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ACC power rankings: CFP hopefuls SMU, Miami, Clemson remain on top after Week 13

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ACC power rankings: CFP hopefuls SMU, Miami, Clemson remain on top after Week 13


Last Saturday was a day of relative chaos in college football.

Seven of the top 25 teams in the US LBM Coaches Poll lost, with much of the carnage occurring in the SEC, where three top-15 teams fell, all to unranked opponents.

If there’s a conference that stands to benefit the most from that mayhem, it just might be the ACC, which now has a conceivable path to getting two teams into the 12-team College Football Playoff. Its three most likely entrants — SMU, Miami and Clemson — held up their end of the bargain with comfortable victories Saturday against Virginia, Wake Forest and The Citadel, respectively.

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But what does the rest of the league look like?

Here’s how the ACC’s 17 teams stack up after Week 13 of the 2024 college football season:

ACC football power rankings

1. SMU (10-1, 7-0 ACC)

  • Last week: 1
  • This week: vs. Cal

The Mustangs’ 33-7 win at Virginia was the eighth victory in a row for coach Rhett Lashlee’s team and clinched it a spot in the ACC championship game. A win against Cal at home on Saturday would give SMU its second-consecutive season with at least 11 wins — a mark it hadn’t previously reached since 1982.

2. Miami (10-1, 6-1)

  • Last week: 2
  • This week: at Syracuse

In their first game since a gutting loss at Georgia Tech, the Hurricanes pulled away late from Wake Forest, scoring 22 unanswered points in the final eight minutes for a 42-14 victory. With a win at Syracuse, Miami will earn just its second-ever trip to the ACC championship game, a surprisingly rare appearance for a program of its historical caliber.

3. Clemson (9-2, 7-1)

  • Last week: 3
  • This week: vs. No 14 South Carolina

The Tigers are done with ACC play and can make the conference championship game if Miami loses at Syracuse. Even if they don’t make it to Charlotte, a win against rival South Carolina would give them not only in-state bragging rights, but it would keep their playoff hopes alive, with a 10-2 overall record.

4. Syracuse (8-3, 4-3)

  • Last week: 4
  • This week: vs. No. 7 Miami

The Orange’s 31-24 victory against UConn gave it at least eight wins for the fourth time since 2010. With 470 yards against the Huskies, Kyle McCord broke the program’s single-season passing yardage record. Syracuse can cap off what has been a strong first season for coach Fran Brown with a win against Miami that would shake up the national playoff picture.

5. Louisville (7-4, 5-3)

  • Last week: 7
  • This week: at Kentucky

The Cardinals’ loss to Stanford in Week 12 was as ugly a setback as a ranked team has endured this season, but they bounced back by throttling Pitt 37-9. Louisville nearly doubled the Panthers in total yardage, 507-265. Now, it will try to snap a five-game losing streak to rival Kentucky.

6. Georgia Tech (7-4, 5-3)

  • Last week: 5
  • This week: vs. No. 6 Georgia

The Yellow Jackets held on for a 30-29 victory against NC State, assuring them of back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in 10 years. They racked up nearly 400 yards of total offense despite playing much of the game with backup Aaron Philo at quarterback. Next up? Their annual rivalry game against Georgia.

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7. Duke (8-3, 4-3)

  • Last week: 6
  • This week: at Wake Forest

The Blue Devils have thrived in close games this season, with five of their eight wins coming by a single score following a 31-28 victory against Virginia Tech. They can pick up a ninth win on Saturday against a struggling Wake Forest team. It would be the fourth time since 2013 that Duke had won at least nine games, something it hadn’t previously done since its 1941 Rose Bowl season.

8. Pitt (7-4, 3-4)

  • Last week: 9
  • This week: at Boston College

The Panthers have lost four in a row since a 7-0 start that shot them up to No. 17 in the Coaches Poll. The latest setback was a 28-point dismantling at the hands of Louisville, a game in which Pitt lost starting quarterback Eli Holstein to a nasty-looking leg injury in the first quarter.

