Losing its season opener in Ireland to Georgia Tech was a blow to Florida State, both disappointing and embarrassing for the 10th-ranked Seminoles. Already entangled in a legal battle with their conference and harboring resentment from last season’s College Football Playoff snub, FSU’s defeat to the double-digit underdog Yellow Jackets has sparked ridicule across social media. Critics are labeling the Seminoles as the sport’s biggest complainers, with some even reveling in Georgia Tech’s unexpected victory. ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit, still blamed by some FSU fans for the playoff exclusion, didn’t miss the chance to comment on the Seminoles’ latest setback.Florida State certainly has issues to address — more on that shortly — but it’s important to remember that rebounding from an early-season loss to win a national championship is possible.
While it hasn’t occurred in the modern Playoff era (since 2014), Miami’s 1983 team, led by Howard Schnellenberger, managed to do just that. They lost their first game 28-3 against Florida, only to run the table and claim the national title with a win over Nebraska in the Orange Bowl.Unlike the Hurricanes, FSU doesn’t need to rely on polls anymore. In this new 12-team Playoff era, the Seminoles can earn their spot in the postseason by winning the ACC or securing an at-large bid. Ironically, FSU might find it easier to make the Playoff this year with a Week 0 loss than last year when their perfect 13-0 record still left them on the outside looking in.The Seminoles have work to do if they hope to return to Charlotte for the ACC Championship. Offensively, they managed just 98 rushing yards against a Georgia Tech defense that ranked 131st in the nation last season. Despite a new defensive coordinator, Tyler Santucci, it was surprising to see FSU’s ground game stall after a promising start.
DJ Uiagalelei showed flashes of his potential, particularly with two clutch fourth-down completions in the fourth quarter, but FSU’s coaching staff seemed hesitant to fully unleash him.Defensively, the Seminoles’ highly touted defensive line couldn’t match up against Georgia Tech’s experienced offensive front. The Yellow Jackets ran for 190 yards, averaging 5.3 yards per carry, and FSU failed to record a single sack on quarterback Haynes King.The good news for FSU is that there’s time to make adjustments. After a week off, the Seminoles will face Boston College, Memphis, Cal, and SMU before hosting Clemson. Meanwhile, Georgia Tech might be better than expected, with Brent Key’s veteran squad emerging as a potential sleeper in the ACC.With the ACC’s elimination of divisions and expansion to 17 teams, including Stanford, Cal, and SMU, FSU’s path to the conference title game is more complex. Unlike in the past when Georgia Tech couldn’t obstruct FSU’s route to Charlotte due to divisional separation, now the Yellow Jackets can. The two teams with the best winning percentages in conference play will face off in December, with head-to-head competition serving as the primary tiebreaker.
The ACC’s performance against other Power Five conferences will be crucial for its reputation, especially in securing at-large Playoff bids. The conference faces the SEC 11 times this season, with marquee matchups like Georgia-Clemson, Miami-Florida, and Tennessee–NC State. Last year, the ACC went 7-5 against the SEC, marking its first winning season against the conference since 2016.For now, FSU and the ACC must wait and see how the season unfolds. Mike Norvell has a challenging task ahead, while Georgia Tech rides the momentum of a statement win. But the new Playoff format means the Seminoles’ hopes aren’t dashed just yet.