ACC Power Poll: Feb. 5

Clemson is the big mover in this week’s ACC Power Poll, for reasons having to do with Clemson, and reasons having to do with Duke.

First, to the Clemson side of the ledger. The Tigers (19-4, 8-3 ACC) seemed destined to fade after losing its second-leading scorer, Donte Grantham, and looked to be doing so in its first game after losing him, getting beat down in a 61-36 loss at Virginia on Jan. 23.

To Clemson’s credit, though, the ship seems to have gotten righted, and the Tigers haven’t lost since, with road wins at Georgia Tech and Wake Forest sandwiched around a win over North Carolina.

Now, to Duke, which was a solid #2 in our Power Poll last week after its 65-63 loss to Virginia.

There’s no way to explain away the loss on Saturday to St. John’s, which had lost 11 straight coming in.

Honestly, holding the Blue Devils (19-4, 7-3 ACC) in the third spot is based entirely on resume, because the stink of that loss doesn’t go away with a warehouse of Febreeze.

NCAA Bubble Watch

ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi has nine ACC teams getting bids, with North Carolina State (16-7, 6-4 ACC, RPI 61) and Virginia Tech (16-7, 5-5 ACC, RPI 65) among his last four getting in.

Lunardi has Syracuse (15-8, 4-6 ACC, RPI 45) on his Next Four Out list, basically his seventh team left out of the brackets.

Scott German

1. Virginia
2. Clemson
3. Duke
4. Miami
5. North Carolina State
6. Louisville
7. Florida State
8. UNC
9. Virginia Tech
10. Syracuse
11. Boston College
12. Georgia Tech
13. Wake Forest
14. Notre Dame
15. Pitt

Chris Graham

1. Virginia
2. Clemson
3. Duke
4. Miami
5. Florida State
6. Louisville
7. North Carolina State
8. UNC
9. Syracuse
10. Virginia Tech
11. Boston College
12. Georgia Tech
13. Wake Forest
14. Notre Dame
15. Pitt