This national college football analyst sees the Atlantic Coast Conference as “one of the more intriguing leagues” in 2024.

CBS Sports analyst Danny Kanell appeared on ACC Network’s ACC PM show recently and gave his big-picture take on the ACC, as things stand right now in the spring.

Kanell, the former Florida State and NFL quarterback, feels the conference is “probably more wide open than it’s been in recent memory” because of the amount of talent FSU lost from last year’s ACC Championship team.

Chief among the departed Seminole stars is Jordan Travis, the longtime starting signal-caller in Tallahassee who is, of course, being replaced by former Clemson quarterback and Oregon State transfer DJ Uiagalelei.

“Unfortunately we saw how bad it looked (in the 63-3 Orange Bowl loss to Georgia) without all those players that were getting opportunity that are going to be playing in the NFL next year, without Jordan Travis, who was lost to injury,” Kanell said.

“So, there’s a lot of question marks, and of course, DJ Uiagalelei coming back to the conference is a very interesting storyline and one to keep an eye out on. So, I’m really kind of curious to see what Florida State looks like. But there is a trust level in Mike Norvell and the program that he’s built up. Once again, they have a really strong class in the portal led by DJU, led from a bunch of Alabama transfers that are coming in.”

Kanell added “there’s a bunch of different storylines” he can’t wait to see unfold for the ACC in 2024, including Miami with Washington State transfer Cam Ward at quarterback, and Clemson with quarterback Cade Klubnik in his third year in the program.

Heading into the 2023 season, the Tigers had won seven conference titles in eight years dating to 2015, before FSU ultimately claimed the conference crown for the first time since 2014.

“I think it’s a really intriguing year for Florida State, and the ACC specifically,” Kanell said. “Clemson’s not gonna sit back and just be OK with Florida State having taken that mantle, and they’re expecting big things out of another year from their young starter, and Dabo Swinney, another winning culture.

“Miami Hurricanes, getting Cam Ward, who I thought was the best quarterback available this past portal season. To win that battle – because he was sought-after by Florida State, by Ohio State, by every school out there that needed a quarterback – Cam Ward was kind of the prize of the class and Miami landed him.”

FSU was left out of the four-team College Football Playoff field last season despite going undefeated during the regular season and then beating Louisville in the ACC title game.

The good news, Kanell noted, is the ACC won’t have to fret about missing the playoff under the 12-team format beginning this fall that will include the five highest-ranked conference champions, plus the next seven highest-ranked teams as determined by the CFP Selection Committee.

Rather, Kanell says the discussion will be centered around whether multiple ACC teams should make the expanded playoff.

“Probably the best part about it is that we don’t have to worry about is a team going to get in?” he said. “The conversation will quickly evolve into, does the ACC deserve two teams in? And of course, that conversation’s going to be had with every (conference), but at least we can say and have these conversations comfortably knowing that the ACC is absolutely going to get a team in with those automatic bids.”

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