ACC power rankings: Title-game foes Florida State, Louisville lead way into regular-season ending rivalries

Rivalry week is upon us.

Several highly anticipated showdowns involving ACC teams are on tap, including Florida State at Florida, Louisville at Kentucky, North Carolina at N.C. State, Clemson at South Carolina, Virginia Tech at Virginia and Georgia at Georgia Tech.

Three ACC teams remain ranked in the latest US LBM Coaches Poll, led by No. 4 Florida State, which must face the Gators as well as the postseason without quarterback Jordan Travis, who suffered a season-ending injury against North Alabama.

Louisville, which will be the Seminoles’ opponent in the Dec. 2 ACC Championship Game, checks in at No. 9 in the poll while N.C. State entered at No. 24.

Nine ACC teams will go bowling, and two more could join the fold with wins on Saturday.

Here’s how the league stacks up heading into the final week of the regular season:

1. Florida State (11-0, 8-0)

Last week: 1

This week: at Florida

What to know: Instead of Jordan Travis vs. Graham Mertz, the Seminoles’ finale is shaping up as a Battle of the Backups – Tate Rodemaker vs. Max Brown.

2. Louisville (10-1, 7-1)

Last week: 2

This week: vs. Kentucky

What to know: The Cardinals can cap a remarkable turnaround season by snapping a four-game losing streak against the Wildcats.

3. NC State (8-3, 5-2)

Last week: 4

This week: vs. North Carolina

What to know: The Wolfpack have won at least eight games in four consecutive years for the first time in school history.

4. Clemson (7-4, 4-4)

Last week: 5

This week: at South Carolina

What to know: Clemson’s rebound from a 4-4 start would be complete if the Tigers can avenge last season’s one-point loss to the Gamecocks.

5. North Carolina (8-3, 4-3)

Last week: 3

This week: at N.C. State

What to know: The Tar Heels are slip-sliding away, with three losses in five games following their 6-0 start.

6. Georgia Tech (6-5, 4-3)

Last week: 9

This week: vs. Georgia

What to know: Don’t look now, but the Yellow Jackets are going bowling for the first time since 2018.

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

Last week: 6

This week: at Boston College

What to know: Miami’s Hail Mary on the game’s final play vs. Louisville came up five yards short, dropping Mario Cristobal to 11-12 in two seasons with the Hurricanes.

8. Virginia Tech (5-6, 4-3)

Last week: 8

This week: at Virginia

What to know: The Hokies must get a win at Virginia to become bowl-eligible.

9. Duke (6-5, 3-4)

Last week: 7

This week: vs. Pitt

What to know: The Blue Devils aren’t the same team without QB Riley Leonard; they’ll end the season without a single road win vs. a Power 5 opponent.

10. Virginia (3-8, 2-5)

Last week: 11

This week: vs. Virginia Tech

What to know: The snake-bit Cavaliers finally won a close one last week; they’d settle for more of the same this week vs. Virginia Tech, which has won 17 of the past 18 in the series.

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11. Boston College (6-5, 3-4)

Last week: 10

This week: vs. Miami

What to know: It’s a good thing the Eagles wrapped up bowl eligibility a few weeks ago. They could end the regular season on a three-game losing skid.

12. Syracuse (5-6, 1-6)

Last week: 13

This week: vs. Wake Forest

What to know: With a win vs. Wake Forest – sans coach Dino Babers, who was fired on Sunday after eight seasons – the Orange will be bowl-eligible.

13. Pitt (3-8, 2-5)

Last week: 14

This week: at Duke

What to know: The Panthers won’t be bowling for just the second time in nine years under Pat Narduzzi.

14. Wake Forest (4-7, 1-6)

Last week: 12

This week: at Syracuse

What to know: Outscored 71-13 the past two weeks, Wake Forest now faces a road game at Syracuse with plenty at stake: The loser clinches last place in the ACC.

Scott Keepfer covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at skeepfer@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @ScottKeepfer

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Seminoles, Cardinals maintain top spots in ACC football power rankings