The 2024 football season is fast approaching and the more recent advent of Week 0 games means it’s closer than ever. And there will undoubtedly be some games in Week 0 that carry playoff implications.
One of them will be played in Dublin, Ireland, between Florida State and Georgia Tech, according to ESPN’s Greg McElroy.
“Florida State at Georgia Tech is a playoff implication game,” McElroy said on the Always College Football podcast. “There’s no doubt about it. I mean Florida State-Georgia Tech, Georgia Tech is dangerous. Mentioned the ACC, I think Georgia Tech is in that contingent of teams that can beat anybody. Florida State has legitimate playoff expectations, as they should.”
Florida State, of course, is an obvious pick to reach the playoffs after the Seminoles went 13-0 a year ago, only to miss out by being the No. 5 team in the country. They’ll be itching to erase the taste of an Orange Bowl gone wrong due to opt-outs in Week 0.
That won’t be a problem this year, with the playoff field expanding to 12 teams for the first time.
But the Seminoles will have to replace some serious talent, with the likes of quarterback Jordan Travis, receivers Keon Coleman and Johnny Wilson and defensive lineman Jared Verse and Braden Fiske all off to the NFL.
In steps Oregon State transfer quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, on his third college program.
That’s just one side of the equation, though. On the other is Georgia Tech, a program that is coming off a 7-6 season, albeit with real momentum under now-second-year coach Brent Key.
The Yellow Jackets could make a real statement with a win as a big underdog in Ireland.
“That game has massive playoff implications,” McElroy said. “People won’t necessarily phrase it that way because Florida State will probably be a heavy favorite going in, but that game is significant potentially as we fast-forward to the end of the year and evaluate the playoff picture.”
Will it play out that way? That is to be determined in Week 0.
The two teams are scheduled to meet at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN on Aug. 24 to open the season.
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