I think the answer will only be obvious after the fact.
Everything is obvious in hindsight. I’m very glad the bowl committee decided that FSU was the odd man out. I always thought it was about strength of schedule. The ACC is traditionally a basketball conference. Football was a secondary option and only showed when Clempson started improving. Otherwise, it’s a basketball first conference. The total reason FSU went to the ACC instead of the SEC way back when was because they wanted to play weak football teams. FSU could’ve been in the SEC had they so chosen. Seminole fans can thank Bowden for that.