And That's Why Florida State Wasn't Included in the College Football Playoff

If Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) wished to get to the bottom of Florida State’s exclusion from the College Football Playoff, as he intended in a lengthy letter to the CFP Selection Committee last December, he might want to move on to other things. There was controversy when the Seminoles were left out of the playoff despite going 13-0. It’s the first time an undefeated Power Five conference team was left out. If star quarterback Jordan Travis hadn’t suffered a brutal lower leg injury that ended his college career, maybe this would be a different story.

Both sides of this debate had good points. However, at the end of it all, this is still a business, and the CFP Selection Committee wanted to avoid a repeat of last year’s blowout championship game between Georgia and Texas Christian University. The Bulldogs squashed the Horned Frogs 65-7. Georgia was also left out of the playoff this year; their only loss was the SEC Championship game against Alabama.

And when FSU and Georgia duked it out in the Orange Bowl on December 30, 2023, you can see why the CFP committee left them out: the Seminoles got scalped 63-3. Even if FSU didn't suffer from opt-outs and transfer portal casualties, I still think Georgia beats a Jordan Travis-less Seminoles team. The good news is that this won't be a controversy next year when the playoff expands to 12 teams, and FSU should be able to cruise into it, as Mike Norvell has done an excellent job rebuilding this program. As for the other bowl games, that's a different story (via CBS News):

pic.twitter.com/e2928DlpW7
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) December 31, 2023

The Georgia Bulldogs are going back to the Peach State with some new hardware from the Orange Bowl, but not everyone is happy about the blowout of a game.
No matter the outcome, football goes beyond the field — it's the love fans pour into their favorite team.
Whether you are a Florida State Seminole Or a Georgia Bulldog, the Orange Bowl is the only thing these two massive fan bases had in common this year.
There was no shortage of support for both teams.
[…]
The Dawgs didn't only blow the Seminole players out of the game, but also the fans.
"Our guys didn't really show out today. It's just a bad day to be a Nole," said a Seminole fan.
"Maybe if we had the National Championship — actual playoffs — then maybe our boys would've stayed here and played with us. But it is what it is. And this is what happens," said a Seminole fan.

These are passionate fanbases, no doubt, but it looks like the committee got things right. Michigan defeated Alabama in the Rose Bowl 27-20 in overtime, and Washington knocked off Texas 37-31in a thriller at the Sugar Bowl. This decision will always be controversial for Noles and Georgia fans, who might still have some good points about how games are selected. Hell, even Georgia's Kirby Smart acknowledged that something must be done outside of the playoff, but what remains unknown.

Washington and Michigan will play in the championship game tonight.