Jack Nevins gives his ACC basketball power rankings heading into week 18 of the 2025-26 season.
Week 17 team of the week: Duke Blue Devils
Week 17 game of the week: North Carolina defeated Louisville, 77-74
Week 17 player of the week: Cameron Boozer, Duke
Week 18 matchup of the week: #17 North Carolina at #1 Duke (Mar. 7 – 6:30 p.m.)
Week 18 under-the-radar matchup of the week: Louisville at #22 Miami (Mar. 7 – 2 p.m.)
1) Duke Blue Devils
Last week’s ranking: 1 (-)
Record: 27-2 (15-1)
Last week: W at Notre Dame (100-56), W vs. #11 Virginia (77-51), W at NC State (93-64)
Next week: at NC State (Mar. 2 – 7 p.m.), vs. #17 North Carolina (Mar. 7 – 6:30 p.m.)
Quality wins: Michigan (Neutral), at Michigan State, Kansas (Neutral), Florida, Arkansas, Louisville (2x), Clemson, SMU, Texas, Virginia
Bad losses: None
Duke outscored their opponents by a total of 70 points and took down Notre Dame by 44 and then steamrolled over number 11 Virginia 77-51. Cameron Boozer combined for 42 points between the stretch and is the clear number one team in the country. They have the number one-ranked defense in the nation and are the front-runners for the national championship.
2) Virginia Cavaliers
Last week’s ranking: 2 (-)
Record: 25-4 (13-3)
Last week: W vs. NC State (90-61), L at #1 Duke (77-51)
Next week: vs. Wake Forest (Mar. 3 – 7 p.m.), vs. Virginia Tech (Mar. 7 – 12 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Louisville, NC State (2x), at SMU, at Texas, Virginia Tech
Bad losses: Butler
Virginia won one and lost one. This week started out hot for the Cavs, as they took down NC State by 29 points, but then Duke returned the favor and blew them out by 26.
3) Miami Hurricanes
Last week’s ranking: 7 (+4)
Record: 23-6 (12-4)
Last week: W at Florida State (83-73), W vs. Boston College (76-54)
Next week: at SMU (Mar. 4 – 7 p.m.), vs. Louisville (Mar. 7 – 2 p.m.)
Quality wins: North Carolina, at NC State, Virginia Tech
Bad losses: Florida State
Miami avoided Duke and stayed strong in Quad 1 games. The Hurricanes took down a red-hot FSU team and are now ranked 22nd in the nation. Miami is looking at a seven seed for the NCAA Tournament and still has SMU and Louisville, two good chances to pick up two Quad 1 wins.
4) North Carolina Tar Heels
Last week’s ranking: 4 (-)
Record: 23-6 (11-5)
Last week: W vs. Virginia Tech (89-82)
Next week: vs. Clemson (Mar. 3 – 7:00 p.m.), at #1 Duke (Mar. 7 – 7 p.m.)
Quality wins: Duke, at Virginia, Kansas, at Kentucky, Ohio State, Louisville
Bad losses: NC State
UNC took down Louisville and then VT without Caleb Wilson. They now stroll into Duke after already taking down the Blue Devils once this season, but this time not on their home-court and still without Wilson.
5) Clemson Tigers
Last week’s ranking: 9 (+4)
Record: 21-8 (11-5)
Last week: W vs. #24 Louisville (80-75)
Next week: at #17 North Carolina (Mar. 3 – 7 p.m.), vs. Georgia Tech (Mar 7. – 12 p.m.)
Quality wins: Louisville, Miami-Fla, SMU, Georgia, West Virginia
Bad losses: at Georgetown, at Wake Forest, Florida State
Clemson broke their four-game losing streak with a great win over number 24 Louisville. The Tigers dropped down to a nine-seed in the NCAA tournament projections, but the win over Louisville helps their case a lot. They now have their biggest game of the season in North Carolina, and then just need to beat Georgia Tech to lock in a double-bye in the ACC tournament.
