ESPN ACC Football Rankings
Miami, North Carolina, Clemson Top-3 ACC Teams According To ESPN FPI
When it comes ESPN ACC Football Rankings, the Football Power Index (FPI) is a reliable indicator of success in a given college football season. Is the youthful yet talent-laden Clemson squad enough to hold the No.1 ranking in the ACC? Miami sits quietly at the No. 2 spot, while Mack Brown and the North Carolina Tar Heels continue to gain national hype behind QB Sam Howell.
Let’s take a look at the full ESPN ACC Football Rankings ahead of the 2021 season:
ESPN ACC Football Rankings For 2021 Season (FPI)
No. 14 Syracuse
Dino Babers is a great coach and even greater human. The Orange are (14-33) as Babers enters his fifth season on the sidelines. The abysmal offensive performance in 2020— from the Tommy DeVito and Garrett Shrader quarterback carousel to the sub-par offensive line—better clean up in a hurry.
No. 13 Duke
Unlike their bitter foes in Chapel Hill, The Duke football program hasn’t followed the lead of the hoops’ program and ascended like Mack Brown at UNC. Duke has holes throughout its defense but has shown offensive promise at times, but the Blue Devils can’t hang on the recruiting trail and have a 7-16 record over the last two seasons.
No. 12 Georgia Tech
Last year was about getting game live reps for a bevy of young, unproven raw talent. This was an intentional move by the second-year GT coaching staff to reset and revamp the football culture. The 2021 Yellow Jackets return 8 starters from 2020 and a bevy of players with significant game experience in 2021. RB Jahmyr Gibbs is poised for a monster 2021.
No. 11 Wake Forest
We don’t give Dave Clawson enough credit for building and maintaining a team that continues to surpass expectations. Quarterback Sam Hartman mastered the offense after 9 starts in 2020 and every offensive weapon— including WR Jaquarii Roberson who hauled in 62 catches for 926 yards and 8 touchdowns— returns this season.
No. 10 Boston College
Boston College Junior quarterback Phil Jurkovec is arguably the top signal-caller in the ACC. The 6-foot-5, 226-pound junior threw for 2,558 yards, 17 touchdowns, and just five interceptions in 10 starts a season ago, yet his name is relatively unknown. The Eagles could easily finish a few games above .500 and climb several spots in the ESPN ACC Football rankings.
No. 9 Florida State
Mike Norvell and his staff are only entering year two at Florida State, but it feels longer. The Seminoles have turned heads on the recruiting trail and Norvell has utilized the transfer portal to his advantage. The addition of former UCF star QB McKenzie Milton is the perfect example of Tallahassee returning as a hot destination for the nation’s top talent.
No. 8 Louisville
It’s only his third season, but this feels like a major year for Scott Satterfield coming off a disappointing (4-7) finish in 2020. The Cardinals have clear talent on offense and defense, but their youth and lack of discipline were their Kryptonite a season ago. The most alarming number from last year is Louisville’s minus-12 turnover margin.
No. 7 NC State
At No. 7, NC State is in the prime position to pull off a few upsets and emerge as that one ACC squad that comes out of nowhere and gives every opponent a scare. The Wolfpack front seven is big and fast, backed up by one of the top defensive back groups in the conference.
No. 6 Virginia
Virginia has undergone a culture shift and slowly crawled from the bottom of the conference to earn the No. 6 spot in the ESPN ACC Football Rankings. Like the other Virginia college, the ‘Hoos have reached a critical point under the new coaching staff, and winning the Coastal Division feels like the next necessary step. The tail end of Virginia’s ACC schedule is a brutal stretch.
No. 5 Pittsburgh
No. 5 feels high for Pitt, but with Kenny Pickett back at QB, the Panthers’ offense could have that spark they have lacked under Pat Narduzzi. Pittsburgh has a solid defense but it isn’t as dominant up front as we are used to, but if the offense doesn’t make mistakes and can score at least a few points, Pitt has the formula to win 8-9 games and reach a decent bowl game in December.
No. 4 Virginia Tech
The fan base has been divided since Justin Fuente took the reigns from Frank Beamer. After a few letdowns and tumultuous offseasons, the Hokies enter 2021 with everything at stake. Impressive facility upgrades, proven talent and experience (especially on offense), and much-needed momentum on the recruiting trail. A mediocre bowl invite won’t be an acceptable finish for fans, donors, or the VT brass. Hokies’ AD Whit Babcock bet all his chips on 2021 sticking behind his hire, and if the momentum from the last 4-5 months carry over to the season? Everyone wins.
No. 3 North Carolina
Sam Howell is a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate under center for the ‘Heels. The Sophomore quarterback lost key weapons to the NFL Draft, but the UNC recruiting staff has depth and talent waiting to hit the field. Oh, and Tar Heels DB Storm Duck may very well be the next shutdown defender to emerge from the ACC, (while also rocking arguably the best name in college football).
No. 2 Miami
Miami’s fast and ferocious defense and is highlighted by one of the top secondary units in the nation. The Hurricanes’ defensive rise shouldn’t be a surprise with Manny Diaz at the helm, but offensive consistency, particularly from Senior QB D’Eriq King is the key for Miami to truly compete for an ACC Football Championship.
No. 1 Clemson
The young, but ultra-talented group will ride behind sophomore quarterback, DJ Uiagaleleli. Clemson has solidified itself as the dominant force in the ACC Dabo Swinney, Clemson has earned the No.1 spot in ESPN ACC Football Rankings. Swinney won’t admit this year’s squad lacks experience in key positions. Still, Clemson attracts the top recruits in the nation, now it’s just a matter of seeing the young guys play.