Nick Saban: We're not the same team that we were when we played Texas
There’s no shortage of noise surrounding the College Football Playoff selection committee’s decision to give Alabama the coveted fourth spot in the CFP. However, Nick Saban isn’t listening. On Sunday, the Alabama head coach explained why his team deserved to be in the CFP.
“We won 10 or 11 games in a row and beat the No. 1 team in the country, so we’re not the same team that we were when we played Texas earlier in the season,” Saban said. “We were kind of in a transition at the quarterback position, it was unsettling. I think it affected our team, although Texas has a great team and I think deserved every opportunity in terms of their resume and getting in the game.
“This is just one of those years where — and there’s been other years like this — where somebody that may have been deserving got left out. And Florida State, certainly going undefeated, did everything they could to get in the playoffs and unfortunately, probably because of the injury to their quarterback, are not going to have that opportunity.”
Florida State was Alabama’s most significant competition for the final spot in the CFP. Although the Seminoles finished the season with a 13-0 record, they lost starting quarterback Jordan Travis to a season-ending injury in their Week 12 win over North Alabama.
FSU’s circumstances only worsened when backup QB Tate Rodemaker suffered a monstrous hit against Florida in Week 13. While Rodemaker finished the game against the Gators, he did not play in the ACC Championship.
Florida State failed to stun the selection committee with either performance. Meanwhile, Alabama ended Georgia’s 29-game win streak to win the SEC Championship. As Saban mentioned, this isn’t the first time controversy has surrounded the selection committee’s decision.
History fails to repeat itself for FSU
In 2014, the first season the NCAA implemented the CFP, several teams were vying for the final spot in the CFP. Similar to Florida State, Ohio State had the best resumé of the remaining teams, but had lost its top two quarterbacks. Instead, the Buckeyes were left with a nearly unknown prospect: Cardale Jones.
Jones was dominant in his limited time on the field and wowed the committee enough to earn a spot in the CFP. Rodemaker and Florida State QB3 Brock Glenn could not replicate Jones’ success.
Alabama will square off against No. 1 overall seed Michigan in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1. Meanwhile, FSU will have a chance to prove its worth when it faces off against Georgia on Dec. 30 in the Orange Bowl.