Cameron Boozer, Duke basketball top ACC power rankings before Thanksgiving

It’s Feast Week in the 2025-26 college basketball season, which offers ACC teams a chance to add some nonconference wins as we approach Thanksgiving.

Duke (7-0), Louisville (5-0), UNC (5-0) and N.C. State (4-0) are top-25 teams in the 18-squad conference. With results from the latest week complete, here’s a look at how ACC teams stack up as we enter the final week of November:

Rankings based on games through Nov. 23

ACC basketball power rankings

Here are the power rankings entering the final week of November in the 2025-26 college basketball season.

Cameron Boozer is the latest one-and-done freshman expected to challenge for national player of the year honors and Jon Scheyer is showing no signs of slowing down in his fourth season with the Blue Devils, who have a pair of double-digit wins against Power 5 programs (Texas, Kansas). Duke is 7-0, off to its best start under Scheyer, and has won its games by a nation-best margin of 36 ½ points.

2. Louisville

The Cardinals are lighting it up offensively with arguably the top backcourt in the nation, headlined by freshman Mikel Brown. Pat Kelsey’s club has scored at least 104 points in three of five games and beat rival Kentucky in the other one. Louisville added another P5 win in a comeback victory vs. Cincinnati with arguably the top offense in the nation.

3. UNC

The Tar Heels took the top spot after a double-digit win vs. Kansas, but slow starts could come back to bite them with Michigan State coming up on the schedule. Caleb Wilson and Co. have to grow from the poor finish vs. Navy, but they’ve shown growth without captain Seth Trimble.

4. N.C. State

The Wolfpack got its first big win by taking down VCU in Raleigh. Now, the program has a chance to take the “red reckoning” national as part of the Maui Invitational. Darrion Williams is playing like the preseason player of the year, but the Pack has plenty of punch throughout its lineup.

5. Clemson

The Tigers have won six of their seven games, including victories against West Virginia and Georgia to earn a trophy at the Charleston Classic. Brad Brownell has a balanced group, producing five double-digit scorers vs. the Mountaineers before six players reached double figures against the previously-unbeaten Bulldogs. Jestin Porter dropped 18 points in the title game.

6. SMU

The Mustangs have the experience to move up in these rankings and Jaron Pierre looks like quite the key addition via the portal. SMU beat Butler in its first nonconference test and BJ Edwards had a triple-double with 10 steals vs. Arkansas State. The ACC needs the Ponies to be a consistent threat this season.

7. Virginia

The Ryan Odom era is underway with the Hoos scoring at least 81 points in each of their first five games. Thijs De Ridder and Malik Thomas have Virginia’s offense inside the top 25 in efficiency for the first time since 2021, but the Hoos missed the chance for an early trophy with a loss to Butler at the Greenbrier Tip-Off.

8. Wake Forest

The Demon Deacons had a legit chance to be at the top of these rankings after taking second-half leads vs. Michigan and Texas Tech, but they couldn’t finish the job. A buzzer-beating win vs. Memphis, courtesy of Myles Colvin, got Wake over the hump in the Bahamas. With Colvin and an All-ACC talent in Juke Harries, the Deacs might be the most underrated team in the league.

9. Miami

The ‘Canes battled reigning champion Florida, but ended up losing by 14. There’s talent in the starting lineup, but depth will be a concern for Jai Lucas’ squad.

10. Syracuse

Houston, Kansas and Tennessee are up next for the Orange, so we’ll learn a lot more about his group over the next three games. Defensively, ‘Cuse looks to be much improved.

11. Virginia Tech

Neoklis Avdalas has the Hokies offense humming, but there hasn’t been much resistance aside from Providence. Virginia Tech opens December with South Carolina.

12. Florida State

The Seminoles are a speedy bunch with one of the top tempos in the nation under Luke Loucks. This squad looks a lot better than its preseason projections, evidenced by its two-point loss to Florida.

13. Notre Dame

The Irish had a chance to secure an early statement win against Ohio State, but came up short. Kansas is next on the schedule in Las Vegas. Markus Burton has the goods to be a star in Sin City.

14. Stanford

The Cardinal gets Minnesota on Thanksgiving, which will be the first challenge for a team that has yet to play a quality opponent.

15. California

The Golden Bears nearly knocked off Kansas State with a valiant comeback attempt, so there’s some promise with this program. UCLA provides the next big challenge.

16. Georgia Tech

The Yellow Jackets lost to Georgia and had a couple of close calls against two low-major programs. Things aren’t looking up in Atlanta.

17. Pittsburgh

The Panthers and Boston College are the only teams with at least three losses in the ACC. Following missed opportunities against West Virginia and UCF, Pitt took a major step back with a home loss to Quinnipiac. They have Ohio State and Texas A&M in the coming weeks, but it could be a long season in the ‘Burgh.

18. Boston College

The only ACC outside of the top 100 on KenPom, BC lost to Central Connecticut and could be the team that consistently pulls the conference down throughout the season.

Rodd Baxley covers North Carolina Tar Heels athletics for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his ACC coverage on X/Twitter or Bluesky: @RoddBaxley. Got questions regarding UNC? Send them to rbaxley@usatodayco.com.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: ACC basketball power rankings with Cameron Boozer, Duke at the top

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