ACC team to take on an FCS opponent in week 12, running away with a 41-14 victory over The Citadel on Saturday in Chapel Hill. The win was sparked by a three-touchdown showing from quarterback Mitch Trubisky, who continues to demonstrate on a weekly basis why he will likely only be the starter for one year with the NFL calling.

Up next: UNC welcomes in North Carolina State on Saturday for an inter-triangle matchup. Even with a win, the Tar Heels need UVA to knock off Virginia Tech in order for them to win the Coastal Division for a second straight season.

6. Pittsburgh (7-4, 4-3, no change from last week)

It may have been a little late in the season to be a substantial one but Pitt made a statement on Saturday, crushing the visiting Duke Blue Devils, 56-14, in a true showing of the potential this Panthers team had if they had been able to find more consistent play.

Up next: Pittsburgh closes out its regular season at home this weekend, welcoming in the Syracuse Orange for a 12:30 kickoff.

7. Miami (7-4, 4-3, no change from last week)

UM came away with a road victory, its fourth of the year, on Saturday, taking down the NC State Wolfpack, 35-21, behind a career day for running back Mark Walton, who finished the game with three rushing touchdowns.

Up next: Miami will be favored in its pursuit of an eighth win this Saturday when the Hurricanes play host to Duke.

8. Georgia Tech (7-4, 4-4, up two spots from last week)

GT was outgained by visiting Virginia 409-321 but the Yellow Jackets finished ahead in the score column, dismissing the Cavaliers, 31-17, even though they only had eight first downs in the entire game.

Up next: Georgia Tech enters Clean Old-Fashioned Hate with an identical 7-4 record to that of the Georgia Bulldogs. The two teams meet in Athens at noon on Saturday.

9. Wake Forest (6-5, 3-4, down one spot from last week)

A 21-0 first quarter put Wake firmly behind the eight ball against the Clemson Tigers, providing a deficit the Demon Deacons were unable to overcome in their 35-13 loss.

Up next: Wake Forest looks to finish the regular season above .500 in a home matchup with Boston College.

10. NC State (5-6, 2-5, down one spot from last week)

Needing one more win to become bowl-eligible, NC State came up short in its final attempt at home in a disappointing 27-13 loss to Miami.

Up next: The Wolfpack’s final chance at that elusive sixth win is a tough one: a road game at North Carolina.

11. Syracuse (4-7, 2-5, up one spot from last week)

Once again missing starting quarterback Eric Dungey, the Orange was completely outmatched by a visiting Florida State team that took a 45-14 win back to Tallahassee.

Up next: SU may have suffered a seventh loss but an upset win at Pitt on Saturday would put the Orange into the ranks of the 5-7 teams waiting for a call if the NCAA does not get the required number of bowl-eligible teams.

12. Duke (4-7, 1-6, down one spot from last week)

One step forward, two steps back for a Duke team that followed up its first conference win of the year against North Carolina two weeks ago with a 56-14 drubbing at the hands of the Pitt Panthers last week, clinching a losing season in the process.

Up next: Like Cuse, Duke has a chance to get to 5-7 and keep a sliver of postseason hype alive. That being said, the Blue Devils must take away a road win at Miami to retain that chance.

13. Boston College (5-6, 1-6, up one spot from last week)

BC wrapped up a perfect 4-0 non-conference slate with a dominant 30-0 win over UConn last weekend. keeping bowl eligibility alive for the Eagles entering the final weekend of the regular season.e final we

Up next: Boston College has that chance to wrap up a .500 regular season on Saturday when the Eagles travel to Winston-Salem for a matchup with Wake Forest.

14. Virginia (2-9, 1-6, down one spot from last week)

Despite outperforming Georgia Tech in a number of statistical categories, Virginia fell 31-17 to the Yellow Jackets, extending its losing streak to six games.egories

Up next: Virginia wraps up its first season under Bronco Mendenhall with a tough rivalry matchup at Virginia Tech. The Cavaliers may not have a postseason to look forward to but they could ruin VT’s ACC Championship chances with an upset.