First CFP Rankings: Who Feels Snubbed?

**First College Football Playoff Rankings Spark Outrage: Unbeaten FSU, Big 12, Penn State Lead Snub List**

**NATIONAL — November 1, 2023** – The initial College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings for the current season, unveiled Tuesday evening, have ignited a firestorm of controversy, leaving several high-profile programs and an entire conference feeling profoundly disrespected. As the race to the four-team playoff intensifies, the committee’s early assessment has raised questions about criteria, perceived biases, and the “eye test” versus a team’s resume.

The anger is palpable across the nation, setting the stage for a tumultuous final month of the regular season before the playoff field expands to 12 teams in 2024.

**Florida State: The Undefeated Outcast at No. 5**

Perhaps no team feels more aggrieved than the **Florida State Seminoles**. Sitting at an unblemished 9-0 record, the ACC powerhouse found itself ranked a perplexing No. 5. This despite a formidable resume that includes significant victories over No. 18 Clemson, No. 13 LSU, and No. 20 Duke – all ranked opponents at the time of their first CFP poll release.

The prevailing sentiment among fans and many analysts is that the committee is already penalizing FSU for the season-ending injury to their star quarterback, Jordan Travis. While the team has continued its winning ways with backup Tate Rodemaker, the perception is that the committee is projecting future performance rather than evaluating the current body of work. “It feels like they’re looking for reasons to drop us,” one FSU fan commented on social media. “We’re 9-0 with tough wins, and we’re behind a one-loss Texas?”

Indeed, the comparison to No. 7 Texas (8-1) and even undefeated No. 2 Ohio State has fueled FSU’s frustration. While Ohio State’s schedule strength is considerable, some argue FSU’s wins against top-tier opponents are more impressive than those of other highly-ranked one-loss teams. Head coach Mike Norvell has consistently emphasized his team’s resilience and commitment to winning, regardless of personnel changes, a message that appears to have been overlooked by the committee.

**Big 12 Conference: A Top-10 Desert**

The **Big 12 Conference** collectively expressed a deep sense of disrespect, as not a single team from the league cracked the top 10. This conspicuous absence sends a clear message about how the committee perceives the conference’s overall strength and quality of wins.

The **Oklahoma Sooners**, at 8-1, were ranked No. 11, despite a strong season that includes only one close loss. Nearby, the **Kansas State Wildcats**, boasting a 7-2 record, found themselves at No. 17. The widespread belief is that the committee is subtly or overtly downgrading the Big 12, possibly due to the impending departures of Oklahoma and Texas to the SEC in 2024. “It feels like a systemic bias against our league,” a Big 12 athletic director, who wished to remain anonymous, reportedly told a local outlet. “Our conference leader isn’t even in the top ten, while other conferences have multiple teams with worse records or perceived weaker wins ahead.” The argument hinges on whether the committee is properly valuing wins within a highly competitive, balanced league.

**Penn State: Quality Losses Not Enough?**

In the Big Ten, the **Penn State Nittany Lions** also have a legitimate bone to pick, landing at No. 12 with a 7-2 record. Their two losses are considered “quality losses,” coming against undefeated, top-10 titans in No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Michigan. Penn State also boasts a solid victory over No. 22 Iowa.

The frustration for the Nittany Lions stems from being ranked below No. 10 Ole Miss, which also holds a 7-2 record. While Ole Miss’s losses are to No. 1 Georgia and No. 8 Alabama, Penn State’s losses are to the current No. 2 and No. 3 teams in the country. Analysts argue that Penn State’s strength of schedule and the caliber of their losses aren’t receiving full credit, suggesting the committee prioritizes the number of losses over the opponent’s strength.

**Louisville: Undervalued in the ACC?**

Finally, the **Louisville Cardinals** from the ACC, also with a 7-2 record, found themselves at No. 20. While they secured a significant win against No. 14 Notre Dame earlier in the season, their two losses to Pitt and Kentucky – neither of which are ranked opponents – appear to be weighing heavily on their profile.

Louisville faithful and many observers feel the Cardinals are a bit undervalued, especially when comparing their overall resume, including their dominant victory over a strong Notre Dame team, to some programs ranked above them. The team, still vying for an ACC Championship appearance, will need to impress down the stretch to climb into contention.

**The Committee’s Rationale and the Path Forward**

The CFP selection committee operates under a set of guidelines that prioritize strength of schedule, head-to-head results, common opponents, and conference championships, alongside the subjective “eye test” of how teams perform. However, the initial rankings often highlight the inherent subjectivity and the constant debate between a team’s actual resume and the committee’s perception of its current form and potential.

This year’s controversy is particularly acute as it’s the penultimate season before the playoff expands to 12 teams, a change meant to alleviate some of these “snub” discussions. For now, however, the stakes remain incredibly high for a coveted spot in the four-team field.

For Florida State, the Big 12 contenders, Penn State, and Louisville, the message from the committee is clear: Keep winning, and do so convincingly. The upcoming weeks will be a desperate fight not just for wins, but for style points and for other contenders to falter, providing these “snubbed” teams a clearer path to the ultimate goal. The initial rankings are a snapshot, but they’ve undoubtedly set a contentious tone for the remainder of the college football season.