Since 2014, NCAA (National Collegiate Athletics Association) has used a four team playoff format, in which the top four teams in the nation play each other. With only four teams playing in the College Football Playoffs (CFP) it created a snubbing problem (a team coming up short from entering the playoffs that should have made it) and a 12 team playoff is supposed to fix this problem .
“Justice for Florida State, I think they had a shot at winning it all,” senior Stella Keiningham said.
The 2023 FSU Seminoles were snubbed from the CFP. They went undefeated, but in their third to last game, their quarterback at the moment, Jordan Travis, broke his leg against Northern Alabama. In the next game, their backup quarterback, Tate Rodemaker, helped beat the Florida Gators, but he sustained a head injury, causing him to be sidelined for the last game. Third string quarterback, Brock Glenn, led the Seminolos to a 16-6 win against Louisville in their final game of the season. The NCAA committee didn’t think they were a strong enough team to play in the CFP. They became the first undefeated power five team to not be put into the CFP.
“There’ll be some teams that will still get snubbed, but I think that it’ll ease the controversy on some teams being left,” Keiningham said.
Back in the 2017 season, another team was snubbed, the USF Knights went undefeated with 12 wins, yet they were only ranked 12th in the nation, but they still played Auburn who was ranked seventh in the Peach Bowl outside of the CFP. Auburn went 10-4 in the 2017 season with wins against Alabama and Georgia, the two teams in the CFP finals. In the game, UFC ended up beating Auburn 34-27. Now the NCAA recognizes them as theoretical champions.
“I like them making the playoffs bigger because it gives the players [outside of the power five] something better to get… and a better chance to get it,” junior Camden Marshall said.
With the CFP expanding, it allows eight more teams to play in the CFP and instead of three games being played there will now be 11. The top four teams get automatic byes meaning they don’t have to participate in the first round.
(Jonathan Jarvis)
“I think the expansion is definitely here to stay, and I think it’ll keep growing in size,” Keiningham said.
John Ward • Nov 22, 2024 at 8:16 am
I like how you put the little quote at the bottom because I am a football fan myself and that’s what I thought when I heard they made it a twelve team playoff.