ACC Football Power Rankings, Week 11: Notre Dame takes top spot
By Dante Pryor
15. Syracuse Orange (1-7, 1-6)
Head coach Dino Babers will take moral victories. The Orange defense played its best ball of the season, coming up short against the Boston College Eagles 13-16 at the Carrier Dome. The Eagles ranked third in the conference in passing was held to 208 yards through the air. The Syracuse defense did, however, allow 125 yards to Eagles’ running back David Bailey.
It was the offense that struggled for the Orange. Down to their third-string quarterback, Syracuse played freshman JaCobian Morgan who played pretty well, considering it was his first career start. The offense, which has struggled on third downs, converted just three of eleven third downs against the Eagles. Syracuse is off this week, then travel to Louisville on Nov. 20.
14. Florida State Seminoles (2-5, 1-5)
The Mike Norvell rebuilding project continues as the Seminoles struggled on both offense and defense against the Pitt Panthers, falling 41-17. Florida State played three quarterbacks in this game, with Jordan Travis getting the most playing time. It did not matter who played quarterback; the Seminoles did not score after the first quarter.
Not only did the offense struggle, but the defense also struggled, giving up 41 points and 358 yards to an offense that is not exactly explosive. Kenny Pickett returned to throw for 210 yards as the Panthers capitalized on three FSU turnovers. Florida State plays North Carolina State next week.
13. Duke Blue Devils (2-6, 1-6)
If any team in all of college football needed spring and summer practice it was the Duke Blue Devils. Continuity was such a factor this season because of COVID-19. For Duke, they were breaking in new players at the skill positions and starting a quarterback in his first year in the program.
This was never more evident than their 56-24 loss to North Carolina. Neither the offense nor the defense was effective in this game. The defense allowed 42 first-half points while the offense scored just 10 points. This was a step back season that no one saw coming.
12. Louisville Cardinals (2-5, 1-5)
Louisville was off this week after a close 42-35 loss against Virginia Tech on Halloween. Cardinals might be the most unlucky program in the ACC. When you have a truncated schedule like the ACC — and the rest of college football for that matter — you will have one team that is better than their record.
Louisville is better than their 1-5 conference record indicates. Three of their five losses are by one possession. All five of their losses are less than 14 points. In all of those games, the Cardinals’ weaknesses have been exposed. The Cardinals have an opportunity to get back on the winning track this weekend against Virginia.