Each week throughout the college football regular season, SyracuseRoundtable is bringing you the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) power rankings.

The rankings help give a clearer picture as to how the top teams in the conference stack up against one another. Next month, the top two teams will compete in Charlotte, N.C., not for just the conference title, but for a berth in the College Football Playoff.  

Some ACC teams will finish the final three games of the regular season with three conference matchups. Others will have two. This weekend's matchups will begin providing more clarity to the ACC title game and the conference's overall bowl-eligibile teams.

The Hurricanes lost in a non-conference game to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Saturday 31-24. Miami was without, arguably, its best player in Malaci Toney. The sophomore wide receiver is scheduled to return to the team next month if the Hurricanes are selected for the College Football Playoff. Miami needs to win just two of its remaining three games to clinch a spot in the ACC title game. 

The Demon Deacons and Mustangs play this weekend in what could potentially serve as the most pivotal game in determining the other ACC title game participant.

Wake Forest continues to control its destiny for a spot in the ACC title game. If Wake Forest wins out, their one loss inside the league (against Miami), would still be enough to get to Charlotte. If SMU is able to win, the Mustangs would hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over Wake Forest, giving them an advantage in possibly securing a spot in the title game. However schools like Louisville, Duke, Miami or Clemson could also finish the season with two ACC losses. This past summer, the ACC added new tiebreakers to determine a spot in the title game. 

The Cardinals move down one spot this week, only because of SMU's impressive win over Virginia Tech. Louisville won 44-17 over Georgia Tech. One path that could help the Cardinals get to the ACC title game is their tiebreaker over SMU. Louisville defeated SMU and now holds the head-to-head advantage. Louisville would need two losses by Wake Forest and continue to win to have that scenario matter.

After coming in at No. 6 last week, Duke moves into the top five this week. The Blue Devils have an opportunity to complete shake up the ACC standings and power rankings. Manny Diaz's team finishes the season against Miami, Clemson and Wake Forest. All three of those teams, like Duke, are competing for spot in Charlotte next month. 

No. 6 Clemson

No. 7 Virginia Tech

No.8 Virginia 

The Orange only fall one spot this week. Syracuse's defense did not allow an offensive touchdown to Clemson last weekend. However, that defensive performance could not secure a victory for Fran Brown and his team in a 18-13 defeat. Syracuse needs two wins in its final three games to become bowl eligible. 

No. 10 North Carolina

No. 11 Florida State

No. 12 Boston College

No. 13 North Carolina State

No. 14 Pittsburgh

No. 15 Stanford

No. 16 Georgia Tech

No. 17 California 

Florida State travels to take on Pittsburgh on Friday night. ESPN will have the national broadcast with action set to start at 7:00 p.m. ET.

The noon window on Saturday features Syracuse traveling to take on NC State, Duke visiting Miami, and Wake Forest visiting SMU. Georgia Tech travels to take on Clemson with that kickoff set for 12:30 p.m. ET. 

At 3:30 p.m. ET, Virginia hosts California. 

Louisville at North Carolina is on for Saturday night action, set at 7:00 p.m. ET.

Stanford vs. Virginia Tech closes out the ACC slate of games with a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff.