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2023 Playoff Debate
While it is expected that FSU's post-season performance with a backup quarterback would be inferior to their overall season performance, it is unparalleled in sports for the primary criteria used to select teams chosen to compete in a championship tournament to be based on how a team is predicted to perform in such a tournament, as opposed to how they have performed throughout the season. Nonetheless, FSU was left out of the playoffs, and this decision continues to be controversial among football fans, coaches, and players.
2023 Florida State Season
FSU competes in one of the 5 top conferences
FSU played 2 teams from what is widely considered the best conference and beat both of those teams.
FSU's style of offense is highly dependent on the successful performance of their quarterback.
FSU's quarterback suffered a season-ending injury in game 11 of their 12-game regular season.
FSU's backup quarterback suffered an injury in game 12 of their 12-game regular season but is expected to return for FSU's post-season competition.
FSU played and won their conference championship (game 13) using their 3rd-string quarterback, who is a true freshman and who had no meaningful experience before that game.
FSU's offense under their 2nd and 3rd string quarterbacks performed progressively worse with each quarterback's injuries. FSU's defense is widely considered among the country's best.
In regular season and conference championship play, FSU finished undefeated (13-0).
We received 66 responses on our poll to see what our community thinks about this controversy. Here are the poll results:
Polls Results of the Controversy
Polls Results of the Controversy
Poll Commentary on the Controversary
Poll Commentary on the Controversary
There were many thoughtful responses; we printed some the the common threads, but not all commentary. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with the Bugle!
Think FSU should have been included in Championship playoffs.
Think FSU should have been included in Championship playoffs.
"FSU is an undefeated power 5 team who won their conference championship. They proved that without their star quarterback, they could still beat a ranked team. Alabama, while finishing the year well, still struggled in their wins against inferior opponents. I believe that FSU was bounced because of a perceived weakness without Jordan Travis. While they are not necessarily the same team they were, the FSU defense has proven themselves this year and now they have been cheated out of a chance to prove themselves on the greatest stage of all."
"Because going undefeated and winning a power five championship should mean being in the top 4 automatically, not being ranked below two teams with one loss."
"They were 13-0, and Alabama was 12-1. Alabama shouldn't have been 4th because they got into 4th place by one miracle throw in their last game."
"Because they were the first 13-0 team to not make the college football championship"
"They went undefeated and were conference champs. Every time that has happened that team has made the playoff. They are being punished for one player getting hurt. Football is a team sport, Jordan Travis didn't make them a top 4 team. Sure he helped but football is a team game there is only so much one person can do there is 11 players out on the field at one time not 1. The committee looked at Alabama with stars in its eyes, thinking of all those other times Nick Saban has won the national title and envisioning a similar scenario next month."
Think the committee was accurate excluding FSU from Championship playoffs.
"Despite their undefeated record I don't think they should've been placed in the BCS National Championship because they lost their quarterback, only through for 55 yards against Louisville, and only won by 7 against Louisville."
"They should not be in the CFP. The CFP is the BEST team, not the most deserving. FSU deserves to be in the CFP, but the CFP is the best four teams. Florida State without Jordan Travis would not be able to compete with the other top four teams. They would get blown out by a team like Alabama."
"The four best teams are chosen. That is the criteria. The criteria doesn't say that you have to take an undefeated or a Power 5 conference champion. It is unfortunate that FSU can't go in the playoffs but they are not as good as the 4 chosen nor are they as good as Georgia in my opinion. That is because their starting quarterback is injured and out for the rest of the season."
"Florida State should not have as it is the best four teams not the four most deserving teams. I also feel that Florida State vs Michigan would not have been close as Michigan would blow FSU out. However, I think that Alabama vs Michigan will be a close game that could go either way."
"The the four best teams are chosen. That is the criteria. The criteria doesn't say that you have to take an undefeated or a Power 5 conference champion. It is unfortunate that FSU can't go in the playoffs but they are not as good as the 4 chosen nor are they as good as Georgia in my opinion. That is because their starting quarterback is injured and out for the rest of the season."
Poll Results of Championship Game Predictions
Poll Results of Championship Game Predictions
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