Jack Nevins gives his ACC basketball power rankings heading into week 7 of the 2025-26 season.
Week 6 team of the week: Duke Blue Devils
Week 6 game of the week: No. 19 Kansas at NC State
Week 6 player of the week: Cameron Boozer, Duke
Week 7 matchup of the week: #11 Louisville at #20 Tennessee (Dec. 16 – 7 p.m. EST)
Week 7 under-the-radar matchup of the week: Cincinnati at Clemson (Dec. 21 – 3 p.m. EST)
1) Duke Blue Devils
Last week’s ranking: 1 (-)
Record: 10-0 (0-0)
Last week: None
Next week: vs Lipscomb (Dec 16 – 6 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Michigan State, Florida, Kansas (Neutral), Arkansas, Texas
Bad losses: None
Duke continues to look dominant in not just the ACC but also the entirety of the NCAA. Cameron Boozer still leads the Blue Devils and averages 23 PPG, while also leading the team in assists with 3.8 APG. Coach Jon Scheyer has found a way for his defense to be really effective once again and through 10 games they are third in adjusted defensive efficiency, and second in 2-point defense.
2) Louisville Cardinals
Last week’s ranking: 2 (-)
Record: 9-1 (0-0)
Last week: W vs. Memphis (99-73)
Next week: at No 20 Tennessee (Dec. 16 – 7 p.m.), vs. Montana (Dec 20 – 12 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Indiana, Kentucky, Cincinnati, Memphis
Bad losses: None
After a loss to number 25 Arkansas two weeks ago, Louisville found a way to bounce back and make a massive statement. They went on the road to Assembly Hall and took down number 22 Indiana then defeated Memphis at home by more than 25 points. The Cardinals went 18-35 from three. Louisville faces another ranked opponent in number 20 Tennessee on Tuesday night.
3) North Carolina Tar Heels
Last week’s ranking: 3 (-)
Record: 9-1 (0-0)
Last week: W vs. SC Upstate (80-62)
Next week: vs. ETSU (Dec. 16 – 8 p.m.), vs. Ohio State (Dec. 20 – 3 p.m.)
Quality wins: Kansas, at Kentucky, Georgetown
Bad losses: None
UNC stays atop of the ACC and a top 15 team in the NCAA. Freshman Caleb Wilson has proven to be one of the best freshman in this class and is the key contributor to the success of the Tar Heels. Another key factor for UNC has been the defensive rebounding. The Tar Heels lead the ACC with 30.5 defensive rebounds per game.
4) Virginia Cavaliers
Last week’s ranking: 5 (+1)
Record: 9-1 (0-0)
Last week: W vs. Maryland Eastern Shore (84-60)
Next week: vs. Maryland (Dec. 20 – 6 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Texas, Dayton
Bad losses: None
Virginia sneaks into the top 25 in college basketball at number 24 this week. Coach Ryan Odom has turned up this program and changed the culture from the Tony Bennett years. The Cavs are fourth in the country in offensive rebounding efficiency. They are also leading the ACC in three-point percentage at 40%. The Cavaliers are on the rise and are proving to be a top 4 team in this conference.
5) California Golden Bears
Last week’s ranking: 6 (+1)
Record: 10-1 (0-0)
Last week: W vs. Dominican Ca. (93-71), W vs. Northwestern State (79-70)
Next week: vs. Morgan State (Dec. 19 – 10 p.m.), vs. Columbia (Dec. 21 – 5 p.m.)
Quality wins: UCLA, Utah
Bad losses: None
Cal just keeps on rolling, as they are through 11 games with just one loss. They have a top 25 win under their belt in UCLA and took down Utah. The Bears have depth, with four players averaging 10 plus points. John Camden knocked down six threes in the win against Northwestern State. Don’t be surprised if Cal sneaks into the top 25 in college basketball.
6) Virginia Tech Hokies
Last week’s ranking: 8 (+2)
Record: 10-2 (0-0)
Last week: W vs. Western Carolina (96-74), W vs. Maryland Eastern Shore (82-53)
Next week: vs. Elon (Dec. 20 – 2 p.m.)