9. Boston College (6-5, 3-4)

  • Last week: 12
  • This week: vs. Pitt

The Eagles rolled past North Carolina 41-21 after holding the Tar Heels to 212 total yards and forcing three turnovers. The win got Boston College to bowl eligibility in its first season under coach Bill O’Brien.

10. North Carolina (6-5, 3-4)

  • Last week: 8
  • This week: vs. NC State

The Tar Heels’ three-game win streak got snapped in unsightly fashion, with a 20-point loss to Boston College in a game in which quarterback Jacolby Criswell threw three interceptions. The setback came days after 247Sports reported that 73-year-old coach Mack Brown plans to remain at North Carolina beyond this season.

11. Cal (6-5, 2-3)

  • Last week: 15
  • This week: at No. 9 SMU

The Golden Bears have had some tough luck in their first season in the ACC, with five one-score losses in conference play, but they’re ending the season on a strong note. Cal has won three of its past four games and became bowl eligible with a win over rival Stanford.

12. Virginia Tech (5-6, 3-4)

Last week: 11

This week: vs. Virginia

Since getting to 5-3 and seemingly putting its early season disappointments behind it, the Hokies have come undone, with three consecutive losses after a 31-28 defeat against Duke. It was Virginia Tech’s fifth one-score loss this season. Coach Brent Pry’s team will need a win against rival Virginia to earn bowl eligibility.

13. Virginia (5-5, 2-4)

  • Last week: 10
  • This week: at Virginia Tech

A difficult final stretch of their schedule has worn on the Cavaliers, who have lost five of their past six games after a 4-1 start. Four of those six matchups came against teams that were ranked at the time. Virginia was held to just 173 total yards in a 26-point home loss to SMU.

14. NC State (5-6, 2-5)

  • Last week: 13
  • This week: at North Carolina

The Wolfpack suffered an excruciating 30-29 loss to Georgia Tech, a game in which it took a six-point lead with a touchdown with 1:30 remaining, but allowed a go-ahead, 75-yard drive in just 1:08. It will need a win against North Carolina to avoid missing a bowl for just the third time in the past 11 years.

15. Stanford (3-8, 2-6)

  • Last week: 14
  • This week: at San Jose State

The Cardinal very nearly followed up its stunning win against Louisville with another victory, but allowed 17 unanswered points to squander a two-touchdown lead in the third quarter in a 24-21 loss to rival Cal.

16. Wake Forest (4-7, 2-5)

  • Last week: 16
  • This week: vs. Duke

Whatever faint hopes the Demon Deacons had of reaching a bowl were dashed by Miami in a game in which they were out-gained by a 508-193 margin.

17. Florida State (2-9, 1-7)

  • Last week: 17
  • This week: vs. Florida

The Seminoles snapped a six-game losing streak with a 41-7 victory against what’s now a 1-11 FCS Charleston Southern team. Already assured of a last-place finish in the ACC, coach Mike Norvell’s team can try to end a miserable season with a win against rival Florida.



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Miami, FL

Miami Dolphins hiring Craig Aukerman to coach special teams, per reports

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Miami Dolphins hiring Craig Aukerman to coach special teams, per reports


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The Miami Dolphins are hiring special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman, per reports.

Aukerman was special teams coordinator for the Tennessee Titans from 2018-2023.

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Aukerman has also coached with the Broncos, Jaguars and Chargers.

Coach Mike McDaniel fired Danny Crossman after three seasons.

The Dolphins’ special teams were ranked by Pro Football Focus as 31st in the NFL this season.

The Titans were ranked 27th last season, but Aukerman was not special teams coordinator.

He had been fired at the end of the 2023 season, after criticism from some fans and media.

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Craig Aukerman to replace Danny Crossman with Dolphins

In 2023, the Dolphins ranked 29th and the Titans ranked 8th.

