Hubert Davis postgame press conference video after UNC vs Ohio State
Here’s video of Hubert Davis’s press conference after UNC basketball’s nail-biting win against Ohio State at the CBS Sports Classic in Atlanta.
With a bulk of college basketball’s nonconference schedule complete, the ACC put itself in position to enjoy a Merry Christmas.
Duke, Louisville, UNC and Virginia continue to lead the way as the top teams in the conference, but the overall league improvement is evident as 2026 approaches on the calendar. According to ESPN researcher Bryan Ives, ACC teams have 38 Power Five wins this season after logging 16 such victories last season.
There are nine ACC teams among the top 50 nationally in the NET (NCAA Evaluation Tool) rankings, as of Dec. 22. On Dec. 22, 2024, there were five teams among the top 50 in the NET.
Here’s a look at how ACC teams stack up against each other in the pre-Christmas power rankings.
Rankings based on games through Dec. 22.
ACC basketball power rankings
Here are the power rankings as of Dec. 22 in the 2025-26 college basketball season.
1. UNC
The Tar Heels haven’t lost since Thanksgiving Day and are off to their best 12-game start since the 2008-09 national championship season. Fifth-year coach Hubert Davis has done a phenomenal job finding the rhythm for a roster that includes 11 newcomers around senior guard Seth Trimble, who returned in a one-point win against Ohio State in Atlanta. Trimble’s influence as the Tar Heels’ top threat on the perimeter elevates a team that features Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar, arguably the top post duo in the nation. UNC almost blew a double-digit lead against the Buckeyes, but the Heels made winning plays to leave the ATL with a victory.
Unlike their Tobacco Road rivals, the Blue Devils didn’t almost blow a double-digit lead, they did blow a double-digit lead against Texas Tech at Madison Square Garden to snap a nine-game winning streak at “Cameron North.” Missed free throws and production from players not named Cameron Boozer contributed to the Raiders’ rally from 17 points down in New York City. Despite the disappointing result, this setback seems like more of a blip than the start of a trend for the Blue Devils. With a 5-1 record in its marquee nonconference games, Duke has no reason to panic after one result. But Jon Scheyer will get plenty of use out of the Texas Tech game film.
3. Louisville
The Cardinals were smoked by Smokey’s Volunteers at Tennessee with Mikel Brown Jr. sidelined because of a lower-back injury. It doesn’t seem to be a long-term concern for Pat Kelsey’s club, but Louisville needs to continue to show improvement defensively as it heads to California for a two-game swing against the Golden Bears and Stanford.
4. Virginia
Coming off a win against former ACC foe Maryland, the Cavaliers’ third straight in the series since the Terrapins left the league for the Big Ten in 2014, Virginia is averaging 86.5 points per game in its first season under coach Ryan Odom. If that continues, it would be the second-highest scoring average in school history (89.8 ppg in 1954-55).
5. Clemson
Following back-to-back losses to Alabama and BYU to start December, the Tigers closed their nonconference schedule with wins against South Carolina and Cincinnati. Clemson coach Brad Brownell has won 302 games and appears to have another balanced group capable of staying among the top teams in the ACC.
6. Miami
Following a seven-win season, the Hurricanes have 11 wins through 13 games in their first season under coach Jai Lucas. That’s the most nonconference wins in the regular season since 2017-18, which ended with Miami earning an NCAA Tournament bid. The slate wasn’t overwhelming, but it’s no surprise Lucas has a top-30 defense in Coral Gables.
7. California
The Golden Bears haven’t played a tough schedule, but the victory against a ranked UCLA team came during a nine-game winning streak that’s currently the longest in the league. Off to its best start since the 1959-60 season, Cal will soon get its shot at showing it’s a legit March Madness threat in the ACC. Four of its first six league games include matchups with Duke, UNC, Virginia and Louisville.
8. SMU
Losses to Vanderbilt and LSU shook some of the shine off the Mustangs, but Andy Enfield’s squad has two of the top scorers in the league with Jaron Pierre and Boopie Miller. They’ll get a big opportunity with a home game against UNC to start 2026.
9. N.C. State
Will Wade says “kindergarten is over” for the Wolfpack, which heard that statement and followed it with a dominant win against Ole Miss in Greensboro. Despite a 1-4 record in Power Five games, the Wolfpack has the pieces to push its way toward the top of the league. Paul McNeil has 17 3-pointers in the last two games, including an ACC-record 11 treys vs. Texas Southern.
10. Wake Forest
Juke Harris and Myles Colvin have been great for the Demon Deacons, but the team as a whole continues to struggle in marquee matchups. Following its near-takedowns of Michigan and Texas Tech, Wake Forest got blown out by Oklahoma and Vanderbilt. The Deacs need to show up in a big way against N.C. State on Dec. 30 in Raleigh to carry some momentum into 2026.
11. Stanford
Ebuka Okorie is arguably the most underrated freshman in the nation. Following a two-game absence because of a lower-body injury, Okorie scored a freshman-record 32 points in a win against Colorado. The Cardinal have a 10-2 record for its best start since the 2019-20 season.
12. Virginia Tech
The Hokies haven’t had Tobi Lawal for seven games and Neoklis Avdalas missed the Elon game, which ended with Virginia Tech earning an overtime victory. The healthy Hokies can put a scare in the top ACC teams, but they have to reach that point.
13. Notre Dame
The effects of Markus Burton’s injury were shown in the Irish’s loss to Purdue Fort Wayne and it could be a tough road ahead without the team’s best player.
14. Syracuse
The Orange lost to Hofstra and nearly got knocked off by Northeastern. But one of the worst free-throw shooting teams in the nation made 70% of its 48 (!) attempts to avoid the upset.
15. Pittsburgh
The Panthers dominated Penn State with an 80-46 victory in Hershey, Pa. Roman Siulepa dropped 28 in that neutral-site win.
16. Georgia Tech
Lamar Washington has dished out 10 assists in back-to-back games, but the Yellow Jackets are likely in for a rough New Year’s Eve game at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
17. Florida State
The ‘Noles snapped a five-game losing streak with a win against Mississippi Valley State, but a return to P5 games will likely start a new one.
18. Boston College
The Eagles haven’t played since Dec. 10, but they’ll likely occupy this spot 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.