Quality wins: at South Carolina, George Mason, Colorado State
Bad losses: VCU
The Hokies are now on a four game win streak and sit at 10-2, their last two wins have been by 20 points or more. Although VT sits at 10-2 they have not had a standout game yet and have avoided any ranked teams. Their first comes against number 24 Virginia at the end of December. They are the middle of the pack, team and stat wise in the ACC, but with these wins they can help keep them close to the top of the conference
7) Miami Hurricanes
Last week’s ranking: 7 (-)
Record: 9-2 (0-0)
Last week: W vs. UL Monroe (104-79)
Next week: vs. FIU (Dec. 16 – 7 p.m.), vs. North Florida (Dec. 21 – 4 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Ole Miss, Georgetown
Bad losses: None
Miami has not had a bad loss this season, with their only two losses coming to top 10 teams, and have even gone on a 4 game win streak following their loss to BYU. The Canes are top 4 in scoring in the ACC and Malik Reneau is averaging 20.4 PPG, the third most in the ACC. Miami can easily stroll into conference play with just two losses.
8) SMU Mustangs
Last week’s ranking: 4 (-4)
Record: 9-2 (0-0)
Last week: L vs. LSU (89-77)
Next week: vs. Central Arkansas (Dec. 21 – 2 p.m.)
Quality wins: Texas A&M, Butler
Bad losses: None
It is hard to judge this SMU team because this is a team that won 7 games straight to start the season, but have lost two of their last three games. SMU averages the second most points scored in the ACC but has also given up the second most points to opponents in the ACC. Boopie Miller has been the star for the Mustangs averaging 20.2 PPG, fourth in the ACC. This week may have brought some questions to the SMU offense, but a loss to a 9-1 LSU will not hurt the Mustangs.
9) Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Last week’s ranking: 12 (+3)
Record: 9-3 (0-0)
Last week: W vs. Idaho (80-65), W vs. Evansville (82-58)
Next week: vs. Purdue Fort-Wayne (Dec. 21 – 2 p.m.)
Quality wins: Missouri, TCU
Bad losses: None
Notre Dame is on a four game win streak with two great wins over Missouri and TCU, both of these wins have come without superstar and leading scorer Markus Burton. With the injury to Burton, it will set the Fighting Irish back but with the last two wins, it may not be as much of an issue as they thought it may be.
10) Stanford Cardinal
Last week’s ranking: 14 (+4)
Record: 8-2 (0-0)
Last week: W vs. San Jose State (86-82)
Next week: vs. UT Arlington (Dec. 17 – 10 p.m.), vs. Colorado (Dec. 20 – 8 p.m.)
Quality wins: Saint Louis
Bad losses: Seattle U, UNLV
After a loss to UNLV, Stanford follows it up with almost another loss but pulls out off a late rally against San Jose State. Ebuka Okorie is the centerpiece for the Cardinal while he is second in points in the ACC with 21 PPG. Stanford has a lot to prove if they want to stay inside the top 10 of the ACC.
11) Clemson Tigers
Last week’s ranking: 11 (-)
Record: 8-3 (0-0)
Last week: L vs #9 BYUÂ (67-64), W vs. Mercer (70-63)
Next week: vs. South Carolina (Dec. 16 – 7 p.m.), vs. Cincinnati (Dec. 21 – 3 p.m.)
Quality wins: Georgia, West Virginia
Bad losses: None
In what many may think was a bad week for Clemson, they were able to lead the number 9 BYU Cougars at halftime 43-22 with a 21 point lead. Clemson played a great first half but BYU came back making it the second-largest comeback in the second half in school history. Clemson also held Alabama close and have showed flashes of greatness.
12) NC State Wolfpack
Last week’s ranking: 10 (-2)
Record: 7-4 (0-0)
Last week: W vs. Liberty (85-45), L vs. Kansas (77-76)
Next week: vs. Texas Southern (Dec. 17 – 7 p.m.), vs. Ole Miss (Dec. 21 – 1 p.m.)
