Florida State’s loss to Georgia Tech raises doubts about their chances for the national championship this year, signaling a challenging path to the College Football Playoff for the second consecutive season.

Georgia Tech has some merit as a competitor. But after just one game in this 2024 season, we now know the Yellow Jackets came out on top, winning by a field goal against the Seminoles.

This defeat is particularly telling: Tech triumphed over No. 10 Florida State with a 24-21 score in Ireland, thanks to a 44-yard kick as the clock expired.

Last year, Florida State went unbeaten in the regular season yet failed to make it into the top four. Depending on the postseason format—whether it was traditional bowl games, the Bowl Championship Series, or the current four-team playoff—the loss from Saturday would have placed Florida State on the fringe of playoff contention or outright eliminated them.

The introduction of a 12-team college football playoff will transform how regular seasons unfold. While it will increase the stakes for November games, it will allow teams like Florida State more opportunities for mistakes, permitting one or two losses before being knocked out of conference championship contention. However, they still face tough opponents, including Clemson, Miami, and Notre Dame, with limited room for error.

In a scenario where winning just 10 games or taking a conference title can secure a playoff spot, losing to a team like Georgia Tech becomes less significant.

Senior quarterback DJ Uiagalelei predominantly targeted short, quick passes, managing only two completed throws over 20 yards. He mirrored the performance seen during his time at Clemson, completing 19 of 27 passes for 193 yards. His notable moment was an 84-yard touchdown drive that featured two successful fourth-down conversions, allowing the Seminoles to tie the game at 21-21 in the fourth quarter.

Yet, following that drive, Florida State’s rebuilt defense faltered. Georgia Tech controlled the clock for the last 6:33, setting up Aiden Birr for the winning kick.

Georgia Tech racked up 190 rushing yards on 36 attempts and scored three touchdowns. In contrast, Florida State could only manage 98 rushing yards on 31 attempts, totaling just 291 yards for the game. The Seminoles’ defense allowed touchdowns on all of Tech’s three trips to the red zone.

Issues like poor offensive line performance, failure to stop the run, and an ineffective passing strategy downfield indicate that despite being deemed one of the ACC’s strongest teams and potential playoff contenders after last season, the Seminoles are not living up to expectations. This is particularly worrisome as they prepare for challenging matches against Memphis, Clemson, Miami, North Carolina, Notre Dame, and Florida.

These upcoming games present a chance to recover and climb back into the Top 25. Ultimately, success will hinge on victories in the ACC; a conference championship naturally qualifies for playoff entry.

While Florida State’s hopes aren’t entirely lost, the current outlook is grim.