College Football Playoff Committee Selects #8 Alabama Over Undefeated #4 Florida State Sending The Sports World Spiraling
The College Football Playoff committee selected 1 loss (#8) Alabama over the undefeated ACC champions (#4) Florida State prompting immediate backlash.
College football fans are some of the most passionate fans in all of sports. When it comes to conference championship weekend everyone is locked in on every game. On Saturday, December 2, the #1 ranked Georgia Bulldogs faced the #8 Ranked Alabama Crimson Tide. With the season Alabama had thus far versus the then undefeated dogs coming off back-to-back national championships, everyone favored the dogs.
Surprisingly, Alabama muzzled the dogs for the fourth straight time in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium winning 27-24. This left the College Football Playoff committee with a tough decisions for the 4 team playoffs.
Previously no team ranked lower than #6 had ever made the playoff final four.
Florida State and Georgia have been LEFT OUT of the #CFBPlayoff 😮 pic.twitter.com/2ciaHhbC5q
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) December 3, 2023
This is gonna be good 🍿 #CFBPlayoff pic.twitter.com/PFzAAoRrcY
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) December 3, 2023
When noon hit yesterday December 3, all eyes were on ESPN as the final four was set to be revealed live. When the smoke cleared #8 Alabama, #7 Texas, #3 Washington, and #1 Michigan were selected for the playoffs. Instantly everyone noticed #4 Florida State was left out one day after winning their conference championship while remaining undefeated.
Additionally, the College Football world was instantly sent into shambles with people calling Florida’s exclusion egregious.
— ACC Football (@ACCFootball) December 3, 2023
The conference president Jim Phillips immediately responded questioning the process by which teams were selected, according to ESPN. Furthermore, he ended his open letter by stating “College football deserved better”.
To make the screw job worse cameras were on hand to film Florida State’s reaction to the devastating news.
Can’t help but absolutely feel for Mike Norvell and the Florida State Seminoles.
No matter if you think they should be in or not…to lose your Heisman level QB in game 11, still go 13-0, win a Power-5 ACC Championship, and NOT be in the CFP kills.pic.twitter.com/EMCuKyko1D
— Harrison Cordell Fant (@Fantavious9) December 3, 2023
The Backlash To The Florida State Robbery Begins
Florida State HC Mike Norvell echoed the same sentiments but questioned how should he even break the situation down to his team. Additionally, he questioned why his team should even accept risks while scheduling opponents if the team won’t be rewarded in the end.
Florida State coach Mike Norvell responds to FSU being left out of the college football playoffs. #CollegeFootballPlayoff pic.twitter.com/tbLHMx45SH
— Danny Divito 🔑 🏡 (@realdannydivito) December 4, 2023
Also, if you’re wondering why FSU was left out it boils down to their star QB not being available for the playoffs due to an injury. That excuse isn’t a solid one but after TCU’s blowout loss to Georgia earlier this year in the Championship game we understand the logic.
I think the most interesting point no one is talking about is that the CFP has literally written into its principles a justification for leaving out FSU.
“Unavailability of key players that likely will affect its postseason performance.” pic.twitter.com/B3iVgtWqLT
— Blake Byler (@blakebyler45) December 3, 2023
However, the team wasn’t alone in their frustrations and was backed up by several high-profile members of the media and even fans from opposing teams. Click the jump to see reactions from the sports world to the FSU Finesse.
Boo Corrigan, the chair of the College Football Playoff committee, explains why they chose Alabama over Florida State: pic.twitter.com/17yNkBhRuZ
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 3, 2023