In 2022, the Dolphins ranked 32nd and the Titans ranked 2nd.

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Joe Schad is a journalist covering the Miami Dolphins and the NFL at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jschad@pbpost.com and follow him on Instagram and on X @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe’s free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter. Help support our work by subscribing today.





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Miami, FL

Miami hosts Cleveland after overtime win

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Miami hosts Cleveland after overtime win


Associated Press

Cleveland Cavaliers (37-9, first in the Eastern Conference) vs. Miami Heat (23-22, sixth in the Eastern Conference)

Miami; Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. EST

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BOTTOM LINE: Miami hosts the Cleveland Cavaliers following the Miami Heat’s 125-119 overtime victory over the Orlando Magic.

The Heat are 13-12 in conference play. Miami is 12-9 when it has fewer turnovers than its opponents and averages 12.6 turnovers per game.

The Cavaliers have gone 24-6 against Eastern Conference opponents. Cleveland ranks sixth in the Eastern Conference giving up just 112.1 points while holding opponents to 46.0% shooting.

The Heat are shooting 45.7% from the field this season, 0.3 percentage points lower than the 46.0% the Cavaliers allow to opponents. The Cavaliers average 11.4 more points per game (121.8) than the Heat give up to opponents (110.4).

TOP PERFORMERS: Tyler Herro is scoring 24.1 points per game with 5.6 rebounds and 5.4 assists for the Heat. Kel’el Ware is averaging 14.4 points and 9.1 rebounds while shooting 54.6% over the past 10 games.

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Jarrett Allen is scoring 13.9 points per game and averaging 10.0 rebounds for the Cavaliers. Darius Garland is averaging 26.2 points and 2.4 rebounds over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Heat: 5-5, averaging 109.7 points, 45.7 rebounds, 27.7 assists, 6.6 steals and 4.1 blocks per game while shooting 45.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.3 points per game.

Cavaliers: 5-5, averaging 118.6 points, 45.6 rebounds, 27.7 assists, 6.7 steals and 4.0 blocks per game while shooting 46.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.1 points.

INJURIES: Heat: Dru Smith: out for season (achilles), Josh Richardson: day to day (heel), Jaime Jaquez Jr.: day to day (illness).

Cavaliers: Isaac Okoro: day to day (shoulder), Caris LeVert: day to day (wrist), Dean Wade: out (knee).

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___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.




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University of Miami selected as 2nd US site for Elon Musk's brain chip study

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University of Miami selected as 2nd US site for Elon Musk's brain chip study


The University of Miami on Monday announced it will be the second U.S.-based site for Elon Musk’s Neuralink’s PRIME Study.

The PRIME study or Precise Robotically Implanted Brain-Computer Interface, monitors and test the safety and functionality of the Neuralink, which is an implant that allows for a wireless and digital link between a user’s brain and a computer.

Collaborating with the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis and the Department of Neurological Surgery at UM, the goal of the Neuralink is to help patients with paralysis by allowing them to control connected devices with their thoughts.

“We are very excited about working with the Neuralink team. This announcement is a testament to our multidisciplinary approach for advancing the latest research in neural interfaces and neurorehabilitation,” said W. Dalton Dietrich, Ph.D., scientific director of The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, co-director of the University of Miami Neural Engineering Institute and professor of neurological surgery at the Miller School.

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As part of the study, Neuralink’s RI Robot, which is used for precision surgery, will also be evaluated.

The implant procedure will be overseen by Neuralink scientists, neurosurgeons and biomedical engineers at the School of Medicine.

“The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis and the University of Miami are renowned for their pioneering research in neural interfaces for the treatment of debilitating neurological conditions such as spinal cord injury and ALS. We look forward to partnering with them as a site for our PRIME Study,” said DJ Seo, co-founder, president and COO at Neuralink.

The study is looking for patients who have limited or no ability to use their hands because they suffered a cervical spinal cord injury or have ALS.

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