Jack Nevins gives his ACC basketball power rankings heading into week 11 of the 2025-26 season.
Week 10 team of the week: Duke
Week 10 game of the week:Â Stanford at Virginia Tech
Week 10 player of the week: Donnie Freeman, Syracuse
Week 11 matchup of the week: #23 Virginia at #20 Louisville (Jan. 13 – 7 p.m.)
Week 11 under-the-radar matchup of the week: Miami at Clemson (Jan. 17 – 2:15 p.m.)
1) Duke Blue Devils
Last week’s ranking: 1 (-)
Record: 15-1 (4-0)
Last week: W at #20 Louisville (84-73), W vs. #24 SMU (82-75)
Next week: at Cal (Jan. 14 – 11 p.m.), vs. #24 SMU (Jan. 17 – 2 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Michigan State, Kansas (Neutral), Louisville, Arkansas, Florida, SMU, Texas
Bad losses: None
Duke is still dominating and picks up two great wins in the ACC over Louisville and SMU. Duke is really the team to beat in the ACC and fans do not see them losing any games during this conference play.
2) North Carolina Tar Heels
Last week’s ranking: 3 (+1)
Record: 14-2 (2-1)
Last week: W vs. Wake Forest (87-84)
Next week: at Stanford (Jan. 14 – 9 p.m.), at Cal (Jan. 17 – 4 p.m.)
Quality wins: Kansas, at Kentucky, Ohio State
Bad losses: None
After a rough loss to SMU to start conference play, the Tar Heels bounce back with a win over Wake Forest but this was closer than most expected. Caleb Wilson continued to dominate with 22 points and 12 rebounds, but if UNC wants to take that next step they need to cut these close wins and start taking advantage of teams that are beneath them.
3) Virginia Cavaliers
Last week’s ranking: 4 (+1)
Record: 14-2 (3-1)
Last week: W vs. Cal (84-60), W vs. Stanford (70-55)
Next week: at #20 Louisville (Jan. 13 – 7 p.m.), at SMU (Jan. 17 – 12 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Texas, Dayton, at NC State, Virginia Tech
Bad losses: None
The VT loss for Virginia is now a bad loss. The Cavaliers finally cracked the top 20 and ar enow ranked 16th in the nation. They have really proved they are legit in this tough conference.
4) Louisville Cardinals
Last week’s ranking: 5 (+1)
Record: 11-3 (2-2)
Last week: L vs #6 Duke (84-73), W vs. Boston College (75-62)
Next week: vs #23 Virginia (Jan. 13 – 7 p.m.), at Pitt (Jan. 17 – 8 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Indiana, Kentucky, Cincinnati, at Cal
Bad losses: None
Louisville just cannot seem to be able to defeat the good teams. That has been their issue this season as they have lost to three ranked teams already and just cannot find their footing.
5) Clemson Tigers
Last week’s ranking: 6 (+1)
Record: 14-3 (4-0)
Last week: W vs. #24 SMU (74-70), W at Notre Dame (76-61)
Next week: vs. Boston College (Jan. 13 – 7 p.m.), vs. Miami (Jan. 17 – 2:15 p.m.)
Quality wins: Georgia, West Virginia, SMU
Bad losses: None
The Tigers are now rolling and are ranked 22nd in the country they extend their win streak to seven and. Jestin Porter has the hot hand and has scored 20 points in the last three games.
6) Miami Hurricanes
Last week’s ranking: 7 (+1)
Record: 14-2 (3-0)
Last week: W at Wake Forest (81-77), W vs. Georgia Tech (91-81)
Next week: at Notre Dame (Jan. 13 – 7 p.m.), at #22 Clemson (Jan. 17 – 2:15 p.m.)
Quality wins: None
Bad losses: None
Miami extends their win streak to nine games and have really become a threat in the ACC. Malik Reneau is still dominating in points per game in the conference with 20.6. The Canes will be very dangerous in this part of the season.
7) SMU Mustangs
Last week’s ranking: 2 (-5)
Record: 12-4 (1-2)
Last week: L at Clemson (74-70), L at No. 6 Duke (82-75)
Next week: vs. Virginia Tech (Jan. 14 – 9 p.m.), vs. #16 Virginia (Jan. 17 – 12 p.m.)
Quality wins: North Carolina, Texas A&M, Butler
Bad losses: None
Should there be some panic in Dallas? SMU is now 1-2 in conference play losing their last two games, but I don’t think fans should freak out yet. The Mustangs lost to two ranked teams and kept it close in both, while still defeating UNC by 14 points the week before. SMU will be fine the rest of ACC play as they got their hardest games out of the way.
8) Stanford Cardinal
Last week’s ranking: 10 (+2)
Record: 13-4 (2-2)
Last week: W vs. Virginia Tech (69-68), L at #23 Virginia (70-55)
Next week: vs. #14 North Carolina (Jan. 14 – 9 p.m.), vs #6 Duke (Jan. 17 – 6 p.m.)
Quality wins: Louisville, Saint Louis
Bad losses: Seattle U, UNLV
Stanford drops a game to number 23 Virginia but come off two great wins number 20 Louisville and Virginia Tech, but now enter a gauntlet with UNC and Duke. This will be their toughest test of the season. Ebuka Okorie continues to show out for the Cardinal where he scored 32 points against VT.
