By now, you know the arguments.
Florida State did not make the College Football Playoff despite going undefeated and winning the ACC, a Power-5 conference. They're the first team to accomplish all of those feats in the same season, but to be left out of the College Football Playoffs.
Much of the reason they were left out has to do with their quarterback, Jordan Travis. While Florida State's backups were able to defeat Florida and Louisville, the offense did not quite look the same. If the Noles had made the Playoff, they would have been an easy out for, say, Michigan or Washington, who were in contention for the top seed.
This is why Alabama, who surprisingly defeated previously-No. 1 Georgia in the SEC Championship, was selected over FSU. The Bulldogs hadn't lost a football game in two seasons and had won back-to-back National Championships. Then, they ran into the Nick Saban buzz-saw.
Kirk Herbstreit has been very vocal on the committee's choice, which he views as the right one. He took to social media again on Wednesday night to post another essay on why Florida State was left out of the CFP.
Because Alabama is BETTER!!
— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) December 13, 2023
Period! So is Texas. So is Michigan. So is Washington. So is Oregon. So is Georgia. I watch 10-15 games a week live from September-early December. I think I’m allowed to have an opinion on who I think is BETTER!! If FSU doesn’t like itbis “The BEST 4”… https://t.co/gWJXL5xHnw
Kirk Herbstreit makes mistake of checking his social media
Herbstreit's mistake here is that he let the trolls entice him. The narrative Florida State and ACC fans have is one which paints ESPN and its partners as having some sort of control over who makes the Playoff. As in, they would rather feature an SEC team than an undefeated ACC opponent without its starting quarterback. It doesn't help that Alabama, of all teams, was gifted the final spot.
Nonetheless, the committee is allowed to considered injuries and other factors when deciding upon the best four teams in college football. As Herbstreit and his ESPN colleagues have echoed many times before, the criteria is not the four most deserving teams.
This is so unprofessional Kirk. C'mon man, you're better than this... pic.twitter.com/YA5OXfFzSP
— Blue Bloods Bias (@bluebloodsbias) December 13, 2023
We could have found out on the field, but you and the committee pushed a narrative that saw TWO teams who lost a game to jump and undefeated FSU.
— Daniel Riley (@_daniel_riley) December 13, 2023
When FSU jumped Miami in 2000 it was because the comparison was between two one loss teams. FSU had lost to UM, a top 5 team. UM had…
The replies were not kind to the longtime analyst. With bowl season about to get underway, perhaps its best we put this issue behind us for now.