6) Louisville Cardinals
Last week’s ranking: 5 (-1)
Record: 20-9 (9-7)
Last week: L at Clemson (80-75)
Next week: vs. Syracuse (Mar. 3 – 9 p.m.), at #22 Miami (Mar. 7 – 2 p.m.)
Quality wins: Kentucky, Indiana, NC State, Virginia Tech, Baylor
Bad losses: None
Louisville leads the ACC in three-pointers, and when they’re hot, they are dangerous. They dropped back-to-back games against UNC and Clemson, and now Mikel Brown Jr., who set the freshman ACC points record with 44, is now dealing with a back injury and looked shaky against Clemson.
7) NC State Wolfpack
Last week’s ranking: 3 (-4)
Record: 19-10 (10-6)
Last week: L vs. #11 Virginia (90-61), L at Notre Dame (96-90), L vs. #1 Duke (93-64)
Next week: vs. Stanford (Mar. 7 – 2:15 p.m.)
Quality wins: North Carolina, at Clemson, at SMU, VCU, Liberty, Virginia Tech
Bad losses: Georgia Tech
This was a rough week for NC State. The Wolfpack got embarrassed by Virginia, losing 90-61, and then they lost to Notre Dame. They followed that up on Monday with a big loss to number one Duke. Will Wade and NC State need to light a fire in their locker room to make some magic happen.
8) SMU Mustangs
Last week’s ranking: 6 (-2)
Record: 19-10 (8-8)
Last week: L at Cal (73-69), L at Stanford (95-75)
Next week: vs. #22 Miami (Mar. 4 – 7 p.m.), at Florida State (Mar. 7 – 2 p.m.)
Quality wins: North Carolina, Louisville, Texas A&M, Virginia Tech
Bad losses: LSU
It has been proven that the West Coast is a difficult place to play, and they dropped both games to Cal and Stanford, but they lost to Stanford by 20 and allowed the Cardinal to score 95 points, being the 15th-ranked offense ACC basketball.
9) Florida State Seminoles
Last week’s ranking: 8 (-1)
Record: 15-14 (8-8)
Last week: L vs. Miami (83-73), W at Georgia Tech (80-71)
Next week: at Pitt (Mar. 4 – 9 p.m.), vs. SMU (Mar. 7 – 2 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Clemson, at Miami-Fla, Cal
Bad losses: UMass, Wake Forest
Florida State has lost three of its last 11 games. This all sparked with the win at Miami, and on the second time around, they lost to the Canes by 10. FSU finished the week beating a sluggish GT team.
10) Virginia Tech Hokies
Last week’s ranking: 10 (-)
Record: 18-10 (7-8)
Last week: L at #18 North Carolina (89-82)
Next week: vs. Boston College (Mar. 3 – 9 p.m.), at #13 Virginia (Mar. 7 – 12 p.m.)
Quality wins: Virginia, at Clemson, George Mason
Bad losses: Wake Forest, Florida State
Virginia Tech held its own against UNC, keeping it tied at halftime. They needed to pull out a win here, and their only way of making the big dance will be a run in the ACC Tournament. Don’t count the Hokies out, as they won the ACC in 2022, beating Duke.
11) California Golden Bears
Last week’s ranking: 11 (-)
Record: 20-9 (8-8)
Last week: W vs. SMU (73-69), L vs. Pitt (72-56)
Next week: at Georgia Tech (Mar. 4 – 7 p.m.), at Wake Forest (Mar. 7 – 4 p.m.)
Quality wins: North Carolina, UCLA, at Miami (Fla), SMU
Bad losses: at Kansas State, at Florida State, Pitt
Cal had a good thing going and took down SMU, making people believe they should be part of that first-team out group. But all good things must come to an end, and even with a 20-win season, Cal lost by 16 at home to Pitt. Cal’s chances are not fully over, but need a run in the ACC Tournament.
