Syracuse Football: Florida State loss opens the door for others in ACC title race, CFP

Syracuse football commences its 2024 season this coming Saturday, but the current term did get going this past weekend. And it started off with a bang.

Last Saturday, in Dublin to kick off the 2024 college football season, the Atlantic Coast Conference was front and center as Georgia Tech shocked No. 10 Florida State, 24-21, with a last-second field goal.

That result left the Seminoles, which won the ACC championship a year ago, with a 0-1 record to begin 2024. This outcome also likely means that when the new top-25 polls are released early this week, the Yellow Jackets (1-0) should be ranked.

It's super early in 2024, but FSU's setback could eventually have far-reaching implications as far as the ACC title race, as well as which league school, or schools, could potentially land an invite to the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff.

In the conference's preseason media poll, the Seminoles were projected to finish No. 1 in the ACC, and that could still happen. But FSU's somewhat stunning week-zero defeat also opens the door for others, and hopefully that includes our beloved Orange.

In week two, Syracuse football will now have a huge opportunity coming up.

This Saturday, Aug. 31, the 'Cuse has its 2024 season opener at home versus Ohio in a non-conference affair from the JMA Wireless Dome. First-year head coach Fran Brown and his top-flight staff will look to put forth a dominating performance at the onset, and I'm confident the Dome crowd will prove boisterous.

On August 31, Georgia Tech will host Georgia State. Assuming the Yellow Jackets prevail this coming Saturday, the Orange is likely to welcome a nationally ranked, 2-0 Georgia Tech squad to the Hill on Saturday, Sept. 7.

Without question, if the 'Cuse could conquer the Yellow Jackets in Central New York, that would be an early season, statement triumph for Brown and his program.

I watched much of the game this past Saturday between Georgia Tech and Florida State. It was a thrilling encounter, and the Yellow Jackets looked really, really good.

The ACC's preseason media poll had Syracuse football predicted to finish at No. 12 in the league standings. So even with Florida State losing its first game, I'm not sure that a lot of ACC and national pundits believe this result will somehow propel the Orange into the thick of the conference race, particularly since the 'Cuse has yet to take the field in 2024.

That's fair. Yet should the Seminoles suffer another setback or two throughout the course of this season, the ACC becomes wide open for other conference members, whether that be Clemson, Miami, N.C. State, Louisville, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech or, dare I say - Syracuse football?

It's glorious to have college football back. This season should be a blast.