3 ACC schools surprisingly listed as teams that could regress in 2024

Going into the 2024 season, there are some ACC teams on the rise and nobody has more hype about taking the next step than Virginia Tech. They are still behind some of the top teams in the conference, but they will have the opportunity to go against two of the best in Miami and Clemson.

Florida State is still considered the top team and rightfully so, but after FSU, Clemson, and Miami, there are different takes on who is next in line to knock off those three. However, not everyone is high on Florida State and two other ACC teams going into the season.

247Sports lists three ACC schools who could regress in 2024

Carter Bahns of 247Sports listed eight schools that could see some regression going into the upcoming season and one of the three is somewhat surprising if we're being honest. Florida State, coming off a 12-0 regular season, an ACC Championship victory over Louisville, and being snubbed for the four-team College Football Playoff at 13-0, was one of the surprising teams on his list.

The Seminoles lost some key players, yes like everyone else, but Bahns wrote, "losses at star players at quarterback, running back, wide receiver and defensive line create significant hurdles on the path to a second-straight ACC title.'' Will it keep them from getting back to the ACC title game or winning it again? Time will tell, but even a one or two-loss FSU team likely gets into the expanded 12-team CFP this season.

Louisville was another team that Bahns thinks could regress from the ACC. The Cardinals were in last season's championship game and are blowing out the Hokies at home in November and their roster went through an extensive overhaul in the offseason with them taking in a bunch of transfers who need to make a huge impact. If they do, there is no reason why they can't return to Charlotte again this December.

The final ACC school Bahns thinks could regress is North Carolina and honestly, it wouldn't be surprising to see the Tar Heels take a step back again under Mack Brown. If they are not going to take a step back, transfer quarterback Max Johnson is going to have to have a big season for UNC and it feels like he's a downgrade from Drake Maye, who was drafted by the New England Patriots in the first round back in April's NFL Draft. If the Tar Heels finish in the middle of the ACC, it wouldn't be the least bit surprising.

To be fair to these three ACC schools, Bahns had Michigan, Ohio State, and Washington also on the list. Yes, those programs could see some regression, especially Michigan and Washington after the coaching changes made during the offseason, but it's hard to see FSU and Ohio State taking that much of a step back in 2024. It would be more surprising to see one of both of those teams miss out on the new 12-team postseason field this season than anything else.