ACC Football Power Rankings, Week 8: Clemson leaves no doubt as No. 1

15. Syracuse Orange (1-4, 1-3)

There are three characteristics of a good football team in today’s game. First, you need solid to exceptional quarterback play. Second, you need solid offensive line play, and finally, you need solid defensive line play. Syracuse possesses none of those characteristics. The Orange cannot score or stop anyone from doing so.

The Syracuse offensive line has surrendered 24 sacks through five games this season, and the quarterbacks for the Orange have completed just 47.8 percent of their passes. The offense has been so inconsistent; it has made the defense look worse than it actually is. It gets no better when the Orange travel to Death Valley East to play Clemson.

14. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (2-3, 2-2)

Speaking of Clemson opponents, the ‘Jackets are here because they lost to the Tigers 73-7. Despite the record, you can’t get boat raced like ‘Tech did against Clemson and not fall. It is a fair assessment to conclude the Yellow Jackets had every intention of competing against the Tigers. However, that’s not what happened.

This game was not going to be close, but 52 at halftime? This game is proof of how wide the gap between the bottom third of the conference is from the top. Clemson is simply that much better than Georgia Tech. Oh, and the three turnovers did not help either.

13. Duke Blue Devils (1-5, 1-5)

The Blue Devils have to learn how to close games. Duke has held the lead at some point in every game they’ve played in this season. In their last game against NC State, Duke was up 17-7 before everything went downhill. The defense has not played badly. It’s the offense that has put Duke behind the eight-ball.

The major issue for the Blue Devils is turnovers. Quarterback Chase Brice throws the ball to the wrong jersey too often. This season, Brice has thrown  11 interceptions so far. If Duke does not stop the turnovers, it will continue to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.