9) Virginia Tech Hokies
Last week’s ranking: 8 (-1)
Record: 13-4 (2-2)
Last week: L vs. Stanford (69-68), W vs. Cal (78-75)
Next week: at SMU (Jan. 14 – 9 p.m.), vs. Notre Dame (Jan. 17 – 12 p.m.)
Quality wins: Virginia, Colorado State, George Mason
Bad losses: Wake Forest
VT is climbing but cannot get over the humps of the poor losses that are hurting them during conference play. Yes, they beat Virginia and some other great teams, but in order togo far they need to not lose to teams that are in the bottom half of the ACC.
10) NC State Wolfpack
Last week’s ranking: 11 (+1)
Record: 12-5 (3-1)
Last week: W at Boston College (79-71), W at Florida State (113-69)
Next week: vs. Georgia Tech (Jan. 17 – 12 p.m.)
Quality wins: VCU
Bad losses: None
NC State just still has not shown the ACC anything, yeah they won the last two games but it was to the two worst teams in the conference, and they didn’t even build the best resume during the non-conference games.
11) Syracuse Orange
Last week’s ranking: 15 (+4)
Record: 11-5 (2-1)
Last week: W at Georgia Tech (82-72), W at Pitt (83-72)
Next week: vs. Florida State (Jan. 13 – 9 p.m.), at Boston College (Jan. 17 – 2 p.m.)
Quality wins: Tennessee
Bad losses: Hofstra
Syracuse bounced back after a few losses and find themselves 2-1 in conference play which is great for the Orange. They have some of the most potential in the ACC to do something really special and they don’t have the heavy hitters on the schedule for another few games.
12) California Golden Bears
Last week’s ranking: 9 (-3)
Record: 13-4 (1-3)
Last week: L at #23 Virginia (84-60), L at Virginia Tech (78-75)
Next week: vs. #6 Duke (Jan. 14 – 11 p.m.), vs. #14 North Carolina (Jan. 17 – 4 p.m.)
Quality wins: UCLA
Bad losses: None
Cal is a great team no doubt. They have some great wins, but are 1-3 in conference play and that is not good enough in this conference that is filled with winning teams. Duke and UNC are on the road at Cal this week and will give the Bears some more trouble.
13) Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Last week’s ranking: 12 (-1)
Record: 10-7 (1-3)
Last week: L vs. Miami (81-77), L at #17 North Carolina (87-84)
Next week: at Florida State (Jan. 17 – 6 p.m.)
Quality wins: West Virginia, Virginia Tech
Bad losses: None
Wake Forest has lost four of their last five but has snuck by in some fashion. They beat a good Virginia Tech team, and kept it very close against UNC and Miami. Wake is just an up and down team, but Juke Harris is really helping their case in the rankings.
14) Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Last week’s ranking: 13 (-1)
Record: 10-6 (1-2)
Last week: L vs. Clemson (76-61)
Next week: vs. Miami (Jan. 13 – 7 p.m.), at Virginia Tech (Jan. 17 – 12 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Stanford, TCU, Missouri
Bad losses: Purdue Fort-Wayne
Notre Dame and Wake Forest are very similar. Notre Dame has lost three of their last four. Markus Burton is still out with an injury and this is costing the Irish their season. They have shown some flashes earlier in the season but are now 1-2 in conference play with three of the harder ACC opponents.
15) Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Last week’s ranking: 14 (-1)
Record: 10-7 (1-3)
Last week: L at Duke (85-79), W vs. Boston College (65-53)
Next week: vs. Pitt (Jan. 14 – 7 p.m.), at NC State (Jan. 17 – 12 p.m.)
Quality wins: None
Bad losses: DePaul
Georgia Tech gets grouped into these bottom tier teams that have won three of their last four or five games. They kept their last two games against Syracuse and Miami to just 10 points which helps their case and they only lost to Duke by six, but their inability to beat top notch teams needs to be amped up.
16) Pittsburgh Panthers
Last week’s ranking: 17 (+1)
Record: 7-9 (0-3)
Last week: L vs. Syracuse (83-72)
Next week: at Georgia Tech (Jan. 14 – 7 p.m.), vs. #20 Louisville (Jan. 17 – 8 p.m.)
Quality wins: Ohio State
Bad losses: Quinnipiac, Hofstra
Pitt was lead by Brandin Cummings in the loss to Syracuse with 29 points and showed some stardom. The Panthers kept it close even cutting the lead to five late in the game, but Pitt just cannot hold on. It may be time for them to step on the gas to get some transfer or a good freshman class.
17) Florida State Seminoles
Last week’s ranking: 16 (-1)
Record: 7-9 (0-3)
Last week: L vs. NC State (113-69)
Next week: at Syracuse (Jan. 13 – 9 p.m.), vs. Wake Forest (Jan. 17 – 6 p.m.)
Quality wins: None
Bad losses: UMass
They were able to keep Duke on their toes and proved they can be some program, but life is short in the season for the Seminoles and crawling out of this hole will not be easy.
18) Boston College Eagles
Last week’s ranking: 18 (-)
Record: 7-9 (0-3)
Last week: L vs. NC State (79-71), L at #20 Louisville (75-62)
Next week: at #22 Clemson (Jan. 13 – 7 p.m.), vs. Syracuse (Jan. 17 – 2 p.m.)
Quality wins: None
Bad losses: CCSU, at FAU, UMass
BC is back in the bottom spot in the ACC Basketball Power Rankings and the struggles just keep piling on. They did win two in a row before their three game losing streak, but this three game losing streak are three straight ACC losses and they just keep losing their bid to the ACC tournament.