12) Stanford Cardinal
Last week’s ranking: 14 (+2)
Record: 18-11 (7-9)
Last week: W vs. Pitt (75-67), W vs. SMU (95-75)
Next week: at Notre Dame (Mar. 4 – 9 p.m.), at NC State (Mar. 7 – 2:15 p.m.)
Quality wins: North Carolina, Louisville, Saint Louis, SMU
Bad losses: Seattle U, UNLV, Notre Dame, at Florida State, at Wake Forest
A great week for Stanford, beating Pitt and blowing out SMU. If they found a way to beat Cal both times they played them, they would be in the hunt for the tournament, but is 4-5 against Quad 1 teams.
13) Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Last week’s ranking: 12 (-1)
Record: 15-14 (6-10)
Last week: L at Boston College (68-67), W vs. Syracuse (88-83)
Next week: at #13 Virginia (Mar. 3 – 7 p.m.), vs. Cal (Mar. 7 – 4 p.m.)
Quality wins: Clemson, West Virginia, Virginia Tech
Bad losses: Oklahoma, at Pitt
Wake Forest lost to a horrible Boston College team, and practically handed them a free win, but then beat Syracuse. Juke Harris scored 38 against BC, almost half of the team’s points. Myles Colvin scored 32 in the win over Syracuse.
14) Syracuse Orange
Last week’s ranking: 13 (-1)
Record: 15-14 (6-10)
Last week: L at Wake Forest (88-83)
Next week: at Louisville (Mar. 3 – 9 p.m.), vs. Pitt (Mar. 7 – 4:30 p.m.)
Quality wins: Tennessee, SMU
Bad losses: Hofstra, Boston College
This is the weirdest team in ACC basketball. They beat Tennessee and SMU but lost to BC and Hofstra, now Wake Forest. Wake caught fire from deep, and Syracuse has barely secured a spot in the ACC Tournament.
15) Pittsburgh Panthers
Last week’s ranking: 15 (-)
Record: 11-18 (4-12)
Last week: L at Stanford (72-67), W at Cal (72-56)
Next week: at Florida State (Mar. 4 – 9 p.m.), at Syracuse (Mar. 7 – 4:30 p.m.)
Quality wins: Ohio State
Bad losses: Quinnipiac, Hofstra, at Boston College
Pitt lost to Stanford but crushed Cal’s tournament hopes with a 16-point win. Pitt is just on the outside of the ACC tournament.
16) Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Last week’s ranking: 15 (-1)
Record: 13-16 (4-12)
Last week: L vs. #1 Duke (100-56), W vs. NC State (96-90)
Next week: vs. Stanford (Mar. 4 – 9 p.m.), at Boston College (Mar. 7 – 12 p.m.)
Quality wins: NC State, TCU, Missouri
Bad losses: Purdue Fort-Wayne, Florida State, at Pitt
Yes, Notre Dame got blown out by Duke, but they found a way to beat NC State in overtime, which could help their chances above Pitt for the ACC tournament.
17) Boston College Eagles
Last week’s ranking: 17 (-)
Record: 10-19 (3-13)
Last week: W vs. Wake Forest (68-67), L at Miami (76-54)
Next week: at Virginia Tech (Mar. 3 – 9 p.m.), vs. Notre Dame (Mar. 7 – 12 p.m.)
Quality wins: None
Bad losses: CCSU, at FAU, UMass, at Georgia Tech, at Florida State
Boston College snapped its eight-game losing streak with a win over Wake Forest, and then got crushed by Miami, losing by 22. With the win over Wake, that means every team in ACC basketball has won 10+ games.
18) Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Last week’s ranking: 18 (-)
Record: 11-18 (2-14)
Last week: L vs. Florida State (80-71)
Next week: vs. Cal (Mar. 4 – 7 p.m.), at Clemson (Mar. 7 – 12 p.m.)
Quality wins: at NC State
Bad losses: DePaul, Drake, Mississippi State, Pitt, Wake Forest, at Notre Dame
Georgia Tech has lost its 10th straight ACC game and has also lost 13 of its last 14, and its season is unfortunately over with no way of making the ACC tournament.