2014 ACC Football Season Power Rankings: Week 13

Each week, the BCI staff writers and other Boston College football prognosticators secretly convene in a cigar smoke-filled bunker deep underneath Alumni Stadium, tasked at ranking the ACC's best college football programs on a weekly basis.

Previously...

-- Week 12: 7th
-- Week 11: 7th
-- Week 10: --
-- Week 9: 6th
-- Week 8: 8th
-- Week 7: 9th 
-- Week 6: 11th
-- Week 5: 7th
-- Week 4: 7th
-- Week 3: 11th
-- Week 2: 10th
-- Week 1: 10th

Here are the results for week 13:

BC INTERRUPTION ACC POWER POLL, WEEK 13

1. Florida State Seminoles, 98 votes (7 first-place votes)
2. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, 89
3. Louisville Cardinals, 85
4. Clemson Tigers, 74
5. Miami Hurricanes, 69
6. Duke Blue Devils, 67
7. Boston College Eagles, 57
8. North Carolina Tar Heels, 46
9. Virginia Tech Hokies, 41
10. Pittsburgh Panthers, 32
11. N.C. State Wolfpack, 29
12. Virginia Cavaliers, 26
13. Syracuse Orange, 15
14. Wake Forest Demon Deacons, 7

1. Florida State Seminoles (10-0, 7-0 ACC)

Last week: Defeated Miami, 30-26
This week: Boston College

Previous rank: No. 1 (--)
Highest position: 1
Lowest position: 1

Three more games. The Seminoles are three games away from another perfect regular season and a presumed spot in the College Football Playoff. Next up for the Noles are home games against Boston College and Florida before facing Duke, probably, in an ACC Championship Game rematch. According to ESPN's Football Power Index, FSU has a 92.3% chance of taking that first step with a win over BC.

2. Georgia Tech (9-2, 6-2)

Last week: Defeated Clemson, 28-6
This week: Idle

Previous rank: 5 (up 3)
Highest position: 2
Lowest position: 3

The Jackets improved to 9-2 on the year after an impressive 28-6 victory over Clemson. All of a sudden, Georgia Tech is looking like an option to claim the ACC's slot in the Orange Bowl should Florida State make the College Football Playoff, the Jackets beat Georgia then avoiding another loss in the ACC title game.

3. Louisville Cardinals (7-3, 5-3)

Last week: Idle
This week: @ Notre Dame

Previous rank: 3t (--)
Highest position: 2
Lowest position: 4

The Cardinals had the week off to hopefully do the same thing that Northwestern just did to the Irish. Should a bunch of things break Louisville's way, Petrino's bunch could also be in line for that Orange Bowl invite.

4. Clemson Tigers (7-3, 6-3)

Last week: Lost to Georgia Tech, 28-6
This week: Georgia State

Previous rank: 2 (down 2)
Highest position: 3
Lowest position: 5

Feel for Deshaun Watson, man. No sooner had the freshman phenom returned from a hand injury that sidelined him for four weeks than he suffered a sprained LCL and a bone bruise in a loss to Georgia Tech. The news isn't all bad for Clemson, however, which could get Watson back for the regular season finale against in-state rivals South Carolina. This week, Clemson takes on Georgia State in a late-season non-conference tune-up before the Battle of the Palmetto State.

5. Miami (6-4, 3-3)

Last week: Lost to Florida State, 30-26
This week: @ Virginia

Previous rank: 6 (up 1)
Highest position: 4
Lowest position: 7

The Canes gave the Seminoles all they could handle, but it wasn't enough as Al Golden's crew fell to their in-state ACC rivals, 30-26. A loss to Florida State, coupled with Georgia Tech's win over Clemson, officially eliminates the Hurricanes from earning that elusive first appearance in the ACC Championship. Still a lot to play for in terms of bowl positioning with games remaining against Virginia and Pitt.

6. Duke (8-2, 4-2)

Last week: Lost to Virginia Tech, 17-16
This week: North Carolina

Previous rank: 3t (down 3)
Highest position: 4
Lowest position: 6

Despite the loss to Virginia Tech, Duke controls its destiny in the Coastal Division. Win out and the Blue Devils will earn a second straight ACC Championship Game appearance, once again against Florida State. (Hipster BC football made consecutive ACC Championship Games, losing to the same team before it was even cool, Duke). A loss in either of Duke's final two games—North Carolina and Wake Forest—would give the Coastal Division crown to Georgia Tech.

7. Boston College (6-4, 3-3)

Last week: Idle
This week: @ Florida State

Previous rank: 7 (--)
Highest position: 6
Lowest position: 7

The dudes hold steady at #7 this week.

8. North Carolina (5-5, 3-3)

Last week: Defeated Pittsburgh, 40-35
This week: @ Duke (Thurs.)

Previous rank: 9t (up 1)
Highest position: 8
Lowest position: 9

The Heels are up one spot this week after taking care of business against Pittsburgh, winning 40-35. North Carolina is still looking for one more victory to earn a postseason berth. I'm sure Tobacco Road rivals Duke and N.C. State would want nothing more than to keep UNC home for the holidays.

9. Virginia Tech (5-5, 2-4)

Last week: Defeated Duke, 17-16
This week: @ Wake Forest

Previous rank: 9t (--)
Highest position: 8
Lowest position: 12

The Hokies are now just one win away from extending the nation's second longest active bowl appearance streak. That sixth win probably comes this weekend at Wake Forest. But will it be enough to quell the Frank Beamer hot seat talk?

10. Pittsburgh (4-6, 2-4)

Last week: Lost to North Carolina, 40-35
This week: Syracuse

Previous rank: 8 (down 2)
Highest position: 9
Lowest position: 12

This Pitt team went from chic division title pick to Coastal Division basement shockingly fast. Pitt's lone ACC wins on the year are over BC and Virginia Tech. The Panthers are playing for bowl eligibility this weekend as they host Syracuse, but Pitt will have to win out if they hope to make a bowl game in their second season in the conference.

11. N.C. State (6-5, 2-5)

Last week: Defeated Wake Forest, 42-13
This week: Idle

Previous rank: 12 (up 1)
Highest position: 10
Lowest position: 13

The Wolfpack are up one spot this week after throttling Wake Forest, 42-13. Having already clinched bowl eligibility, State will hope that Duke beats Carolina this week so the Pack can play the role of spoiler in the regular season finale against the Tar Heels.

12. Virginia (4-6, 2-4)

Last week: Idle
This week: Miami

Previous rank: 12 (down 1)
Highest position: 9
Lowest position 12

The 'Hoos had the week off to prepare to host Miami. Just like Pitt, Virginia will need to win out if it hopes to make a bowl game this season.

13. Syracuse (3-7, 1-5)

Last week: Idle
This week: @ Pittsburgh

Previous rank: 13 (--)
Highest position: 12
Lowest position: 13

Syracuse's season is all but over. All that remains are games against fellow Northeast rivals Pittsburgh and Boston College, both on the road. The Orange will be looking to avoid the worst finish since the Gerg era (2008) and can do so with a victory in one of its final two games. 

14. Wake Forest (2-8, 0-6)

Last week: Lost to N.C. State, 42-13
This week: Virginia Tech

Previous rank: 14 (--)
Highest position: 14
Lowest position: 14

What's left to say about Wake Forest other than...happy college basketball season?