2014 ACC Football Season Power Rankings: Week 11

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.

Apologies, didn't get to this last week. Real life, etc. etc.

Previously...

-- 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 11:

BC INTERRUPTION ACC POWER POLL, WEEK 11

1. Florida State Seminoles, 112 votes (8 first place)
2. Clemson Tigers, 103
3. Duke Blue Devils, 89
4. Louisville Cardinals, 85
5. Miami Hurricanes, 78
6. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, 77
7. Boston College Eagles, 67
8. Pittsburgh Panthers, 53
9. North Carolina Tar Heels, 44
10. Virginia Tech Hokies, 41
11. Virginia Cavaliers, 36
12. N.C. State Wolfpack, 30
13. Syracuse Orange, 17
14. Wake Forest Demon Deacons, 14

1. Florida State Seminoles (8-0, 5-0 ACC)

Last week: Defeated Louisville, 42-31
This week: Virginia

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

The Seminoles spotted Louisville 21 points before scoring 35 second-half points to earn a 42-31 victory in Louisville. The Florida State is rolling...now five wins away from potentially the top seed in the College Football Playoff. This weekend, Florida State returns home to face a reeling Virginia Cavaliers team that has now lost three straight conference games--all within the Coastal Division.

2. Clemson Tigers (6-2, 5-1)

Last week: Idle
This week: at Wake Forest

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

The Tigers had the weekend off to prepare for a Thursday night tilt against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. A win for Clemson here and Wake will become the first bowl-ineligible team from the conference. Clemson freshman phenom QB Deshaun Watson will dress for Dabo Swinney and the Tigers...pray 4 Blogger So Dear.

3. Duke (7-1, 3-1)

Last week: Defeated Pittsburgh 51-48 (2 OT)
This week: at Syracuse

Previous rank: 3 (--)
Highest position: 2
Lowest position: 6

Duke is halfway home to another Coastal Division title and a ACC Championship Game rematch with Florida State. The Blue Devils' latest ACC conquest came with the help of a bit of luck, however, as Pitt's kicker Chris Blewitt shanked what would have been a game-winning field goal in regulation.

The Blue Devils are gonna have to hold off Georgia Tech and Miami down the stretch, both of which have emerged as the other Coastal Division contenders with just a third of the season to go. Duke probably has the easiest remaining schedule of the three and a game on both Tech and Miami in the loss column, but the Jackets have played two more ACC games than Duke to this point in the season. Miami has played one more game than the Blue Devils.

4. Louisville Cardinals (6-3, 4-3)

Last week: Lost to Florida State, 42-31
This week: at Boston College

Previous rank: 4 (--)
Highest position: 3
Lowest position: 7

Louisville's had an extra couple of days to stew on its 42-31 loss to Florida State, a game in which the Seminoles hung 35 second-half points on statistically the best defense in the country going into the game. The Cardinals' defense is one of the best in the nation, but the offense hasn't been able to keep pace with the other side of the ball.

The Cardinals travel to Chestnut Hill in a potential trap game--sandwiched between an emotional, Thursday night ACC home tilt against the class of the conference and a trip to Notre Dame in two weeks to face the 10th ranked Irish.

5. Miami (6-3, 3-2)

Last week: Defeated North Carolina, 47-20
This week: Idle

Previous rank: 10 (up 5)
Highest position: 3
Lowest position: 8

What a difference the past couple of weeks have made for the Hurricanes. Miami has now won three straight, including consecutive blowout victories over fellow ACC Coastal Division members Virginia Tech (30-6) and North Carolina (47-20).

The ACC schedule makers did Miami a bit of a favor, giving the Canes an off week before their home game against #2 Florida State next weekend. According to ESPN's Football Power Index, the Hurricanes (33.8%) have the best chance of knocking off the undefeated Seminoles during the regular season.

6. Georgia Tech (7-2, 4-2)

Last week: Defeated Virginia, 35-10
This week: at N.C. State

Previous rank: 5 (down 1)
Highest position: 4
Lowest position: 7

The last two weeks have also been kind to the Jackets--winners of back-to-back ACC Coastal Division matchups against Pittsburgh (56-28) and Virginia (35-10)...both in impressive fashion. Who says you can't look good with a heavy dose of running the ball?

