Syracuse’s opening-week statement has the Orange sitting fifth in this week’s ACC power rankings, and the league picture is already starting to take shape after the first round of results.
At the top, Miami claimed the No. 1 spot after flattening conference rival Stanford 45-6. Malachi Toney was on pace in the first half to threaten single-game conference records for catches, receiving yards and touchdowns before the Hurricanes eased off the passing game as the margin grew.
Miami gets Florida A&M at 8:00 p.m. ET on Thursday night with a chance to move to 2-0.
SMU checks in at No. 2 after surviving a road test at Florida State, 27-24, on Monday night. The game came with an added wrinkle for both sides: a power outage that knocked out replay and headset communication. Even with that chaos, the Mustangs came away with the win and continue to look like one of the ACC’s strongest newcomers since joining in 2024.
Louisville lands at No. 3 despite a loss to Ole Miss in non-conference play. The Cardinals stayed close for most of the night, even though their quarterback hadn’t started a game since his high school senior season in 2022. Louisville and SMU are set to meet later this month in a matchup that could carry real weight in the race to Charlotte.
Virginia moves up to No. 4, climbing a spot because Clemson dropped after its loss to LSU. The Cavaliers are expected to be favored in their next three games before ACC play resumes in October against Florida State.
Then comes Syracuse at No. 5.
The Orange’s Week 1 performance was convincing enough to earn them a place above several teams some may expect to be ahead of them. After rolling past New Hampshire, Fran Brown’s team now turns to a much tougher test at home against Cal in the league opener on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
PT ET.
The rest of the conference stacks up like this: Virginia Tech at No. 6, NC State at No.
7, Florida State at No. 8, Clemson at No.
9, North Carolina at No. 10, Pittsburgh at No.
11, Duke at No. 12, Georgia Tech at No.
13, Wake Forest at No. 14, California at No.
15, Stanford at No. 16 and Boston College at No. 17.
Clemson took the hardest fall of the week. The Tigers, once the ACC’s standard-bearer, were hammered by LSU 51-10. A program that was viewed as a title contender last season now finds itself with questions swirling around Dabo Swinney after a rough opening result.
As for the conference slate this weekend, there’s only one ACC matchup on the board: Syracuse hosting California on Saturday.
In Other News...
Syracuse's Top Recruit Could Be In Play Sooner Than Anyone Expected
Calvin Russells recovery has taken an unexpectedly quick turn for Syracuse, with the 2026 recruit back at practice just six months after tearing his Achilles. He is now listed as questionable for the Oranges upcoming game against Cal, a notable development for a player whose timeline initially suggested a much longer road back.
Fran Brown said Russells status will be tested before kickoff, giving Syracuse a chance to see how the young talent responds in a real game-day setting. Justus Ross-Simmons is expected to be active for the ACC opener, but Russells availability still hangs in the balance, leaving the Orange to wait and see whether one of their top recruits can get back on the field sooner than anyone expected. [Read more 🡒]
Fran Brown Just Raised The Stakes For Syracuses ACC Opener
Ahead of Syracuses ACC opener against California, Fran Brown gave the Orange a clearer picture of their receiving room, and it comes at a good time. Justus Ross-Simmons, whose eligibility status has been in flux, is confirmed to be available for Saturday, giving Syracuse another option as it tries to build on the momentum from its 66-3 win over New Hampshire.
Calvin Russell III remains the bigger question. He is working back from a torn Achilles, and Brown said he will be tested on Friday to see whether he can suit up against California. For an Orange team trying to carry a dominant nonconference performance into league play, the final answer on Russell could shape how much flexibility Syracuse has when the lights come on for its ACC opener. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Will Honor A Program Figure Fans Still Associate With Orange Pride
Greg Allens name still carries a familiar kind of weight around Syracuse football, and it will soon be back in the spotlight in a formal way. The 2026 Zunic Award has been officially given to Allen, the former Orange punt returner and Syracuse 8 member whose place in the programs history has long been tied to both production on the field and significance beyond it. The award, which honors courage, self-sacrifice and spirit, is named for former Syracuse linebacker Mike Zunic, who died in a 1989 plane crash.
Allen is scheduled to be recognized on the field at halftime of Syracuses upcoming game against California, a moment that fits the spirit of the award as much as the man receiving it. For Orange fans, it is also another reminder of how much of the programs identity is built on figures like Allen, whose legacy still resonates whenever Syracuse chooses to put its history front and center. [Read more 🡒]