Duke basketball has the best resume in the ACC, but Clemson, Miami and Virginia are surging right behind the Blue Devils at the top of the conference standings.
According to Bracket Matrix, a site that pulls together preeminent bracketology projections from across the nation and averages them out to create a composite 68-team field, there are nine ACC teams in solid shape to receive a March Madness bid on Selection Sunday.
Advertisement
No. 6 Duke (16-1, 5-0 ACC), No. 15 UNC (14-3, 2-2), No. 16 Virginia (15-2, 4-1), No. 19 Louisville (12-5, 2-3) and No. 21 Clemson (15-3, 5-0) are among the top-25 teams in the rankings. In addition to the Blue Devils, Tar Heels, Cavaliers, Cardinals and Tigers, SMU, Miami, N.C. State and Virginia Tech are among the teams in the league projected to make the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
DUKE SHARPSHOOTER: How Fayetteville roots shape Duke basketball star Isaiah Evans
UNC GUARDS: What’s keeping UNC basketball from reaching championship ceiling? Start with the guards
LOUISVILLE ROSTER: London Johnson won’t play for Louisville basketball in 2025-26 season
Advertisement
Here’s a look at how ACC teams stack up against each other in the mid-January power rankings.
Rankings based on games through Jan. 14.
ACC basketball power rankings
Here are the power rankings as of Jan. 14 in the 2025-26 college basketball season.
1. Duke
The Blue Devils have shown slippage defensively, but they still only have one loss on the season and put the clamps down on California in Berkeley. Following a pair of impressive resume-boosting wins against Louisville and SMU, Duke continues to win while it learns how to maximize its potential. Despite their flaws, the Blue Devils still have the best wins in the league and the highest ceiling in the ACC.
Advertisement
2. Clemson
The Tigers did what they were supposed to do by earning double-digit victories against Notre Dame and Boston College. Nick Davidson scored 21 straight points in a 25-point performance against the Eagles. Clemson is balanced offensively and defends at a high level as a 5-0 squad in league play.
3. Miami
Tre Donaldson has scored 21 or more points in three straight games for the Hurricanes, who are joined by Duke and Clemson as the only undefeated teams in league play. A trip to Littlejohn Coliseum on Saturday, Jan. 17, will tell us more about Miami’s potential.
4. Virginia
The Hoos might be playing better basketball than anyone in the ACC right now. Virginia had an offensive showcase in front of a national audience at Louisville, getting 16 points, seven rebounds and four blocks from underrated 7-foot freshman Johann Grunloh. Opportunities against SMU and UNC will give the Cavs a chance to elevate themselves even more nationally.
Advertisement
5. Stanford
Ebuka Okorie and the Cardinal dominated UNC’s defense with an offensive onslaught against the Tar Heels. Okorie had 26 points and Stanford knocked down 16 3-pointers to put itself in the NCAA Tournament picture.
6. SMU
The Mustangs had a pair of setbacks in losses to Clemson and Duke, with the latter coming without Boopie Miller. But Miller returned in a big way with a half-court shot at the buzzer to beat Virginia Tech. There’s no reason to panic for a team full of veterans with the offensive potential to hang with anybody.
7. N.C. State
The Wolfpack needs Darrion Williams to keep the headband. N.C. State had an eye-popping performance with 113 points in a rout of Florida State, taking a step forward in finding a consistent identity. An opportunity against Clemson on Tuesday, Jan. 20, will show how far the Wolfpack has come since its early-season losses.
Advertisement
8. UNC
The Tar Heels have fallen off a cliff defensively, allowing 44 3-pointers in the last three games and an average of 92.5 points in two ACC road losses. Henri Veesaar and Caleb Wilson are an elite frontcourt, but UNC’s backcourt outside of Seth Trimble continues to struggle with consistency.
9. Louisville
The Cardinals have lost three of four games without Mikel Brown Jr., their likely-lottery-pick freshman. The schedule eases up against Pitt and Virginia Tech, but they need to find their way without Brown.
10. Wake Forest
If morale victories counted, the Demon Deacons would have a tournament-worthy resume. Juke Harris is playing at a consistent level, but Wake needs more consistency from the rest of the roster.
Advertisement
11. Virginia Tech
The Hokies had six players finish in double figures to avoid a home loss to Cal. If Virginia Tech can take down SMU, folks will start to take this team more seriously.
12. Syracuse
Playing the bottom of the league has allowed the Orange to build some momentum, but ‘Cuse has been pushed by each of those teams despite stringing together three straight wins.
13. California
The Golden Bears have lost three of the last four games, but games against Duke and UNC give them a chance to make some national noise.
14. Notre Dame
Following three straight losses, the Irish are heading in the wrong direction. They haven’t been able to recover from the controversial finish at Cal.
Advertisement
15. Georgia Tech
The Yellow Jackets have lost three of their last four games, allowing at least 82 points in each loss.
16. Florida State
The Seminoles are 0-8 against high-major competition.
17. Pitt
The Panthers have lost six of their last eight games, including three straight.
18. Boston College
Offensively, the Eagles are among the worst scoring teams in the nation. Things don’t look like they’ll get better in Chestnut Hill.
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: Isaiah Evans, Duke basketball top ACC power rankings in mid-January
