Unlike the USA Today Week 12 Poll, the AP Poll for Week 12 has Clemson as the highest ranked ACC team. The Tigers narrowly escaped at home in Death Valley on Saturday, coming from behind in the fourth quarter and beating Wake Forest with a field goal as time expired. As a result, the Tigers stayed in the top ten and jumped from 9th to 7th in the poll.
Virginia Tech is the second ACC team to fall in the top ten of the AP poll. The Hokies moved up one spot and are ranked 9th. Clemson has already clinched a berth in the ACC Championship game. If Virginia Tech can win out against North Carolina and Virginia, the ACC title game will surely feature a clash between two top ten teams - something the game has been lacking since its creation.
Florida State enters the poll at 23 after their impressive home win against rival Miami. Georgia Tech, on the heels of their home loss to the Hokies, tumbled out of the poll.
1 LSU
2 Oklahoma State
3 Alabama
4 Oregon
5 Oklahoma
6 Arkansas
7 Clemson
8 Stanford
9 Virginia Tech
10 Boise State
11 Houston
12 Michigan State
13 Georgia
14 South Carolina
15 Wisconsin
16 Kansas State
17 Nebraska
18 USC
19 TCU
20 Michigan
21 Penn State
22 Southern Miss
23 Florida State
24 Notre Dame
25 Baylor