Today's Orange Bowl is NOT Georgia v. Florida State!
December 30, 2023 5:11am
On December 2nd, the Michigan Wolverines beat Iowa in the Big 10 Championship Game; the Washington Huskies beat Oregon in the Pack 12 Championship Game; the Texas Longhorns beat Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Championship Game; the Alabama Crimson Tide beat Georgia in the SEC Championship Game; and the Florida State Seminoles beat Louisville in the ACC Championship Game.
The next day, the College Football Playoff Selection Committee chose Michigan, Washington, Texas, and Alabama to compete for this season's national championship. The Michigan Wolverines are ranked #1, so they'll play the #4 Alabama Crimson Tide in the Rose Bowl on January 1st. The Washington Huskies are ranked #2, so they'll take on the #3 Texas Longhorns in the Sugar Bowl, which is also on New Year's Day. The winners of those two semi-final games will face each other in the National Championship Game January 8th in Houston. Where are the Florida State Seminoles??? Why aren't they in the playoffs???
There are five Power Five conferences (ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Pac 12, and SEC). But since only four playoff slots exist, one conference champion must be left out. This year, the Power Five conferences have three undefeated teams. All three deserve to play for the national championship. Undefeated Michigan EARNED a spot (if we ignore their cheating). Undefeated Washington EARNED a spot. And undefeated Florida State EARNED a spot.
So the first three teams to make the playoffs should have been automatic: Michigan, Washington, and Florida State. Who should have gotten the fourth playoff berth? Well, obviously not Georgia because Georgia didn't win their conference. So the question of which Power Five conference champion should have gotten the fourth slot should have been between Texas and Alabama. Texas and Alabama each won their conference championships, but both have a loss. If head to head play means anything, then that should have been an easy selection too. Texas beat Alabama during the regular season. So under no circumstances should Alabama be in the playoffs but not Texas. Well, Texas is in the playoffs. But why is Alabama? Why did Alabama get in over Florida State? It makes no sense. Does what happens on the field mean nothing to the College Football Playoff Selection Committee???
The Committee said they made their decision based largely upon Florida State's starting quarterback, Jordan Travis, being injured and out for the season. But Florida State ended the season undefeated and won the ACC Conference Championship with their third string quarterback! Florida State was improperly and inexcusably excluded. Why?
For Florida State to be denied a berth they earned on the field by a bunch of elitist jackasses at a conference table makes a mockery of the sport. Why even play? Why try to win? Why not just let some committee vote you to victory, huh? Or in the case of the Seminoles, vote you out of a chance to earn the victory on the field. Florida State should be in the final four not Alabama. And it's disgusting they aren't. When the undefeated Seminoles won the ACC Championship Game, the committee said "Screw you. We want Bama."
That snub has caused at least 23 Florida State players to opt out of today's Orange Bowl. So today's game will NOT be Georgia v. Florida State because the Florida State team of the 2023 season has largely disbanded. It will be a shell of the Seminoles team against a mostly intact Bulldogs team. Georgia has players not playing today also. But they are almost all benchwarmers seeking transfers to schools where they can get play time. The Florida State players missing the game are almost all starters. If the Seminoles weren't screwed out of their rightful opportunity to compete for a National Championship, those players would be playing in the post-season. But since the Orange Bowl is meaningless, they have chosen not to.
I expect Florida State to get crushed today. That will then be perceived as "See, Florida State sucks! The committee made the right decision excluding them!" But the truth is that the team playing today is not the team that would be playing if they hadn't been robbed by the Committee. That said, Go Noles! >>>-----;;->