Quality wins: VCU
Bad losses: None
NC State has really fell off. A team that was once 25 in the NCAA and a top four team in ACC basketball has found themselves outside of the top 10 in the ACC and the three losses in their last 5 is not helping their case at all. The overtime thriller against Kansas showed the Wolfpack can compete but efficiency and decision-making is not the strong suit for NC State
Melvin Council Jr. scored a career high of 36 points for Kansas and even the injured Darryn Peterson scored 17 points in limited playing time. Darrion Williams finished with a double double with 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Quadir Copeland had 19 points.
13) Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Last week’s ranking: 13 (-)
Record: 8-3 (0-0)
Last week: W vs. Queens (111-73)
Next week: vs. Longwood (Dec. 17 – 7 p.m.), #13 Vanderbilt (Dec. 21 – 7 p.m.)
Quality wins: West Virginia
Bad losses: None
Myles Colvin scored a career high 33 points to lead the Demon Deacons to a 38 point win over Queens. In what has been a pretty good few weeks for the Wake, they have gone 5-1 over their last 6 games. If wake Forest can manage to pull out a win over top ranked Vanderbilt then they will be in a good spot and will be in the conversation as the real deal in the ACC.
14) Syracuse Orange
Last week’s ranking: 9 (-5)
Record: 6-4 (0-0)
Last week: W vs. St. Joes (71-63), L vs. Hofstra (70-63)
Next week: vs. Mercyhurst (Dec. 17 – 7 p.m.), vs. Northeastern (Dec. 20 – 4 p.m.)
Quality wins: Tennessee
Bad losses: Hofstra
Syracuse has dug themselves into a hole. With a four game winning streak to start the season, to then a three game losing streak, to then a win over number 13 Tennessee, to now a loss at home to Hofstra. The Orange are in trouble and have some proving to do. SU sits at dead last for free throw percentage in the entire NCAA, this is the cause of these losses.
15) Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Last week’s ranking: 16 (+1)
Record: 6-4 (0-0)
Last week: None
Next week: vs. Marist (Dec. 16 – 7:30 p.m.), vs. Lafayette (Dec. 20 – 2 p.m.)
Quality wins: None
Bad losses: DePaul
Georgia Tech has really done nothing this season. They just ended their three game losing streak with a win over Monmouth. They have found their stars in Lamar Washington and Kowacie Reeves Jr. who each scored 23 points in the win over Monmouth.
16) Florida State Seminoles
Last week’s ranking: 15 (-1)
Record: 5-5 (0-0)
Last week: L vs. UMass (103-95)
Next week: at. Dayton (Dec. 16 – 7 p.m.), vs. Mississippi Valley State (Dec. 19 – 7 p.m.)
Quality wins: None
Bad losses: UMass
FSU just added another loss to their resume and this time it comes to UMass. The Seminoles are now on a four game losing streak. The interesting part is that despite their losing streak, they eighth in the ACC in points averaging 86.6 per game, and statistically not the worst team.
17) Boston College Eagles
Last week’s ranking: 18 (+1)
Record: 5-6 (0-0)
Last week: L vs. UMass (76-74)
Next week: None
Quality wins: None
Bad losses: CCSU, at FAU, UMass
Boston College finally moves up one spot in the ACC. This is only because of the loses from Pitt and the fact that they did beat Temple, but still they are just not competitive. The question is will this team ever not be at the bottom and find their way to the middle during conference play?
18) Pittsburgh Panthers
Last week’s ranking: 17 (-1)
Record: 5-6 (0-0)
Last week: L vs. Villanova (79-61)
Next week: vs. Binghamton (Dec. 17 – 7 p.m.), vs. Penn State (Dec. 21 – 12 p.m.)
Quality wins: Ohio State
Bad losses: Quinnipiac, Hofstra
A new team has found the bottom of the ACC. After three straight losses and only four wins to non-power conference teams, the Panthers drop yet another game to Villanova and look lost.