I think this is a good thing for us?
The ACC is wide open. Clemson is elite, but maybe on the downslide. We'll see. But, at best, we only have to go through one elite team to reach the CFB playoff.
Now imagine the perception hit teams like Oklahoma, LSU, Auburn (already happening), Florida, etc. are gonna take if they don't make it to the playoffs in the next 5-10 years. Croots will look at them like a tier 2 team, whereas if we get our **** straight and start competing for ACC championships (which puts us in striking distance of the CFB playoff), croots will start associating us with the Bama, Ohio State, and Georgia's of the world.
If we were in the SEC or Big10 I'd be pissed, but we're not. This hurts other big-time programs, which should help us croot better than them.