The 2023-24 College Football Playoff has been determined and we got one of the most controversial decisions in the history of the format. The CFP committee elected to give 12-1 Alabama the final playoff spot over 13-0 Florida State and this drew immediate outrage across the college football world.
FSU athletic director Michael Alford immediately chimed in with a statement, capping it by saying that the committee failed college football:
#FSU AD Michael Alford sends a scorched-earth statement to the CFP Committee after the Seminoles’ exclusion. Imagine we’ll hear similarly from Mike Norvell shortly. pic.twitter.com/kOazn4TE9O
— Curt Weiler (@CurtMWeiler) December 3, 2023
So did head coach Mike Norvell:
Mike Norvell statement: pic.twitter.com/vJ8exHb0QA
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) December 3, 2023
Here were some more instant reactions, including a live feed of the Seminoles right as the announcement was made.
The Florida State watch party understandably isn’t much of a party after the Seminoles were left out of the College Football Playoff field. #CFP pic.twitter.com/GpyBjcQh4n
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 3, 2023
Booger McFarland is not happy that Alabama got into the CFP over an undefeated Florida State team.
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 3, 2023
“To me, this is a travesty to the sport…One team has a loss, and that’s Alabama. One doesn’t in Florida State.” pic.twitter.com/3rhBvvpT1D
There has been a narrative of “regular season losing meaning” ever since the playoff was instituted
— Tomahawk Nation (@TomahawkNation) December 3, 2023
If an undefeated, Power 5 team can be left out for a one-loss team that nearly lost to USF, then the regular season really does mean nothing
Games don’t matter.
— Danny Kanell (@dannykanell) December 3, 2023
In response, here’s CFP committee chair Boo Corrigan explaining the decision:
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
There is understandably a rage over Florida State being left out of the playoff. The Seminoles went 13-0 in the ACC and have now become the first undefeated Power Five champion to be left out of the playoff. The decision mostly came down to starting quarterback Jordan Travis suffering a season-ending leg injury late in the year, forcing the Seminoles to utilize backups in both their rivalry game against Florida and the ACC Championship Game against Louisville. Those games weren’t pretty as the offense struggled, but they still found ways to win and remain unbeaten.
They were shafted in favor of Alabama, who capped as 12-1 season with a victory over Georgia in the SEC Championship Game on Saturday. Despite its record, this can be considered one of Nick Saban’s weakest Crimson Tide teams as it lost to Texas early in the year before struggling against USF of all teams the following week. The Crimson Tide did run through their SEC schedule unblemished, but needed a Hail Mary to avoid an upset against a weak Auburn team in the final week of the regular season.
This will go down arguably the biggest controversial decision of the four-team playoff era and FSU fans have a right to be furious at the moment. However, this will all become moot next season when the playoff expands to 12 teams.