Florida State was left out of the College Football Playoff despite finishing the year 13-0 with the ACC title
The College Football Playoff Committee responded to a request for answers from Florida Senator and former Gov. Rick Scott, saying it was “confident they made the right decisions in seeding the top four teams in the country based on protocol and we all look forward to that.” Great playoff games.”
Florida State was left out of the College Football Playoff despite finishing the year 13-0 with the ACC title, a precedent-shattering that saw outrage from nearly every faction in the college football world outside of Tuscaloosa, Gainesville, Coral Gables and Bristol.
In response, several Florida politicians made various statements and demands, with Scott requesting records and answers in an attempt to determine the reasoning behind the decision including member votes and communications between the committee and ESPN.
Bill Hancock, executive director of the College Football Playoff, gave the following two reasons:
The protocol requires the committee to take into account the unavailability of key players which could impact a team’s performance during the postseason. Simply put, Florida State is not the same team without its star quarterback. This made the committee believe that there were actually four teams that should be ranked higher than the NFL.
The strength of FSU’s schedule was not as strong as the four teams ranked before them. As I’m sure you know, strength of schedule is a key metric the committee takes into consideration. If going undefeated regardless of a team’s strength of schedule were part of our protocol, other universities with undefeated records would have been routinely considered for the playoffs. There were eight teams, including Florida State, that were undefeated and did not make the playoff. While this is the first year this team has participated in the so-called P5 Conference, strength of schedule remains a deciding factor.
For reference – Florida State’s final strength of schedule ranking (per ESPN’s FPI metrics) was 55. Top seed Michigan was 33rd, Washington was 2nd at 11th, Texas was 3rd at 13th, and Alabama was 4th In fifth place.
Strength of Record, which reflects the chance that a top 25 team will have an average team record or better, has Washington ranked first, Michigan second, Florida State third, Alabama fourth, and Texas second. .5.
Full version:
Dear Senator Scott:
I’m Bill Hancock, Executive Director of the College Football Playoff (CFP). I am responding to your letter addressed to Beau Corrigan, Director of Athletics at North Carolina State University and Chair of this year’s 13-member CFP Selection Committee (“Committee”).
Knowing how busy you are, thank you so much for taking the time to write about college football. I know that the decision to seed four teams above Florida State University is disappointing to you and other Florida State supporters and I am happy to provide you with information about this decision. We have discussed this matter extensively with the media and shared the factors that went into the committee’s deliberations with college football fans through those media outlets.
The committee, made up of 13 college football experts, including seven people with experience coaching or playing football at the college level and above, takes this issue seriously. As has been done for a decade in a process well known to sports reporters, the committee, which includes athletics directors and a retired college football journalist, as well as former coaches and players, discusses in great detail the merits of each team. Under consideration. Naturally, Florida has been widely discussed.
Please find enclosed our detailed protocol, written by the conference commissioners, university presidents and athletics directors who established the College Football Playoff, eleven years ago. The Committee is committed to following the rules stipulated in this document.
The committee’s decision to rank FSU number five in the country was based on two main reasons:
The protocol requires the committee to take into account the unavailability of key players which could impact a team’s performance during the postseason. Simply put, Florida State is not the same team without its star quarterback. This made the committee believe that there were actually four teams that should be ranked higher than the NFL.
The strength of FSU’s schedule was not as strong as the four teams ranked before them. As I’m sure you know, strength of schedule is a key metric the committee takes into consideration. If going undefeated regardless of a team’s strength of schedule were part of our protocol, other universities with undefeated records would have been routinely considered for the playoffs. There were eight teams, including Florida State, that were undefeated and did not make the playoff. While this is the first year this team has participated in the so-called P5 Conference, strength of schedule remains a deciding factor.
Everyone on the committee understands the disappointment Florida State fans feel. We realize that no matter what decision is made, fans somewhere will be disappointed. This year, there were over four impressive teams vying for four qualifying spots – yet only four made it through.
The committee members are confident they made the right decisions in seeding the top four teams in the country based on protocol and we are all looking forward to great playoff games.
Thank you again for your interest in college football. We sincerely appreciate that you took the time to convey your thoughts.
Read more
The College Football Playoff Committee has been under scrutiny and pressure from various parties regarding the selection process for the top four teams each year. Recently, a Florida senator reached out to the committee, requesting transparent and detailed answers regarding their criteria and decision-making. This request comes at a time when the committee has faced increasing criticism and calls for reform. The response from the committee to this request will likely have major implications for the future of college football and the playoff system.