Georgia Tech Basketball: Ranking the Jackets in the ACC following the first weekend of the 2017-18 season
![ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 07: Head coach Josh Pastner of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets coaches his team during a time out during the Yellow Jackets' game against the Louisville Cardinals at Hank McCamish Pavilion on January 7, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Comer/Getty Images) ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 07: Head coach Josh Pastner of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets coaches his team during a time out during the Yellow Jackets' game against the Louisville Cardinals at Hank McCamish Pavilion on January 7, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Comer/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/7aca6924c517baa0168b7b98e54797c04260d7f4b71443ac305f0c053c71d7fc.jpg)
The first weekend of the 2017-18 college basketball season is over which means it’s time for the first power ranking of the season but where does the Georgia Tech basketball program come in?
Note: Going forward, power rankings will be posted on Monday afternoons and will take into account games from Monday through Sunday of each week. Since these rankings are being posted on a Tuesday, we will be taking into account games from yesterday, Monday, November 14th.
Top Tier:
The teams in the top tier are the best of the best in the conference and will take unbelievable efforts to beat.
1. Duke Blue Devils (2-0)
The Blue Devils are once again the best team in college basketball and this may be the best roster they’ve had in a while. So far this season they’ve had easy wins over Elon and Utah Valley allowing Coach K to earn win 1,000. On Tuesday night, they’ll face off against the #2 team in the country, Michigan State.
Expect the Blue Devils to be a juggernaut this season and could be the top overall seed come March in the NCAA tournament. It’s going to be hard to beat this Duke team this season and while it may happen a handful of times, don’t let it fool, this Duke to is legitimate and should make a deep run into March, if not winning it all
2. North Carolina Tar Heels (1-0)
The Tar Heels lost a lot and have lost All-ACC point guard Joel Barry for the foreseeable future. However, they’re still one of the most talented teams in the country and will be hard to beat. The defending national champions are not as strong as they were a year ago but can still give any team in the country a run for their money.
Don’t be shocked if this year’s ACC regular season and tournament championship comes down between the Tar Heels and the Blue Devils.
3. Miami Hurricanes (2-0)
If there is one team in the ACC that can give Duke and North Carolina a run for their money, it’s Miami. The Hurricanes have one of the deepest rosters in the ACC and appear to be a team that will be able to score at will.
They have an incredibly easy non-conference schedule, their hardest test being Minnesota. Don’t be surprised if they are a top five team come January when it’s time to get into the heart of the ACC schedule.
4. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (2-0)
Notre Dame returns a ton of talent from last year’s team and will look to finish unfinished business. With one of the best players in all of college basketball in Bonzie Colson, the Fighting Irish will be able to hang with the other three teams in the top tier. But will they be able to pick up enough wins to keep themselves in the race for an ACC regular season championship?
The Irish wil be one of the best teams in the country this season and the fourth best team in the ACC should speak to how strong the top of the conference is this season.