The College Football Playoff selection committee announced the four teams that will compete for the national championship on Sunday, and one team was noticeably absent: Florida State. The Seminoles, who finished the regular season with a 12-0 record and won the ACC title, were ranked fifth in the final rankings, behind one-loss Alabama, who got the final spot.
Injury to star quarterback Jordan Travis hurt FSU’s chances
One of the main reasons why Florida State was snubbed by the committee was the loss of their star quarterback Jordan Travis, who suffered a season-ending leg injury in the penultimate game against North Alabama. Travis was having a Heisman-worthy campaign, throwing for 3,456 yards and 38 touchdowns with only four interceptions, while also rushing for 1,024 yards and 12 scores. He led the Seminoles to impressive wins over LSU, Clemson, Miami and Duke, and was the catalyst of their explosive offense.
Without Travis, Florida State had to rely on backup quarterback Tate Rodemaker, a redshirt freshman who had limited experience and struggled in his two starts. Rodemaker completed only 52% of his passes for 351 yards and two touchdowns, and had a low QBR of 43.8. He barely managed to beat a 5-7 Florida team in the regular season finale, and needed a last-minute interception to secure a 27-20 win over Louisville in the ACC Championship game.
The committee chair Boo Corrigan told ESPN that the injury to Travis was the key factor in leaving Florida State out of the playoff, as they did not believe the Seminoles were the same team without him. He said that the committee had more discussions and debates about moving a one-loss team ahead of an undefeated team within the Power 5, and ultimately decided that Alabama was more deserving than Florida State.
Alabama had a stronger resume and a better backup quarterback
Alabama, who finished the season with an 11-1 record and won the SEC title, had a stronger resume than Florida State, according to the committee. The Crimson Tide had wins over four ranked opponents: Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Auburn and Georgia. Their only loss came against Texas, who was ranked No. 2 at the time and is the No. 1 seed in the playoff. Alabama also had a better strength of schedule and a higher strength of record than Florida State, as the SEC was considered a tougher conference than the ACC.
Alabama also had a better backup quarterback situation than Florida State, as Bryce Young stepped in for the injured Jalen Hurts and performed admirably. Young, a sophomore, threw for 2,764 yards and 28 touchdowns with only six interceptions, and had a QBR of 86.7. He led the Crimson Tide to a 41-24 win over Georgia in the SEC Championship game, throwing for 421 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran for 233 yards and three scores on the season.
The committee praised Young’s performance and said that he showed that Alabama was still a dominant and great team at the top of college football, even without their starting quarterback. They said that Alabama had more quality wins and fewer question marks than Florida State, and that they were confident that they selected the best four teams for the playoff.
Florida State fans and players react with disappointment and anger
Florida State fans and players were shocked and outraged by the committee’s decision, as they felt that they deserved a spot in the playoff based on their perfect record and their conference championship. They argued that the committee was biased against the ACC, which had only one team in the top 20, and that they did not respect Florida State’s achievements. They also pointed out that in 2014, Ohio State made the playoff with a third-string quarterback, Cardale Jones, who led them to a Big Ten title and a national championship.
Florida State coach Mike Norvell expressed his disappointment and frustration in a press conference, saying that he was proud of his team and that they did everything they could to earn a playoff berth. He said that he did not agree with the committee’s reasoning, and that he felt that they were penalized for something that was out of their control. He said that he hoped that the playoff system would be expanded in the future, to give more opportunities to teams like Florida State.
Florida State quarterback Tate Rodemaker also spoke to the media, saying that he felt that he let his team down and that he wished he could have played better in his two starts. He said that he was grateful for the chance to play for Florida State, and that he learned a lot from Jordan Travis. He said that he was confident that Florida State would bounce back next season, and that they would prove the committee wrong.
Florida State will play in the Orange Bowl against No. 6 Notre Dame, who was also left out of the playoff despite having a 11-1 record and winning the Big 12 title. Alabama will face No. 4 Oregon in the Sugar Bowl, while No. 1 Texas will take on No. 3 Michigan in the Rose Bowl. The winners of the semifinals will meet in the national championship game on Jan. 8, 2024.
