Welcome back to Tampa-Pack’s ACC (lack of) Power Rankings. Week Six featured a lot of games that did nothing but muddy up the conference standings. Don’t look now but Duke is a win away from bowl eligibility and in the driver’s seat in the conference race.

How about that Wolfpack!?! Freakin’ incredible. Throughout the 4th quarter I was running/jumping/praying/celebrating around the man cave playroom trying to not wake any of our four sleeping kids or my wife. I was watching it, but couldn’t believe it, and once it was all said and done I couldn’t sleep. I just kept re-watching the fourth quarter on DVR replay. Once again the Cardiac Pack makes a return visit. I think I might have even seen TOB crack a smile and do a fist pump! As excited as I was for the win, it makes the previous losses, especially last week, that much more painful. I guess if they run the table, I can forget about last week’s loss. However, I feel just as likely that this team could win out, or lose out. I guess that keeps each week exciting, right? I am happy for the team though, and hope its a springboard for the rest of the season. The ACC isn’t shaping up to be that tough of a conference (to put it nicely) so continuing to play like we did last night should yield success.

1 (1) Florida State - Once again FSU couldn’t escape Raleigh with a win, and with it their shot at potentially playing for the National Championship disappears. While I am happy for the Pack, this loss removes the ACC’s last player from the national conversation, returning the conference to an also ran again. Even with the loss, I think this is still the conference’s best team - for whatever that’s worth. 5-1 overall, 2-1 in conference.

2 (2) Clemson - Clemson is looking well, like Clemson. Ran away from Georgia Tech with a 4th quarter explosion. 5-1 overall, 2-1 in conference.

3 (5) North Carolina - Beat Virginia Tech in Chapel Hill, and were rewarded with a big jump in the rankings. They look to be having a pretty good season (not that anyone in Kenan would notice), too bad its all for not. 4-2 overall, 1-1 in conference.

4 (6) NC State - The offensive did just enough scoring late to put away FSU. The defense played great pitching a shutout for the second half. After being really down on the Pack after last week, I no longer know what to think. Story of our lives, right?? 4-2 overall, 1-1 in conference.

5 (3) Virginia Tech - Lost to UNC. A loss to surprising Duke next week would put them below .500 for the season. 3-3 overall, 1-1 in conference.

6 (4) Miami - This game featured future quasi-ACC opponents, at least every 3-4 years or so, or until ND joins the conference in football. Anyway, Miami got destroyed in all facets, making that loss last week look even worse. Their 3 conference wins lead the league right now. 4-2 overall, 3-0 in conference.

7 (8) Duke - Steam rolled Virginia on their way to 5-1 overall and undefeated (2-0) in the conference. A win next weekend and Duke could become a mainstay in the top half of the Power Rankings - high five!!

8 (7) Georgia Tech - Does this team have a defense? They’ve been involved in what seems like a record number of high scoring/yardage games. 2-4 overall, 1-3 in conference.

That reminds me, watching scores crawl across the screen week after week, what happened to team defense overall this season? Maybe not, but there seem to be so many 45-42 (or higher) games this season. I haven’t really done any research so maybe not, it just seems that way to me.

9 (11) Maryland - Beat Wake Forest to start the conference season at 1-0. 3-2 overall.

10 (10) Wake Forest - Lost to Maryland, 3-3 overall, 1-3 in the conference.

11 (9) Virginia - A loss to Duke, doesn’t look as bad as it normally does, but still having a disappointing year. 2-4 overall, 0-2 in conference.

12 (12) Boston College - A loss to winless Army to keep a hold on last place. 1-4 overall, 0-2 in conference.

(X) indicates previous ranking. As always, I welcome your feedback and thoughts. Go PACK!