UPDATED: Added statement from FSU head coach Mike Norvell.
(AP) Michigan, Washington, Texas and Alabama were selected to the College Football Playoff (CFP) on Sunday, making Florida State the first unbeaten Power Five conference champion to be excluded from the four-team field.
The final season of the four-team playoff before it expands to 12 next year presented the CFP selection committee with its toughest decision in the 10-year history of the postseason system.
The Seminoles (13-0) lost star quarterback Jordan Travis to a season-ending injury two weeks ago, but continued to win with a backup and then a third-string quarterback. But the committee is instructed to judge the teams for what they are heading into the playoff and decided FSU without Travis was not among the best four in the country.
devastated. heartbroken. In so much disbelief rn, I wish my leg broke earlier in the season so y’all could see this team is much more than the quarterback. I thought results matter. 13-0 and this roster matches up across any team in those top 4 rankings. I am so sorry. Go Noles!
— Jordan Travis (@jordantrav13) December 3, 2023
Michigan will face Alabama in the Rose Bowl and Washington will play Texas in the Sugar Bowl in the Jan. 1 CFP semifinals.
The national championship game will be played on Jan. 8 in Houston.
READ MORE: AP Top 25: Michigan is No. 1 for first time in 26 seasons, Georgia’s streak on top ends at 24 weeks
FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES SNUBBED
The Seminoles finished a perfect regular season with an Atlantic Coast Conference championship, leaning on their defense to beat No. 15 Louisville while playing a third-string, freshman quarterback.
No unbeaten Power Five champion has ever been left out of the CFP, but with injured star quarterback Jordan Travis out for the season the committee had to consider whether Florida State was really one of the four best teams.
“It’s entertaining to have the conversations, but I don’t think you need a conversation,” Florida State coach Mike Norvell told reporters. “This is a team that is deserving. This is a team that earned it.”
STATEMENT FROM HEAD COACH MIKE NORVELL
FSU head coach Mike Norvell released a statement on Sunday saying he was “disgusted and infuriated” by the committee’s decision. “I’m hurting for our players who displayed a tremendous amount of resilience and response this season,” said Norvell. “What happened today goes against everything that is true and right in college football.”
From the head coach on today’s @CFBPlayoff Committee rankings#KeepCLIMBing pic.twitter.com/cnP4n8mcpr
— FSU Football (@FSUFootball) December 3, 2023
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
Here are few other things that have never happened before:
— The No. 1 team heading into championship weekend had never missed the CFP, even with a loss.
“When you talk about the four best teams, watch the game,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “Go ask the NFL talent evaluators. Go ask NFL scouts. It’s about the best teams.”
The Bulldogs (12-1) had a 29-game winning streak snapped in the Southeastern Conference championship game.
— No team ranked outside the top six of the second-to-last CFP rankings has ever jumped into the final four. Both Alabama and Texas, which romped over No. 19 Oklahoma State in the Big 12 championship game made that leap Sunday.
— The SEC champion has never been left out of the College Football Playoff. Six times the CFP champion has been from the SEC and twice the conference has had both participants in the title game.