Alford says leaving FSU out of CFP is ‘unwarranted injustice’

Special to the Outlook

Florida State made things as difficult as possible on the College Football Playoff selection committee, using a dominant defensive performance to beat No. 14 Louisville 16-6 for the Seminoles’ first Atlantic Coast Conference championship since 2014.

The Seminoles moved to 13-0 on the season.

No Power Five team has ever gone unbeaten, won its conference title and failed to make the playoff. 

Sunday, however, was different for FSU. The committee left the Seminoles at No. 5, sending Michigan, Washington, Alabama and Texas into the playoff.

Michael Alford, Vice President and Athletics Director at FSU, issued a statement condemning the committee’s decision by calling it “unwarranted injustice.”

“The argument of whether a team is the ‘most deserving OR best’ is a false equivalence,” Alford said in a statement. “It renders the season up to yesterday irrelevant and significantly damages the legitimacy of the College Football Playoff. The 2023 Florida State Seminoles are the epitome of a total TEAM. To eliminate them from a chance to compete for a national championship is an unwarranted injustice that shows complete disregard and disrespect for their performance and accomplishments. It is unforgiveable.

“The fact that this team has continued to close out victories in dominant fashion facing our current quarterback situation should have ENHANCED our case to get a playoff berth EARNED on the field. Instead, the committee decided to elevate themselves and ‘make history’ today by departing from what makes this sport great by excluding an undefeated Power 5 conference champion for the first time since the advent of the BCS/CFP era that began 25 years ago. This ridiculous decision is a departure from the competitive expectations that have stood the test of time in college football.”

Many experts are now predicting that FSU will end up in the Orange Bowl against Georgia, the two-time defending champion that also missed the cut. The Bulldogs (12-1) were dropped from the ranks of the unbeaten with a 27-24 loss to Alabama (12-1).

During last Saturday’s ACC championship game, Lawrance Toafili ran for 118 yards and a touchdown for the Seminoles, who stuck to a conservative game plan with third-string quarterback Brock Glenn under center. Glenn finished 8 of 21 for 55 yards.

Starting QB and Heisman Trophy candidate Jordan Travis is out for the season with a leg injury. Tate Rodemaker, Travis’ backup, was sidelined with a concussion.

The difference for the Seminoles was their defense, which had a season-high seven sacks and a critical interception that kept Louisville out of the end zone.

Trailing 10-6 in the fourth quarter, the Cardinals (10-3) had a chance to take the lead after they tackled Seminoles punter Alex Mastromanno before he could get the kick away.

Louisville took over at the Seminoles 11, but three plays later, Tatum Bethune picked off Jack Plummer’s pass in the end zone.

After a 33-yard field goal by Ryan Fitzgerald put Florida State ahead 13-6 with 3:11 left, the Cardinals had one more shot.

But Braden Fiske sacked Plummer on a fourth down, giving the Seminoles the ball at the Louisville 20 with 2:35 remaining. Fitzgerald made it a two-possession game with his third field goal of the game from 40 yards.

Plummer finished 14 of 36 for 111 yards.

The game was tied 3-3 in the third quarter when the Seminoles finally took the ball out of Glenn’s hands, going to the wildcat formation with Toafili in the backfield. Toafili took the direct snap from center and raced around right end for a 73-yard gain. He scored from 2 yards out on the next play, from the same formation.

Toafili was named MVP of the game.