Florida State players and coaches had an understandable reaction to being left out of the College Football Playoff.
The College Football Playoff unveiled its 4-team field on Sunday, and the Seminoles were not included in the tournament. Florida State went undefeated this year and defeated Louisville in the ACC Championship Game on Saturday night, which is why many believed they were deserving of a playoff spot. The College Football Playoff Selection Committee felt differently and chose Michigan, Washington, Texas and Alabama.
Cameras were rolling at Florida State’s watch party on Sunday when they learned their fate:
Florida State reacting to missing out on the #CFBPlayoff pic.twitter.com/K0SwbkLwZm
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 3, 2023
Compare that with the reaction from Texas players and coaches:
The moment 🤘 pic.twitter.com/WlPZoJCiD6
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) December 3, 2023
Florida State athletic director Michael Alford issued a statement unloading on the College Football Playoff Selection Committee. He said the decision to leave the Seminoles out of the tournament “significantly damages the legitimacy of the College Football Playoff.”
FSU athletic director Michael Alford: “The consequences of giving in to a narrative of the moment are destructive, far reaching, and permanent. Not just for Florida State, but college football as a whole. … It is unforgivable.” pic.twitter.com/JtCdy7rCHJ
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) December 3, 2023
“The fact that this team has continued to close out victories in dominant fashion facing our current quarterback situation should have ENHANCED our case to get a playoff berth EARNED on the field,” Alford wrote. “Instead, the committee decided to elevate themselves and ‘make history’ today by departing from what makes this sport great by excluding an undefeated Power 5 conference champion for the first time since the advent of the BCS/CFP era that began 25 years ago. This ridiculous decision is a departure from the competitive expectations that have stood the test of time in college football.”
Florida State is the first undefeated Power Five conference champion to ever be left out of the College Football Playoff.
