The College Football Playoff (CFP) committee must have had some tough conversations following Alabama’s 27-24 victory over top-ranked Georgia in last Saturday’s SEC Championship game.

If the committee was about fairness, the path seemed clear.

Michigan (13-0) was the obvious number one seed after a 26-0 dismantling of Iowa in the Big Ten finale. In the Pac-12, Washington (13-0) had secured the number two seed with a 34-31 nail-biter over Oregon. Florida State (13-0) stayed unbeaten by winning the ACC title, 16-6 over Louisville. Inevitably, leaving just Alabama (12-1) and Texas (12-1) fighting it out for the fourth and final CFP spot.

Both Texas and Alabama had strong arguments. The Crimson Tide had just knocked off the defending champions while taking home the trophy in what is considered the toughest conference in all of football. The Longhorns had just demolished Oklahoma State to win the Big 12.

But the tiebreaker was right there in front of the committee.

Credit via aol.com

On September 9th, playing in Tuscaloosa – Texas defeated Alabama 34-24.

If the committee was about fairness – Michigan, Washington, Florida State, and Texas would be the Final Four.

But if the committee was about product quality, television ratings, advertising dollars, and generating revenue, Florida State would have to go – and the rationalization would have to set in.

Florida State was down to its third-string freshman quarterback after losing Heisman hopeful Jordan Travis to a broken leg in November, and the backup quarterback to a concussion just last week. Alabama’s Heisman hopeful of their own, Jalen Milroe, was fully healthy. Florida State had just beaten sixteenth ranked Louisville in unimpressive fashion. Alabama had just stopped Georgia and their 29-game winning streak. Florida State plays in a basketball conference. Alabama plays in the SEC. Florida State has a coach named Mike Norvell. The Crimson Tide have Nick Saban.

Credit via ESPN

In a fight between the NCAA, fairness and finance – the Seminoles never stood a chance.

• I feel bad for the Georgia Bulldogs (12-1). But most of the players should feel better once they enter the Transfer Portal – straight into the NFL!

• A lot of this mess will be fixed next year when college football moves to a 12-team playoff. But I’m still confused with the math. Are there six games in round one? Three games in round two? And the committee then decides to leave Florida State out of it in round three just to make the numbers work?

• Forget the questionable logos and white people wearing war paint with headdresses. It took the CFP committee to enforce real Cancel Culture on the Seminoles.

• Although, a 12-team playoff is pretty clever. It will allow the committee to choose most of the SEC next year, while still leaving a little room to sneak in Notre Dame.

• I’m not sure that a 12-team playoff will make Selection Weekend very interesting next year. Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Oregon, Texas, LSU, Clemson, Florida State, and Notre Dame make eleven. Leaving us Tulane vs SMU in the American Athletic Conference Championship for the only spot left.

• It’s Ironic that the 11th and 12th best teams in the country will be playing in the COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS next year – and the AVOCADOS FROM MEXICO CURE BOWL this year.

Credit via Conference USA

• Liberty (11-0) may have God on their side this season, but having teams like Middle Tennessee State and Sam Houston on the other side won’t get them to a playoff anytime soon.

• Talk about passing the Litmus Test. Florida State gets to prove their worth by taking on Georgia (11-1) in the ORANGE BOWL, while Liberty gets to prove they belong by facing Oregon (10-2) in the FIESTA BOWL. I’m guessing that’s the last we hear about any injustice.

• Winning the championship in a Power-Five Conference seemed to go far with the committee – so, you have to like the chances of Washington State and Oregon State in the Pac-2 next season.

• Jordan Travis may not be playing in a bowl game, but either is USC quarterback Caleb Williams. Williams, expected to be the first overall selection in the NFL draft, announced that he was skipping the HOLIDAY BOWL and backup quarterback Miller Moss will get the start. Sounds like Williams is leaving USC with a degree in Business.

Credit via Larry Brown Sports

• Caleb Williams will most likely be the first player chosen in the NFL draft, but after leaving his teammates from Oklahoma behind to transfer to USC, bailing on his USC teammates in his last bowl game, and driving around campus in a brand-new Porsche – it reminds me of when Shaquile O’Neal told Kobe Bryant that, “There is no I in TEAM.” Kobe replied, “Yeah, but there’s a ME in that mother f***er!”

• I don’t think that Williams will be the only one skipping a bowl game. Look for Marvin Harrison Jr. to sit out the COTTON BOWL, don’t plan to see Jayden Daniels in the RELIAQUEST BOWL, and although Drake Maye could play in the DUKE’S MAYO BOWL – I’m guessing he Maye not.

• The Colorado Buffaloes may have finished with just four wins, but with 24 inches of snow falling in Breckenridge over the past few days, and a dispensary on every corner in Boulder, I’m pretty sure that the students will still be getting their bowl game on.

Images via yahoosports, espn, larrybrownsports, aol.com, conferenceusa

Alan Tapley
Alan Tapley is an educator, author, and blogger who has lived just outside of Boulder for the last twenty years.  His published work includes two novels, two children’s books, a series of cartoons in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, and multiple sports related articles. His love for family and the state of Colorado is only matched by one thing, his passion for sports.  The first baseball game he ever attended was at Wrigley Field, before there were lights.  At the final Bronco game at the old Mile High, he allegedly cut out a piece of his seat in the South stands.  But regardless of being here for the Avalanche’s last Stanley Cup, the Rockies only World Series appearance, and all the Broncos’ Super Bowl Victories, his wife never fails to remind him that he wasn’t at the University of Colorado in 1990, like she was.  The year the Buffs football team won the National Championship
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