Miami sits at the top of the ACC after Week 1, with SMU and Louisville right behind the Hurricanes as the conference settles into its 2026 season rhythm.
Clemson, meanwhile, took a hard fall after a rough opener and lands all the way down at No. 12 in the first full set of ACC power rankings. Stanford checks in at the bottom of the league’s 17-team field.
The opening week delivered a few notable individual showings, including Duke running back Nate Sheppard and Miami wide receiver Malachi Toney. It also brought a flat start from Dabo Swinney and Clemson, one that left the Tigers far from their usual place near the top.
At No. 1, Miami gets the benefit of Clemson’s struggles, and the path ahead looks manageable enough that the Hurricanes’ biggest tests may come against Florida State and Notre Dame.
SMU claims the No. 2 spot after Kevin Jennings lit up the Seminoles. The sophomore threw for 430 yards and three touchdowns in the Mustangs’ win over Florida State, a performance that announced him in a big way.
Louisville lands at No. 3 after pushing Ole Miss all the way and coming up just short. Even in defeat, the Cardinals showed enough against a strong Rebels team to suggest Jeff Brohm’s group can stay in the conversation with Miami.
Virginia comes in fourth after a lopsided win over NC State, though the ranking carries a bit of caution given how poorly the Wolfpack played. Duke follows at No. 5 after handling Tulane, and the Blue Devils should start revealing more about themselves this week against Illinois.
Florida State falls to No. 6 after its close loss to SMU. Mike Norvell had a chance on Monday to calm the noise, but the Seminoles’ opener instead raised more questions about where things go from here.
Pitt slots in at No. 7 with little fanfare. Syracuse is eighth after beating New Hampshire, a result that doesn’t exactly move the needle. UNC is ninth after opening with a win over TCU in Dublin, Ireland, though the program’s broader picture remains shaky.
Wake Forest sits at No. 10 after a 38-16 win over Akron that started strong before fading in the second half. Virginia Tech is 11th, with little stock being put into its win over VMI.
Clemson’s tumble to No. 12 reflects just how badly the Tigers looked in Baton Rouge. Georgia Tech is 13th after a bad loss to Colorado, and Cal lands 14th after a second-half slog in its loss to UCLA.
NC State is 15th, with concerns growing in Raleigh if results don’t turn around soon. Boston College is 16th after a loss to Cincinnati, and Stanford sits last at No. 17 after Malachi Toney apparently kept adding to Miami’s night against the Cardinal.
In Other News...
Duke Gets Another Shot At Illinois After Last Year's Ugly Collapse
Dukes trip back to Illinois carries a little extra edge, even if the Blue Devils are trying not to dress it up as payback. Last seasons meeting turned into one of the rougher spots in a five-loss year, a game that slipped away despite Duke moving the ball well enough to keep pace in yardage before the turnovers took over.
This time, the Blue Devils arrive with at least one early win in hand after beating Tulane, and the focus around the program has been on playing cleaner football. Manny Diaz has made it clear he wants the team built on steady execution, not a revenge storyline, but this is still the kind of rematch that tests whether those lessons have actually stuck. [Read more 🡒]
Duke Heads To Illinois With One Big Question After Opening Win
Duke opened the season with a win over Tulane, and the film offered both reassurance and a clear reminder of how much still has to come together before the trip to Illinois. The offense found real traction on the ground, with Nate Sheppard turning in the kind of workload that can steady a team early in the year, while the offensive line gave the Blue Devils enough push to control stretches of the game. Walker Eget, meanwhile, had moments that suggested the passing game could grow into something more dangerous as the season unfolds.
The issue is whether Duke can get that aerial attack to match the rest of the operation soon enough to matter in a tougher road setting. Bryce Davis and the linebacker corps gave the defense a promising starting point, but the Blue Devils know the next step is making the whole picture cleaner and more complete. Against Illinois, the margin for leaning almost entirely on one part of the offense is likely to shrink fast. [Read more 🡒]
Khaman Maluach Suddenly Has A Huge Opening Former Duke Fans Will Watch
Mark Williams return to Phoenix looked like it was going to give the Suns a familiar anchor in the middle after he recently signed a three-year deal to come back. Instead, an offseason workout changed the picture quickly, leaving the center spot in a very different place than expected and creating an opening that will be watched closely by anyone who followed his Duke days.
For Khaman Maluach, it is the kind of opportunity that can reshape a rookie season in a hurry. With Williams out for a while, Maluach should see a bigger role right away, but the Suns still have not settled the starting picture, and Oso Ighodaro is also in the mix. For Duke fans, it is one more reminder that Maluachs next chapter could start faster, and under more pressure, than anyone thought. [Read more 🡒]