If there’s any consolation to Florida State getting shut out of the College Football Playoff, forcing the Seminoles to wonder “what if” as they sit at home watching or avoiding Monday’s championship game between Michigan and Washington, it’s that a similar snub won’t happen next year.

With the bracket expanding to 12 teams with automatic bids to the 6 highest-rated conference champions, an undefeated ACC champion won’t have to worry about getting left out in the cold again.

Can FSU overcome massive losses on both sides of the ball to right a wrong and finally get its shot at playing for a national title? Or will someone come out of nowhere and make a surprise run the way Louisville did this season?

Only time will tell. But for now, here’s a look ahead at the ACC’s most likely College Football Playoff contenders in 2024:

Florida State

Mike Norvell and his staff have a lot of work to do this offseason. To quote Playoff committee chairman Boo Corrigan, the Seminoles will be a significantly “different team” next season than the one that went 13-0 and won the ACC championship. But it will also be a different – and better – unit than the skeleton crew that got shellacked by Georgia in the Orange Bowl.

For as much talent as FSU lost, there’s still a nice core around which to build. ACC Championship Game MVP Lawrance Toafili will be back to fuel the ground attack as is promising young receiver Destyn Hill and explosive return man Deuce Spann, who will get more of an opportunity to contribute to the offense with the departures of Keon Coleman and Johnny Wilson.

The offensive line will be anchored by returning starters Darius Washington and Robert Scott at tackle while on the other side of the ball defensive end Patrick Payton and safety Shyhein Brown are poised for breakout seasons.

Norvell has already proven his ability to recruit talented players that fit off the transfer portal. And he’s already scored 2 wins with the addition of Georgia pass rusher Marvin Jones Jr., and quarterback DJ Uiagalelei as the replacement for departing star Jordan Travis.

As long as the Seminoles get the Uiagalelei who stood out for Oregon State this year and not the DJU who struggled and was eventually benched at Clemson, FSU should be in a position to make another serious run at the Playoff.

Clemson

The Tigers took a while to get their act together. But once they did, they finished strong by winning their final 5 games – including a revenge victory against rival South Carolina and a dramatic come-from-behind Gator Bowl triumph against Kentucky.

If that path sounds familiar, it should. It’s similar to the one FSU used to build momentum for its undefeated run to the ACC title a year later. While Dabo Swinney’s crew won’t be blessed with as many returning starters as those Seminoles did, there’s still plenty of talent remaining – led by quarterback Cade Klubnik on offense and linebacker Barrett Carter on defense.

Swinney has already bolstered a suspect receiving corps by signing a pair of highly-rated pass catchers on early signing day. Transfers could supplement the rebound.

Clemson has gone 3 seasons without getting into the Playoff and Tyler from Spartanburg and the rest of the natives in the Upstate of South Carolina are starting to get restless. We won’t have to wait long to see what the Tigers are made of. Their 1st game out of the gate will be against Georgia at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

NC State

Dave Doeren made lemonade out of lemons this season in winning 9 games with an offense devoid of playmakers other than freshman KC Concepcion, a midseason quarterback controversy and other distractions.

Determined not to be in a similar situation in 2024, Doeren has upgraded his roster significantly with some impressive transfer pickups since the end of the season. He addressed his quarterback situation with the addition of Coastal Carolina’s Grayson McCall. He bolstered his running attack by bringing in Jordan Waters from rival Duke and provided Concepcion plenty of help in the receivers by recruiting Ohio State’s Noah Rogers and Wake Forest’s Wesley Grimes off the portal and a haul of talented freshmen on national signing day.

There are holes to fill on defense with Butkus Award-winning linebacker Payton Wilson, along with starting corners Aydan White and Shyheim Battle all heading out the door. But with respected coordinator Tony Gibson re-upping for another 3 seasons, star defensive end Davin Vann and a slew of young linebackers returning, there’s reason for optimism that State will once again be among the ACC’s best.

The biggest obstacle State will have in becoming a serious championship threat could be history. As the Law of the Wolf reminds us, the Wolfpack’s best seasons usually happen when the expectations are the lowest. That won’t be the case in 2024.

Virginia Tech

Beyond the usual suspects, including perennial disappointments Miami and North Carolina, there’s always one team every year that emerges from the pack to mount an unexpected challenge for the league title.

In 2023, that team was Louisville.

Jeff Brohm’s team will face a difficult challenge to repeat that 10-win success next season because of attrition and a more challenging conference schedule. That leaves the door open for the Hokies to become the ACC’s next sleeper success story.

All the elements are there. Brent Pry’s team improved by 4 wins from his debut year in Blacksburg, going 7-6 and finishing strong by beating rival Virginia in the regular-season finale and Tulane in the Military Bowl by a combined score of 96-37. And virtually every key player on both sides of the ball has decided to return.

It’s a list that includes dual-threat quarterback Kyron Drones, leading rusher Bhayshul Tuten and top receiver Jaylin Lane on offense, while a defense that allowed the 2nd-fewest yards in the league returns its leader in sacks (Antwaun Ryland-Powell), interceptions (Dorian Strong) and tackles (Keli Lawson) while adding one of the nation’s top transfers in Duke defensive tackle Aeneas Peebles.

Tech also has a favorable schedule that avoids Florida State and has Clemson coming to Lane Stadium to go along with a soft nonconference slate of Vanderbilt, Marshall, Old Dominion and Rutgers.