ACC power rankings: Clemson is scary good, as shown in the blowout win over NC State
In the first full game with Trevor Lawrence at quarterback, Clemson beat Wake Forest by 60 points.
In the second game with Lawrence, the Tigers beat N.C. State by 34.
The terrifying prospect for the rest of the Atlantic Division and the ACC? Lawrence can’t go pro for another two years. And when he does, he will be the No. 1 overall pick.
You can call that an overreaction to Lawrence’s performance against the Wolfpack (308 yards, a touchdown, barely a drop of sweat) but if anyone had any doubts, or questions, about coach Dabo Swinney’s decision to move on from the perfectly-acceptable Kelly Bryant (16-2 as a starter) before Saturday’s trouncing of the Wolfpack, there aren’t any now.
“Arm talent” is a nebulous term used by NFL draftniks but the way Lawrence threw the ball against N.C. State’s defense was the personification of “arm talent.”
Every throw, even the incompletions, in the first half was a laser show. Pause to consider, barring catastrophe, Lawrence will only get better from here.
Throw in Clemson’s defensive front with running back Travis Etienne and the army of receivers at Lawrence’s disposal and it does not look like there will be any ACC mulligans for the Tigers this year.
As if Saturday didn’t go well enough for the Tigers in their own neck of the woods, Ohio State’s nightcap loss at Purdue was an added bonus.
Alabama, with perhaps Nick Saban’s best team, is going to be the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff. It’s in Clemson’s best interest to avoid the No. 4 spot and another semifinal matchup with the Tide.
If Clemson plays the next seven games with Lawrence as well as it did the first two, it will meet Alabama for Round 4 in the title game on Jan. 7.
On to the “Only* ACC Power Rankings That Matter:”
1. Clemson
Record: 7-0 (4-0 ACC)
Last game: vs. N.C. State (W, 41-7)
Next game: Saturday, at Florida State
Remember when the Clemson-FSU game was a really big deal?
2. N.C. State
Record: 5-1 (2-1 ACC)
Last game: at Clemson (L, 41-7)
Next game: Saturday, at Syracuse
Clemson beat the brakes off N.C. State and the Wolfpack is still No. 2? What’s the alternative?
3. Virginia
Record: 5-2 (3-1 ACC)
Last game: at Duke (W, 28-14)
Next game: Saturday, vs. UNC
Slow clap for Bronco Mendenhall. That “we only have 27 ACC caliber players” violin solo to the UVA board of visitors this summer was one of the great slow plays of all time.
4. Miami
Record: 5-2 (2-1 ACC)
Last game: at Virginia (L, 16-13)
Next game: Friday, at Boston College
This game went from take-it-or-leave-it for Miami’s division title aspirations to must have.
5. Boston College
Record: 5-2 (2-1 ACC)
Last game: vs. Louisville (W, 38-20)
Next game: Friday, vs. Miami
A “Red Bandana” game and the return of A.J. Dillon? I smell Boston College’s “Super Bowl.”
6. Virginia Tech
Record: 4-2 (3-0 ACC)
Last game: at UNC (W, 22-19)
Next game: Thursday, vs. Georgia Tech
All three of the Hokies’ ACC wins have come on the road. If they go 3-1 in their next four home games, they’ll probably be in Charlotte on Dec. 1.
7. Syracuse
Record: 5-2 (2-2 ACC)
Last game: vs. UNC (W, 40-37, OT)
Next game: Saturday, vs. N.C. State
Still my “surprise” team (and I continue to never* be wrong about my surprise team) but that overtime escape against UNC didn’t inspire a lot of confidence. There’s quarterback trouble brewing, to boot.
8. Duke
Record: 5-2 (1-2 ACC)
Last game: vs. Virginia (L, 28-14)
Next game: Saturday, at Pittsburgh
Difficult home loss to explain for the Blue Devils. They’ll get the best from the Panthers, who are off an open date, on Saturday.
9. Florida State
Record: 4-3 (2-3 ACC)
Last game: vs. Wake Forest (W, 38-17)
Next game: Saturday, vs. Clemson
And now the training wheels come off. The Noles close with Clemson, N.C. State, Notre Dame, Boston College and Florida. They need two wins from that group to continue their 36-year bowl streak.
10. Pittsburgh
Record: 3-4 (2-1 ACC)
Last game: at Notre Dame (L, 19-14)
Next game: Saturday, vs. Duke
Any reasonable bowl math for the Panthers includes a home win over Duke on Saturday.
11. Wake Forest
Record: 3-4 (0-3 ACC)
Last game: at Florida State (L, 38-17)
Next game: Saturday, at Louisville
The program lost a really good (and underrated) quarterback (John Wolford) and took a step back. It happens, all the time actually.
12. Georgia Tech
Record: 3-4 (1-3 ACC)
Last game: vs. Duke (L, 28-14)
Next game: Thursday, at Virginia Tech
Georgia Tech shouldn’t be this bad. Maybe Paul Johnson has a rabbit in his hat. Or maybe the writing is on the wall for “CPJ.”
13. UNC
Record: 1-5 (1-3 ACC)
Last game: at Syracuse (L, 40-37, OT)
Next game: Saturday, at Virginia
The Tar Heels continue to fight. Given how the losses have piled up (17 of 20 to FBS foes) that’s admirable.
14. Louisville
Record: 2-5 (0-4 ACC)
Last game: at Boston College (L, 38-20)
Next game: Saturday, vs. Wake Forest
The Cards didn’t need to cheat to beat Wake Forest in 2016. Now they do.
This story was originally published October 22, 2018 at 12:37 PM.