Many different power rankings are posted before the start of the season. People want to know where their team stands before the season, giving them hope leading into the season. Personally, I want to see how teams look before I begin to assign any kind of rankings. Trying to sort out teams who haven’t played is nearly impossible (look no further than 2022-23 North Carolina). With that being said, the first week is over, and every team has played at least one game, so let’s take a look at the first ACC basketball power rankings.
ACC Basketball Power Rankings Post-Week 1
18. Boston College (1-1)
I had hope for them before the season and even said they had a strong chance for a win during the first week against VCU. Unfortunately for them, a mediocre performance against the Citadel before a blowout loss to the Rams dims any glimmer of hope. There is time to correct the problem, but don’t be surprised if BC finds themselves at the bottom of the ACC basketball power rankings frequently throughout the season.
17. Georgia Tech (1-1)
The only thing that could have stopped Georgia Tech from starting 2-0 was a home loss to a lower-tier opponent. They somehow managed to do it. North Florida should not beat an ACC opponent of any kind, let alone a team picked to finish 12th in the preseason poll. The ACC hopes that they right the ship or turn out to be much worse than 12th.
16. Syracuse (1-0)
Syracuse will not stay here, but I also refuse to ignore an almost catastrophic loss at home to Le Moyne. They have an opportunity on Tuesday to leave that abomination of a home performance behind them and win handily. Syracuse should be much higher on the list going forward. Orange fans hope that the game against Le Moyne isn’t the beginning of a downward spiral in year two under Coach Adrian Autry.
15. California (2-0)
Many people feared that adding teams in conference realignment would water down competition. California almost proved them right in week 0ne. They had very underwhelming performances against Bakersfield and Cal Poly. If they keep winning, nobody will care. However, if they continue playing poorly against higher-quality opponents, they will find themselves with a loss soon.
14. Florida State (2-0)
Another team, another set of underwhelming performances. Close wins against North Kentucky and Rice still count as wins. However, Florida State has made a habit of losing those games in recent seasons, so it is a fresh sight. They need to discover a strong identity on the offensive side of the ball if they hope to continue their success in week two.
13. Stanford (2-0)
Add Stanford to the list of pleasant surprises. While the start of the game against Denver was cause for concern, they finished that game strong, winning 85-62. They also beat Cal State Fullerton 80-53, taking care of business against lesser opponents is a promising sign. Stanford joins California as a team that people feared would bring the ACC further down. It has been a good start for Stanford.
12. Notre Dame (1-0)
The next few teams are very close to each other right now. Notre Dame falls here because they only played once, and it was against a very poor Stonehill team. Markus Burton will lead this team as far as he can. I expect a strong showing from Notre Dame, so this ranking does not match my prediction for where they will finish come the end of the season.
11. Louisville (1-1)
It was a tale of two games under new head coach Pat Kelsey. They dominated the first game against Morehead State, winning by 48. They proceeded to get dominated by Tennessee, losing by 22. Tennessee is a respectable loss, but not by 22 at home. Under a new coach, issues will always arise. Louisville fans hope that the Tennessee game represents an exception, not a rule.
10. Virginia (2-0)
Following the surprise retirement of Tony Bennett, Virginia opened the season how they always do: ugly. The low-scoring affair against Campbell makes you wonder if Tony Bennett truly retired. It is impossible to know where this team is headed. Can a new coach take them to the next level this season? Are they destined for a poor performance? I look forward to watching them over the next several weeks because they are the team with the most questions.
9. Virginia Tech (2-0)
Placing Virginia Tech in the middle of the rankings fits well. They beat two bad opponents by an average margin of 21 points. An average team is expected to do such things. Only time will tell how good this Virginia Tech team is, but after one week, there can’t be any complaints.
8. SMU (2-0)
You can practically copy and paste what I said about VA Tech. The only difference is that SMU beat their opponents by an average of 31.5 points. SMU has a lot to prove going into their first ACC season. Looking at their non-conference schedule, finishing with more than two losses would be a disappointment. We won’t learn much about SMU until they play ACC opponents.
7. North Carolina State (2-0)
This is where the next tier of teams begins. NC State had a magical run last season all the way to the Final Four. There is some turnover, but expect a rusty beginning like what we saw against Presbyterian. Without DJ Burns there for easy baskets under the basket, it’s worth watching how they will change their offensive attack. They have time to figure out exactly how they are going to play against higher-quality opponents before they take on Purdue at the end of this month.
6. Pittsburgh (2-0)
Panther fans were scared through 30 minutes against Murray State. A very strong close saved the game as they won by 15 points. It is safe to say a team that some people had high hopes for needs to play better before a string of power conference opponents begins on Friday. We will learn if this Pitt team truly is a tournament contender by the end of the month.
5. Miami (2-0)
Miami has looked very good through its first two games. The combination of new and old faces for Jim Larranaga paid off, albeit against two mid-major opponents. I am hesitant to believe they have turned things completely around after last season, but Drake awaits in the coming weeks. Miami has a chance to prove themselves and stay in the top part of the ACC basketball power rankings.
4. Wake Forest (3-0)
There was a lot of debate here between Wake Forest and Clemson, but I opted to put Wake Forest here. They haven’t looked as convincing as some other teams, but they have the best win in the conference so far. The win against Michigan is big for Wake Forest and the ACC. They have other important non-conference games left, but it’s always good to beat a power conference opponent so early in the season. If Hunter Sallis can improve his 9.1% three-point percentage, they will look much better than they have so far.
3. Clemson (2-0)
Coming off an Elite Eight appearance in 2024, Clemson began with two dominating wins. I wouldn’t put them with the top two teams yet, but they will have their own chances to prove their worth in the coming weeks. Clemson is a true dark horse to win the ACC this season. Don’t sleep on the Tigers, especially if they can keep their scoring up near 90 points per game throughout the non-conference.
2. North Carolina (1-1)
A road loss at No. 1 ranked Kansas by three points qualifies as the best loss of the 2024-25 season so far by any team. Nothing has changed about North Carolina and their overall perception. They have several crucial non-conference games coming up that will allow them to cement themselves as a top contender for a national championship. For now, the loss is enough to slide them behind the only team in the ACC that they don’t want to sit behind.
1. Duke (2-0)
Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel are poised to return Duke to its former glory. The Blue Devils have answered questions early with a 34-point win over Maine and a 42-point win against Army. Nothing has happened to remove them from the top spot through one week, so I won’t move them. They have a chance to pick up a key win against Kentucky this week. Duke has many opportunities to prove their status as a championship contender before they start ACC play. Nevertheless, they have already proven enough in the first week for me. Through one week, they have looked like the best team in the ACC. For that, Duke find themselves at the top of the ACC basketball power rankings after week one.
