Jack Nevins gives his ACC basketball power rankings heading into week 10 of the 2025-26 season.
Week 9 team of the week: SMU
Week 9 game of the week: #21 Virginia at Virginia Tech
Week 9 player of the week: Boopie Miller, SMU
Week 10 matchup of the week: #6 Duke at #20 Louisville (Jan. 6 – 7 p.m.)
Week 10 under-the-radar matchup of the week: #24 SMU at #6 Duke (Jan. 10 – 2 p.m.)
1) Duke Blue Devils
Last week’s ranking: 1 (-)
Record: 13-1 (2-0)
Last week: W vs. Georgia Tech (85-79), W at Florida State (91-87)
Next week: at #20 Louisville (Jan. 5 – 7 p.m.), vs. #24 SMU (Jan. 10 – 2 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Michigan State, Kansas (Neutral), Arkansas, Florida, Texas
Bad losses: None
Duke is still on top of ACC basketball after two league wins, 91-87 over Florida State where Isaiah Evans was the star scored a career-high 28 points with six three-pointers. The Blue Devils hold the ACC’s best scoring margin of 21.8 and elite defense allowing just 65.5 PPG.
2) SMU Mustangs
Last week’s ranking: 8 (+6)
Record: 12-2 (1-0)
Last week: W vs. #12 North Carolina (97-83)
Next week: at Clemson (Jan. 7 – 9 p.m.), at No. 6 Duke (Jan. 10 – 2 p.m.)
Quality wins: North Carolina, Butler, Texas A&M
Bad losses: None
SMU only helped their resume with a 97-83 upset over North Carolina, as Boopie Miller scored 27 points and 12 assists. The Mustangs lead the NCAA in scoring 91.5 PPG and have now found themselves as the number 24 ranked team in the nation.
3) North Carolina Tar Heels
Last week’s ranking: 2 (-1)
Record: 13-2 (1-1)
Last week: W vs. Florida State (79-66), L at SMU (97-83)
Next week: vs. Wake Forest (Jan. 10 – 6 p.m.)
Quality wins: Kansas, at Kentucky, Ohio State
Bad losses: None
One loss does not hurt the Tar Heels, it just bruised them. The loss to SMU will sting for UNC but they still stay ranked #17 in the country, and there is no doubt in anyone’s mind that the Tar Heels are still a great team.
4) Virginia Cavaliers
Last week’s ranking: 4 (-)
Record: 12-2 (1-1)
Last week: L at Virginia Tech (95-85), W at NC State (76-61)
Next week: vs. Cal (Jan. 7 – 9 p.m.), vs. Stanford (Jan. 10 – 2:15 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Texas, Dayton, at NC State
Bad losses: None
Virginia still remains a ranked team in the country and deserves it, but this loss to VT showed their weaknesses. Yes, they followed it up with a nice win over NC State, but the defense must stay at a top-tier pace to be successful.
5) Louisville Cardinals
Last week’s ranking: 3 (-2)
Record: 11-3 (1-1)
Last week: W at California (90-70), L at Stanford (80-76)
Next week: vs #6 Duke (Jan. 6 – 7 p.m.), vs. Boston College (Jan. 10 – 12 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Indiana, Kentucky, Cincinnati, at Cal
Bad losses: None
This was a Louisville team that was ranked sixth in the nation at one point and was considered a favorite to win the national championship. The Cardinals have fallen far in the ranks and now lost to Stanford? Louisville has some work to do and their conference play just got a lot harder with the uprising of SMU and Virginia.
6) Clemson Tigers
Last week’s ranking: 10 (+4)
Record: 12-3 (2-0)
Last week: W at Syracuse (64-61), W at Pitt (73-68)
Next week: vs. #24 SMU (Jan. 7 – 9 p.m.), at Notre Dame (Jan. 10 – 6 p.m.)
Quality wins: Georgia, West Virginia, Cincinnati
Bad losses: None
The Tigers have found their footing, and are now on a five game win streak, with a great conference win over Syracuse on the road. The defensive effort helped them soar past Pitt.
7) Miami Hurricanes
Last week’s ranking: 7 (-)
Record: 12-2 (1-0)
Last week: W vs. Pitt (76-69)
Next week: at Wake Forest (Jan. 7 – 7 p.m.), vs. Georgia Tech (Jan. 10 – 12 p.m.)
Quality wins: None
Bad losses: None
Miami opened ACC basketball play with a 76-69 win at Pitt, using their scoring to really dominate the Panthers as the Canes sit as the second most ppg averaged in the ACC. The Hurricanes also rank high among the conference in field-goal percentage over 51.8% and rebounding, they just need to maintain this play.
8) Virginia Tech Hokies
Last week’s ranking: 6 (-2)
Record: 12-3 (1-1)
Last week: W vs. #21 Virginia (95-85), L at Wake Forest (81-78)
Next week: vs. Stanford (Jan. 7 – 7 p.m.), vs. Cal (Jan. 10 – 4 p.m.)
Quality wins: Virginia, Colorado State, George Mason
Bad losses: VCU
Virginia Tech upset #21 Virginia and then lost to Wake Forest? In the loss to Wake Forest, Virginia Tech had 19 turnovers which cost them the game. If the Hokies can keep pulling out these ranked wins they will stay near the top of ACC basketball.
