The top of the ACC stayed mostly frozen in Week 4, but Wake Forest held its ground in a spot that stands out. Even after falling to then-No. 5 Miami, the Demon Deacons stayed at No. 8 in the conference power rankings, keeping them in the top half of the league.
That’s the headline for Wake, but the bigger picture in the ACC is a familiar one: Miami is still No. 1, Louisville jumped to No. 2 after knocking off SMU, and Stanford remains in last place. Those three teams sit in the top tier, with a noticeable gap before the next group begins to form.
Wake Forest is part of that next cluster with Virginia Tech, Duke, Virginia and Pitt. The Deacs are 2-1 overall and 0-1 in ACC play after opening the season with a decisive win over Akron, surviving a double-overtime road battle at Purdue, and then taking their first loss against Miami.
The rankings are built by an editorial staff of ten writers who each rank all 17 ACC teams every week. The votes are then combined to produce the list.
There’s already a clear tier structure taking shape. After Miami, Louisville and SMU, Wake and four others make up the second group. Below that, Clemson, Cal, Florida State and UNC are separated by just one point in the third tier, while Georgia Tech, NC State, Boston College, Syracuse and Stanford occupy the bottom tier for now.
Wake’s placement didn’t change, but several teams around the league shifted based on last week’s results. Clemson dropped after losing at West Virginia, while SMU slid following its loss to Louisville. Louisville’s rise came on the strength of that 41-31 win over SMU, and Miami stayed in command after beating Wake Forest 33-20.
The Deacs now turn their attention to Louisville. Wake Forest travels to No.
16 Louisville on Saturday, September 26, at 12 pm ET. The game will air on ESPN.
In Other News...
Louisville Faces A Real Test After That Statement Win
Louisville has spent the past couple of weeks showing both sides of its profile, with a double-digit win over SMU followed by a competitive showing against Ole Miss. Even with that momentum, the Cardinals are heading into a matchup that feels more revealing than routine, because their defense has given up plenty of points lately and now has to deal with a Wake Forest offense that has quietly improved as the season has gone on.
Gio Lopez has helped steady that side of the ball for the Demon Deacons, and Carlos Hernandez has been a reliable target as the passing game has found more rhythm. Put that together with Louisvilles recent issues on defense, and this looks like one of those games that can turn into a real test rather than just another conference date, with both sides carrying reasons to believe they can control it. [Read more 🡒]
Wake Forest Faces A Louisville Test Built On Pressure And Mistakes
Louisville arrives as a useful measuring stick for Wake Forest, with the conversation around the Cardinals centered on how they are trying to clean up the same things that tend to decide these kinds of games. In a recent Q&A, Louisville football writer Matt McGavic pointed to the importance of key offensive and defensive contributors, including running back Keyjuan Brown and quarterback Lincoln Kienholz, while also noting that the Cardinals have shown progress at tight end.
For Wake Forest, the bigger takeaway is familiar: pressure and mistakes can tilt a matchup quickly, and Louisvilles recent film has provided a clear list of areas that still need polishing. Limiting big plays and avoiding penalties remain priorities for a team trying to keep its footing, and the Deacons will have to sort through a Louisville group that looks capable of making them pay if those issues linger. [Read more 🡒]