Clemson Predicted to Win ACC After Florida State’s Week 0 Loss

Clemson has an excellent opportunity to come out of the ACC after Florida State's disappointing loss.

Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik (2) during the fourth quarter of the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, Friday, December 29, 2023. Clemson won 38-35. / Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK

Saturday was a great day for Clemson fans. While the start of the college football season was already a reason to be excited, Florida State, the Tigers' biggest threat in the ACC, struggled in a shocking loss to Georgia Tech.

Former Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei did his old team a favor, struggling in the opener with 193 yards on 19-27. Uiagalelei's counting stats don't look bad, but he couldn't get much going for the Seminoles' offense.

It was a lot of the same that Clemson fans saw a few years ago.

One game doesn't decide anything, but this puts Florida State in a tough position. The committee already showed last season that they weren't afraid to leave them out. While the ACC Championship Game winner will get an automatic bid to the CFP, there's no guarantee that Florida State will do so.

They have some tough games on their schedule moving forward, including a contest against Clemson on October 5.

With their loss on Saturday, Clemson has now been predicted to win the ACC in The Athletic's College Football Projection model. They earned the No. 4 seed, which would mean they get an automatic bye in the first round.

"Clemson is ACC’s new favorite: Florida State entered the game with a 54 percent chance to make the College Football Playoff, according to our College Football Projection model. After the upset loss, the Seminoles’ odds dip to 25.5 percent.

"They’re no longer the ACC favorites — Clemson takes the honors (24.6 percent) — as the Seminoles’ conference title odds fell to 16.6 percent"

Projections only mean so much, as Clemson must prove on the field that they're a College Football Playoff team. Their Week 1 game against Georgia will be their biggest challenge and an excellent opportunity to prove who they are. Georgia is the No. 1 team in the nation in the preseason AP Poll.

Clemson will also face other challenges in the season, taking on a ranked NC State team on September 21, Florida State, and a Virginia Tech team many view as a threat to win the ACC.

If they lose to Georgia, the Tigers will likely still have an opportunity to make the CFP. If they lose to Florida State and Georgia, there could be some worries about getting in unless they win the ACC title.

All in all, it was a good first week of college football for Clemson. The attention now turns to them, with game day less than a week away.