As we near the end of the 2023 college football season, the race for the College Football Playoff is heating up. The College Football Playoff Selection Committee released its rankings on Tuesday, and the most notable change was near the top as Washington passed Florida State for No. 4.
The Seminoles easily handled North Alabama on Saturday, but lost starting quarterback and Heisman Trophy contender Jordan Travis in the first quarter to a season-ending leg injury. At the same time, the Huskies were in the midst of beating No. 16 Oregon State on the road in Corvallis, giving Washington its third win over a current top-25 team in addition to the home win over No. 6 Oregon and the road win over No .15 Arizona.
Washington’s record is far superior to Florida State’s, which includes just two wins over ranked teams – a neutral-site win over No. 14 LSU to open the season and an overtime win over No. 24 Clemson. It’s fine for Washington to skip Florida State . In fact, it is appropriate. Sure, FSU fans are probably angry about this, but the painting isn’t finished yet, which is particularly the case with the Seminoles.
We don’t know what kind of team Florida State really is with Tate Rodemaker at the helm under center. He could be the successor to Cardale Jones, who led Ohio State to the title in 2014 as a third player. Without that information, there’s no reason to keep the Seminoles ahead of a Washington team that has won all of its games – albeit ugly at times – and has a better record on paper.
The committee always says it takes injuries into account, but it doesn’t specify “how” that process works. If Rodemaker goes out there and shines, it will likely impress the committee more than if Travis had stayed healthy. Or, if Florida State comes around, the committee could view the current version of the Seminoles as a product that isn’t CFP-worthy.
In the end it could be important. If Florida State wins and beats No. 10 Louisville in the ACC Championship Game, that would be a nice brush stroke to complete the picture, especially under the leadership of the backup quarterback. For now, though, it’s perfectly fine for Washington to be the No. 4 seed while we wait for the paint to dry.
What else did the committee miss? Let’s break down the overrated and underrated teams in the latest edition of the CFP rankings.
There is simply no reason to include the Volunteers in the rankings with four losses. They lost in each of their last two games — to No. 9 Missouri and No. 1 Georgia, respectively — and lost three of their last five games, dating back to a 34-20 loss to No. 8 Alabama in October. 21. It was also the fourth loss against a Florida team that has not yet achieved bowl eligibility. The rushing attack that has been the Volunteers’ strength for most of the season has faltered over the past two weeks. In short, there’s nothing about this team that suggests they’re anywhere near the top 25. Conspiracy theory: It’s almost as if the committee wants to keep SEC teams in the rankings to boost higher-profile teams in the conference.
Underrated: No. 12 Ole Miss
The rebel offensive is as dangerous as it gets. Quarterback Jaxson Dart can make a splash through the air with Tre Harris and a talented receiver corps. Running back Quinshon Judkins is a monster on the ground. The defense wreaks havoc in the backfield, ranking third in the SEC in tackles for loss (73). They also picked up quality wins against No. 14 LSU and No. 23 Tulane. Compare that to No. 11 Penn State, which has only one quality win (No. 17 Iowa) and is extremely limited in the air, and there is no justifiable explanation for the Nittany Lions to be ahead of Lane Kiffin the Rebs.