Can't trust a backup. You remember that time that Saban benched Jalen Hurts in the middle of the national championship game for his backup, and then lost in horrible fashion?
You're smarter than this.
Look at what the committee did.
Week 13: FSU vs FCS Directional Tech.....Jordan Travis is hurt badly, out for the year.
So there's some uncertainty there. FSU blows out the FCS team. FSU was ranked 4th, but drops down to 5th. 5th out of the 5 undefeated P5 teams left.
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Week 14: Rivalry Weekend! The Game! OSU loses to UM and drops. FSU, with their backup QB, beats Florida. The offense looks bad. But with OSU losing, FSU moves up.
The committee gave FSU the benefit of the doubt here. Bad offensive showing vs a bad defense, but they got it done, and as they're prone to do, just shuffling up the zero-loss teams ahead of the 1-loss teams.
What we all may not have known here is that the committee was focusing on FSU, especially the offense, and wanted to give them the opportunity to play their way into maintaining their ranking (4th, once again).
Just look like a playoff team vs UL. Show that the offense is functional and not a dumpster fire. Earn you way in. Here's your chance.
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Week 15: FSU scores one TD. Their defense plays with its hair on fire, but FSU is half a team. They were given the benefit of the doubt the week before, but they've shown the offense is a shell of its former self.
RB Benson could have taken over, but didn't.
WR Coleman could have stepped up his game, but didn't.
The only plus was the backup RB hitting one long run.
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Two teams behind FSU were also being watched closely. One played the #1 team and the other played a lower-ranked team. Oklahoma State was ranked even below Louisville. Alabama beat #1 and Texas beat Okie State, scoring more than 1 TD. They scored 7 TDs.
Played their way into the playoff. So Bama beat the #1 team and Texas drubbed the lower-ranked team, playing well on both sides of the ball.
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Is it unfortunate that FSU lost its QB? Yes.
Would it have immensely helped if someone stepped up on offense? Yes.
Is any of this "fair"? No.
Is it some sort of bomb shelter cash handshake conspiracy? No.
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Any of the 4 teams in the playoff could win it.
You could not say that with FSU included.
FSU had the chance to play their way in, and they fell short. No, their backup QB isn't appreciably better than the 3rd stringer. No, a zero in the loss column isn't a "get into the playoff free" card.
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I am truly baffled that the consensus seems to be that FSU being left out is some sort of crime against everything that is holy and good in the world.
Oh, and this:
