The University of Texas logo and the burnt orange colors filled the screen as the Big 12 champion Longhorns secured the No. 3 seed in the College Football Playoff, marking the program’s first-ever Playoff berth. Shortly after, the Georgia Bulldogs appeared as the No. 6 seed, leaving the two-time defending national champions out of the four-team field.

On the ESPN selection show, host Rece Davis announced the competition between Florida State and Alabama for the No. 4 spot, with the No. 4 team set to play Michigan. Meanwhile, the nation waited to see if an undefeated Power 5 champion would be left out, and was then revealed that the one-loss SEC team, Alabama, would be competing in the Playoff, leaving Florida State out of the picture.

This unprecedented snub by the CFP led to disbelief and anger at the watch party in Tallahassee, with Seminoles players and coaches stunned by the decision. Florida State’s athletic director, Michael Alford, spoke out about the destructive consequences of the decision and expressed how it impacted college football as a whole.

The snub intensified the tension between Florida State and the ACC, shedding light on financial disparities and the perception of the conference’s relative inferiority to the Big Ten and SEC. The Seminoles’ exclusion prompted discussions among school officials about their future in college athletics, highlighting the pressing questions of Florida State’s place in the world of college sports and where they should be in the coming years.

As Florida State’s athletic director, Alford made efforts to unite the university’s leadership and boosters to invest in the growth and success of the football program, enhancing their facilities and staffing. However, the snub further underscored their struggle to keep up financially with other conferences.

The outcome of the CFP selection raised questions about fairness and impartiality in the selection process, fueling conversations about changing or improving the conference situation at Florida State. This placed pressure on the school to make long-term decisions and to address their financial shortcomings in the face of evolving college athletics landscapes.

In conclusion, Florida State faced a challenging future as the fallout from the CFP snub prompted a reevaluation of their position in the ACC and a reassessment of their financial resources and investments in the football program.