The Jackets travel to Raleigh this weekend to take on the Wolfpack in a once-in-six-years cross-divisional ACC matchup, before ending the season against ranked opponents--vs. #21 Clemson and at #20 Georgia.

7. Boston College (6-3, 3-2)

Last week: Defeated Virginia Tech, 33-31
This week: Louisville

Previous rank: 6 (down 1)
Highest position: 5
Lowest position: 8

The dudes are rollin', having strung together their second winning streak of the season (and first against FBS opponents). Next up for BC is a stern test against Louisville under the Alumni Stadium lights. Winner will likely get to claim the title of best NOT Florida State NOT Clemson Atlantic Division program this season. Yay?

8. Pittsburgh (4-5, 2-3)

Last week: Lost to Duke, 51-48 (2 OT)
This week: Idle

Previous rank: 8t (--)
Highest position: 4
Lowest position: 11

Despite winning just one game over the last six (!), Pittsburgh holds onto the 8th spot in this week's poll. I suspect that has more to do with what the teams still below Pitt haven't done more than anything the Panthers have done.

The latest setback was a 51-48 double overtime loss to Duke in which the Panthers blewitt. Never gets old.

Pitt has the week off to prepare for a road game at Carolina. The Panthers are looking for two more victories over their final three games--@ Carolina, Syracuse and @ Miami--to get back to a bowl game.

9. North Carolina (4-5, 2-3)

Last week: Lost to Miami, 47-20
This week: Idle

Previous rank: 11 (up 2)
Highest position: 8
Lowest position: 12

North Carolina earned a 28-27 road victory at Virginia two weeks ago before getting smoked by Miami at home last weekend. Really not sure what to make of this year's Tar Heels team. Is UNC the team that has given up nearly 220 (!) points to ECU, Clemson, Notre Dame and Virginia Tech, or the team capable of upsetting Georgia Tech and Virginia? Likely the former and unless UNC can find two more wins over the last three games--Pittsburgh, @ Duke, N.C. State--the Heels' season will be over in a few short weeks.

10. Virginia Tech (4-5, 2-3)

Last week: Lost to Boston College, 33-31
This week: Idle

Previous rank: 8t (down 2)
Highest position: 8
Lowest position: 11

The Hokies have the weekend off to regroup following a 33-31 setback to BC. The Hokies are one of three Coastal Division teams with identical 4-5, 2-3 ACC records needing two wins over its final three games to become bowl eligible. Virginia Tech does benefit from having this weekend off ahead of next weekend's road tilt at #22 Duke.

I still think the Hokies become bowl eligible and extend the nation's second longest active bowl appearance streak, but it'll likely come down to the final game of the season on Black Friday against in-state Virginia.

11. Virginia (4-5, 2-3)

Last week: Lost to Georgia Tech, 35-10
This week: at Florida State

Previous rank: 7 (down 4)
Highest position: 7
Lowest position 12

Three straight Coastal Division losses have knocked Virginia from its lofty perch atop many's power rankings. With games remaining at Florida State, Miami and at Virginia Tech, it's hard to see a path to bowl eligibility now for the 'Hoos...which also likely means the end of the Mike London era in Charlottesville. Unless, say, UVA finds a way to end the Hokies Commonwealth dominance at the end of the season.

12. N.C. State (5-4, 1-4)

Last week: Defeated Syracuse, 24-17
This week: Georgia Tech

Previous rank: 12 (--)
Highest position: 10
Lowest position: 13

Tough times for the Pack, which ended their 12-game conference losing streak last weekend in the Carrier Dome only to gain no ground in this week's Power Poll. The Pack need just one more win to become bowl eligible. That'll likely have to wait another week until N.C. State hosts Wake Forest in Raleigh.

13. Syracuse (3-6, 1-4)

Last week: Lost to N.C. State, 24-17
This week: Duke

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

Sure the Orange need to win out to become bowl eligible this season. But some perspective, please. ISIS, man...ISIS. 

14. Wake Forest (2-6, 0-4)

Last week: Idle
This week: Clemson (Thurs.)

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

Every single ballot had Wake Forest last this week. Sorry, #therivalry bros.