Florida State will not be in the College Football Playoff. Alabama will be. And shortly after that news came down, ESPN’s Booger McFarland made it clear that he was not happy with the CFP Committee’s decision.
Michigan, Washington and Texas were quickly revealed as the first three teams. After that, it was announced that the committee placed Georgia at No. 6. That left the Seminoles and Crimson Tide battling for the final spot. Alabama’s win over Georgia on Saturday night in the SEC Championship Game gave the Tide a 12-1 record. Florida State, meanwhile, defeated Louisville in Saturday night’s ACC Championship Game to finish the season 13-0.
History was going to be made. No SEC champion had ever been excluded from the CFP, nor had an undefeated Power 5 champion. For McFarland, the choice was clear. The undefeated Seminoles deserved the final spot. So, when Alabama was announced as the final team in the CFP, McFarland made his disappointment clear.
“To me, this is a travesty to the sport,” McFarland said. Because we go out there on the field and we play the game. And regardless of whether it looks good at the quarterback position, regardless of whether we win with offense, whether we win with defense, the name of the game is to win.
“I understand that we want to look at style points. And who are we going to get for the best matchups. But that’s not what this is about. This is about understanding to get the four best teams. One team has a loss. And that’s Alabama. One team doesn’t, in Florida State. And the fact that this committee could take a Power 5 conference champion that’s undefeated, those kids that went out there and busted their behind, and not get into the playoff based on the eye test. Mind you, this is the same Alabama team that needed a prayer in Jordan-Hare to beat an Auburn team that lost to New Mexico State. That’s really what has me bothered right now.”
Booger McFarland is not happy that Alabama got into the CFP over an undefeated Florida State team.
"To me, this is a travesty to the sport…One team has a loss, and that's Alabama. One doesn't in Florida State." pic.twitter.com/3rhBvvpT1D
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 3, 2023
CFP Committee chair Boo Corrigan explained that the injury to quarterback Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis was a deciding factor in the decision. Travis suffered a season-ending injury early in the Seminoles victory over North Alabama. Florida State defeated Florida in the regular season finale and Louisville in the ACC Championship Game with Travis sidelined.
[Photo Credit: ESPN]
