Texas and Alabama earned the final two spots into the College Football Playoff rankings on Sunday as the four-team field was set.
The 13-member selection committee bypassed unbeaten Florida State (13-0), marking the first time an undefeated power conference champion has missed the field in the CFP era. The Seminoles were No. 5, just behind Alabama. Texas was No. 3.
Michigan (13-0) earned the No. 1 seed, followed by No. 2 Washington (13-0) in the announcement from Grapevine, Texas.
Two-time defending national champion Georgia (12-1) was passed over after losing 27-24 to Alabama in the Southeastern Conference title game on Saturday. That result ended the Bulldogs’ 29-game winning streak and dropped them to No. 6 in the rankings.
Despite the win, Alabama coach Nick Saban said there was a lot of tossing and turning overnight.
“It was a tough night. I didn’t sleep a lot because there are a lot of good teams out there,” Saban said. “Florida State’s certainly a good team to go undefeated in their league and it’s unfortunate that some good teams had to get left out. But I really think our team earned the right to be here.”
The passing over of Florida State was the committee’s most controversial decision. The season-ending leg injury sustained by star quarterback Jordan Travis was a major consideration during the committee’s discussions.
“Florida State is a different team than they were the first 11 weeks,” CFP selection committee chairman Boo Corrigan said on ESPN. “Coach (Mike) Norvell, their players, their fans, had an incredible season. But when you look at who they are as a team right now, without Jordan Travis, without the offensive dynamic that he brings to it, they are a different team and the committee voted Alabama 4 and Florida State 5.”
Florida State knocked off Louisville 16-6 in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game on Saturday without its top two quarterbacks (Travis and Tate Rodemaker) due to injuries. Brock Glenn quarterbacked the Seminoles against the Cardinals.
Florida State athletic director Michael Alford issued a statement Sunday slamming the committee’s decision to exclude the Seminoles from the playoff.
“Our players, coaches, and fans — as well as all those who love this sport — deserve better,” he said. “The committee failed college football today.”
Florida State coach Mike Norvell also had an angry response to his program’s snub.
“I am disgusted and infuriated with the committee’s decision today to have what was earned on the field taken away because a small group of people decided they knew better than the results of the games,” Norvell said in a statement. “What is the point of playing games? Do you tell players it is okay to quit if someone goes down? Do you not play a senior on Senior Day for fear of injury? Where is the motivation to schedule challenging nonconference games?”
Interestingly, Florida State will face another angry program in Georgia in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 30.
“I empathize with anybody that goes undefeated and doesn’t get in,” Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart said. “I empathize with our players because I personally feel like we deserve to be in. We’ve got a really good football team, we’re considered No. 1 in the country all year and then fell. We’ve got a whole hornet’s nest around here of some players that are disappointed too.”
The Wolverines will face No. 4 seed Alabama (12-1) in the semifinals at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. The Huskies will meet No. 3 Texas (12-1) in the Sugar Bowl at New Orleans. Both games are Jan. 1.
The national championship game is Jan. 8 at Houston.
Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian will face the Washington program he used to lead for the second straight postseason.
“Kind of ironic,” Sarkisian said. “Washington still holds a special place to me. I got my first head-coaching opportunity there and I had five tremendous years and just tried to rebuild that program. What Coach (Kalen) DeBoer has been able to do the last couple of seasons has really been a tremendous run.
“Ironically we played them a year ago in the Alamo Bowl,” added Sarkisian, referring to his club’s 27-20 loss to the Huskies.
The Longhorns rolled to a 49-21 win over Oklahoma State in the Big 12 title game on Saturday.
Texas defeated Alabama 34-24 at Tuscaloosa in September and is playing in the CFP for the first time. It is the Longhorns’ first conference championship since 2009.
“This has been a heck of a journey for us,” Sarkisian said. “So to earn a seat at the table and be in this tournament, we’re humbled by it but excited for it as well.”
Michigan cruised to a 26-0 victory over Iowa in the Big Ten title game on Saturday. The Wolverines won six games this season while coach Jim Harbaugh was serving suspensions.
“It’s a galvanized team,” Harbaugh said. “Some may think it is galvanized by adversity, it’s not. It’s galvanized by choice.”
Washington defeated Oregon for the second time this season with a 34-31 triumph in Friday’s Pac-12 title game. The Ducks were in contention for a CFP bid prior to the loss.
The Huskies didn’t have any consternation while waiting to learn who they would face in the semifinals.
“We’re going to face a good football team in Texas and we need to be at our best in all areas,” DeBoer said.
–Field Level Media
