Championship weekend has officially come to a close, and it ended with a very controversial decision on Dec. 3 during the College Football Playoff selection show.
Some of the most notable games this past weekend were the SEC Championship between No. 1 Georgia and No. 8 Alabama, the ACC Championship game between No. 4 Florida State and No. 14 Louisville and The Pac-12 Championship between No. 5 Oregon and No. 3 Washington.
Oregon was looking for revenge on Washington after a close game in their matchup earlier in the season.In that game, Washington scored a game-winning touchdown to Rome Odunze from Heisman candidate Michael Penix Jr. with 1:38 left to win 36-33.
A win from Oregon in the Pac-12 championship would have put the Ducks in the playoffs and kept Washington out. Once again, this game did not disappoint, as Washington kept their spot in the playoffs with a thrilling 34-31 win over Oregon. Washington dominated in the run game, with Dillon Johnson rushing for 152 yards on 28 attempts with three total touchdowns, two of which being rushing and one passing .
Alabama and Georgia was another exciting game between the two SEC powerhouses. Georgia went into the SEC Championship riding their 29-game winning streak with a chance to be in the CFB Playoff for their third national championship in a row.
However, football fans speculated that with a Georgia loss, the playoff committee might have no choice but to leave them out of the playoffs.
Alabama bested Georgia 27-24 in another SEC Championship classic between the two football programs. The two teams played an evenly split game, with Georgia having only 15 more yards of offense and a turnover. Alabama won the turnover split with no turnovers and only one more first down than Georgia.
“It was tough to watch Georgia after the first drive,” said Jacob Johnson, a senior accounting major. “They weren’t playing bad football, but the first possession was night and day compared to the other offensive possessions. I don’t know what changed.”
Georgia’s one loss this season to Alabama was enough to keep the Bulldogs out of the playoffs and just enough to put the Crimson Tide in. Leaving Georgia out of the playoffs is tough for many fans despite all of Georgia’s success leading up to the loss.
“The loss to Alabama showed the flaws in the four-team playoff. No matter who they put in the playoff, fans would rant about who deserved it more,” said Evan Brown, a sophomore marketing major. “Luckily, the new playoff system set in place next year will fix it in my opinion.”
That leaves Florida State versus Louisville in the ACC Championship game. With star quarterback Jordan Travis out for the season, Seminole fans knew this game would be a test.
“I’ve been a Florida State fan my whole life, and this was the best team we ha
ve had since our days with Jameis Winston,” said Peyton Rich, a senior accounting major.
A lot was on the line in this championship game on both sides. Louisville has never won an ACC Championship in football since its introduction in 2012, and if Florida State lost, they would undoubtedly be out of the playoff in 2023.
The Seminoles stayed undefeated after their 16-6 win over Louisville. The win kept their hopes alive for a playoff berth in 2023, as they awaited the selection show on Sunday.
Sunday sparked even more controversy for the committee as the decision would finally come. The four teams selected for the CFB Playoff were Michigan at the No. 1 spot, Washington at the No. 2 spot, Texas at the No. 3 spot and Alabama at the No. 4 spot, leaving the undefeated ACC conference champions out of the playoff.
“I was devastated. This is one of the worst ways they have wronged a team in playoff history,” Rich said. “I don’t see how Florida State can be written off with all their success this season because of one injured player.”
Yes, an undefeated football team with a power five championship was left out of the playoffs, causing outrage among the football program and its fans.
To give a rundown, 12-1 Texas,
despite having one loss to Oklahoma, beat Alabama earlier in the season and won the Big 12 Championship. The Committee felt they should have a spot in the playoffs because of their resume.
Alabama had the eighth toughest schedule in 2023 with an edge over Florida State’s forty-ninth toughest schedule. With the injury to Jordan Travis, the committee felt Alabama had the edge despite Florida State’s perfect season.
A very controversial end to Championship Week left many fans around the country confused, heartbroken, happy, and ready for the 2024 season with the expansion of the College Football Playoffs.