9) California Golden Bears
Last week’s ranking: 5 (-4)
Record: 13-2 (1-1)
Last week: L vs. #16 Louisville (90-70), W vs. Notre Dame (72-71)
Next week: at #23 Virginia (Jan. 7 – 9 p.m.), at Virginia Tech (Jan. 10 – 4 p.m.)
Quality wins: UCLA
Bad losses: None
The Golden Bears started league play with a tough 90-70 loss at Louisville, despite Chris Bell leading four scorers in double figures with 20 points and Cal’s usual perimeter threats converting looks. Cal also secured a tight 72-71 win vs Notre Dame.
10) Stanford Cardinal
Last week’s ranking: 9 (-1)
Record: 12-3 (1-1)
Last week: L vs. Notre Dame (47-40), W vs. #16 Louisville (80-76)
Next week: vs. Virginia Tech (Jan. 7 – 7 p.m.), vs #23 Virginia (Jan. 10 – 2:30 p.m.)
Quality wins: Louisville, Saint Louis
Bad losses: Seattle U, UNLV
This is just like Virginia Tech. They lose to a low ranked team in the ACC but manage to beat a top 25 team in the nation? If Stanford can find a way to pull out more wins like the Louisville win, and with their perimeter defense and inside scoring, the Cardinal could be scary.
11) NC State Wolfpack
Last week’s ranking: 11 (-)
Record: 10-5 (1-1)
Last week: W vs. Wake Forest (70-57), L vs. #21 Virginia (76-61)
Next week: at Boston College (Jan. 6 – 9 p.m.), at Florida State (Jan. 10 – 12 p.m.)
Quality wins: VCU
Bad losses: None
What exactly happened to NC State? Well, their late game execution and their decision making has to improve if they want any chance at success and have seven games before they reach the big dogs in this conference.
12) Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Last week’s ranking: 14 (+2)
Record: 10-5 (1-1)
Last week: L at NC State (70-57), W v. Virginia Tech (81-78)
Next week: vs. Miami (Jan. 7 – 7 p.m.), at #17 North Carolina (Jan. 10 – 6 p.m.)
Quality wins: West Virginia, Virginia Tech
Bad losses: None
Wake Forest picked up a nice 81-78 home win vs Virginia Tech, with Nate Calmese scoring a team-high 25 and the defense forcing turnovers, if they can maintain that defensive intensity and efficient shooting, they can climb quickly.
13) Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Last week’s ranking: 13 (-)
Record: 10-5 (1-1)
Last week: W at Stanford (47-40), L at Cal (72-71)
Next week: vs. Clemson (Jan. 10 – 6 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Stanford, TCU, Missouri
Bad losses: Purdue Fort-Wayne
Stanford counts as a great win because they found a way to beat Louisville. This was a defensive battle with each teams scoring less than 50 points. They held their own against Cal, and have showed some flashes this season but some losses still just do not make sense.
14) Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Last week’s ranking: 15 (+1)
Record: 10-5 (1-1)
Last week: L at Duke (85-79), W vs. Boston College (65-53)
Next week: vs. Syracuse (Jan. 6 – 7 p.m.), at Miami (Jan. 10 – 12 p.m.)
Quality wins: None
Bad losses: DePaul
Georgia Tech just really has not shown the ACC anything this season, I do not see them doing very well in conference play and only defeating the bottom half of the teams
15) Syracuse Orange
Last week’s ranking: 12 (-3)
Record: 9-5 (0-1)
Last week: L vs. Clemson (64-61)
Next week: at Georgia Tech (Jan. 6 – 7 p.m.), at Pitt (Jan. 10 – 2 p.m.)
Quality wins: Tennessee
Bad losses: Hofstra
Syracuse has the opportunity here to pick up two good wins. The hard thing to think about this team is that they beat number 13 Tennessee, then lost to Hofstra. They had their chance against Clemson but once again, free throws are the biggest issue for this Syracuse team.
16) Florida State Seminoles
Last week’s ranking: 16 (-)
Record: 7-8 (0-2)
Last week: L at #12 North Carolina (79-66), L vs #6 Duke (91-87)
Next week: vs. NC State (Jan. 10 – 2 p.m.)
Quality wins: None
Bad losses: UMass
FSU got the heavy hitters out of the way and even surprised many. They held Duke to only a four point victory. The Seminoles need to learn how to work better as a team, and not just be able to play well individually.
17) Pittsburgh Panthers
Last week’s ranking: 17 (-)
Record: 7-8 (0-2)
Last week: L at Miami (76-69), L vs. Clemson (73-68)
Next week: vs. Syracuse (Jan. 10 – 2 p.m.)
Quality wins: Ohio State
Bad losses: Quinnipiac, Hofstra
Defense is the only thing helping out Pitt. They have no offensive momentum and are still yet to find that winning streak. They already dropped two games in conference play and in the eyes of the ACC basketball watchers, Pitt will not be finishing outside of the bottom five.
18) Boston College Eagles
Last week’s ranking: 18 (-)
Record: 7-8 (0-1)
Last week: L at Georgia Tech (65-53)
Next week: vs. NC State (Jan. 6 – 9 p.m.), at #20 Louisville (Jan. 10 – 12 p.m.)
Quality wins: None
Bad losses: CCSU, at FAU, UMass
Boston College is back in the bottom spot and at this rate it should be a contest between BC and Pitt on who takes the bottom spot in the ACC each week. They struggled against GT, shooting under 30% from three and must improve their shot selection.