I want to start off by saying this one thing: I don’t care about football. I never have. I’m ashamed that I proved the stereotype that “girls don’t care about football” true, but sadly, I don’t. Now, this doesn’t include Florida State University football. I am proud to be a Nole, which is why this undefeated season has been so awesome to watch. But on Dec. 3, the worst decision on the planet that shocked a college — no, a nation — was made. FSU was left out of the college football playoffs.
I remember watching these games not knowing what first down or third down meant, but knowing the goal was to get to one side of the field. When I couldn’t watch the game, I was eagerly looking up the score to see if we were winning, and let me tell you, the stress of seeing the numbers only when we’re losing is scary!
I may not know what some football terms mean, but I know what 13-0 means. No matter what happened on the field, FSU Football pulled through each game. And I mean each game because they had an undefeated season! The last time there was an undefeated conference season was in 2014. The 2014 FSU team might not have won the Rose Bowl Game, but at least they had a chance to defend themselves. I understand that this year’s quarterback, Jordan Travis, got hurt, but FSU still won their games after that injury. Games were won against our rivals, despite the un-sportsmanship-like behavior that was endured, like University of Florida player Jamari Lyons getting ejected for spitting at an FSU player. We played with the odds against us and won. Every. Single. Game.
Nevertheless, in the eyes of the College Football Polling (CFP) committee, we are not worthy. Boo Carrigan, chair of the CFP committee, said, “ An incredible season. But as you look at who they are as a team, right now, without Jordan Travis, without the offensive dynamic that he brings to it, they are a different team.” If that’s what they think of us, then how did we win the ACC Championship with our third-string quarterback, Brock Glenn? Or if they think so highly of Jordan Travis, why didn’t he win the Heisman Trophy? He wasn’t even a top 4 finalist!
I thought the whole point of football was winning the game. FSU won every single game, lost its starting quarterback, won the ACC Championship, and won with a third-string quarterback, yet people still think they wouldn’t be able to defend themselves. People keep claiming that the other teams would demolish them. So? How would they be able to prove themselves if they weren’t given the opportunity? If they lose, at least they lose with dignity. At least they lose with the chance to show people how hard they tried. Football is about playing, but how can you determine a team’s value by guessing?
Even politicians are weighing their opinions on the situation. Do you know how wronged you must be for a U.S. senator to demand more from the CFP committee? Or to get the governor of Florida’s attention? CFP didn’t even give them a chance and the country can feel it.
The Nole community has been my favorite part of this season: the excitement of us proving to others what we are capable of, the intense stress we suffer from being a second-half team, and the fireworks I hear from my room every time we win a game. It’s magnetic. If anything, this situation has made the Nole community stronger and bigger. I am so proud to be a Nole and our football players should all be proud of the work they did this year and know that we are all on their side.
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