Jordan Travis claims fans are ‘reaching’ despite poorly-timed tweet after Alabama loss

It's been a rough couple of weeks for Jordan Travis and the Florida State fanbase. Travis and the Seminoles finished the season undefeated, only for the College Football Playoff committee to leave them out of the top-4 due to an injury to the star quarterback. While the committee does give itself leeway to make said decisions, it's easy to understand why the program would feel slighted, and its fanbase jaded.

The Noles lost by 60 points to Georgia in the Orange Bowl, though that result doesn't tell the entire story. Florida State was missing over a dozen starters who opted out for personal reasons, and Travis did not play due to injury. Because of this, the Noles lost the opportunity to paint their own narrative, and perhaps send a message to the committee and fans across college football.

So, when Alabama fell to Michigan in overtime on Monday, it was odd to hear from Travis on social media, who replied with a curious emoji choice, hinting that the Seminoles would have fared better. Upon seeing the uproar his commentary caused, Travis quickly backtracked.

Jordan Travis doesn't stand by his CFP critique

Florida State with a healthy Travis would have made the CFP. Even without him, they were one Georgia SEC Championship away from making the Playoff. However, it's also easy to understand the committee's thinking.

Florida State may be the most deserving team based upon their resume with Travis under center, but were they one of the best four teams with their third stringer? I highly doubt it, and believe it or not injuries are part of the criteria the committee studies, for better or worse.

Travis is rightly slighted by his team's exclusion, and shouldn't feel responsible for it. Yet, his social media activity made his feelings on Alabama's defeat fairly obvious, and hiding from that fact only deepens the hole he's trying to dig himself out of.