Divided national championship for FSU football? At least one AP voter receptive to it | Toppmeyer
College football has not seen a split national championship since LSU and USC shared the title in 2003. The Associated Press (AP) does not require its poll voters to vote for the College Football Playoff (CFP) champion. However, if Florida State University (FSU) defeats Georgia in the Orange Bowl, they could potentially receive first-place votes in the final AP poll, becoming the first non-playoff team to do so since UCF in 2017. Before the era of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS), poll services like the AP determined the national champion, and the AP continues to vote for a champion and award a trophy.
After witnessing FSU’s convincing victory over LSU in the Camping World Kickoff, where their offense and defense performed impressively, there was optimism among some journalists that FSU had the potential to win the national championship. However, FSU faced a setback when star quarterback Jordan Travis suffered a season-ending injury in Week 11. Despite continuing to win, the CFP selection committee excluded FSU and included one-loss conference champion Alabama, leading to criticism from journalists who believe that the undefeated ACC champion deserved a spot.
Scott Rabalais, a sports columnist for the Baton Rouge Advocate, expressed his agreement with the sentiment that FSU deserved a spot in the playoffs. Rabalais, who is among the 62 voters in the AP poll, stated that if FSU defeats Georgia and the playoff produces a one-loss champion, he would strongly consider voting FSU as the number one team. He also believes that he would not be the only one to do so, as many voters share the belief that the committee made a mistake in excluding FSU.
While there is support for FSU receiving consideration for the AP national championship, Rabalais acknowledges that it is unlikely to happen due to the lack of widespread support. Other voters, including Emily Adams of the Greenville News, also highlight the injustice of FSU’s omission from the playoffs. The latest AP poll ranked FSU at No. 4, with some voters placing them as high as No. 3. However, despite the potential for FSU to climb in the rankings if they beat Georgia, it is unlikely that they would surpass the CFP champion.
Rabalais and other voters express their doubts about the possibility of a split national championship, citing the unlikelihood of FSU finishing higher than No. 3 in the final poll. The consensus among voters is that FSU winning the championship would require unlikely scenarios to occur in the other playoff games. Nonetheless, they appreciate the discussion and hypothetical scenarios, emphasizing the freedom of choice that AP voters have.
In the past, incidents where the AP and CFP disagreed on the top four teams were resolved through the postseason games, leading to an undisputed national champion. Rabalais has never voted for a team as No. 1 on his final ballot that did not win either the BCS or CFP championships. However, he remains open to considering FSU if they have an undefeated season and beat Georgia while the CFP champion is a one-loss team.
Overall, opinions are divided on whether FSU should receive consideration for the AP national championship. While there is support, including from AP voters, the likelihood of a split championship is minimal.
- Florida State University (FSU) could potentially receive first-place votes in the final AP poll and become the first non-playoff team to do so since 2017 if they defeat Georgia in the Orange Bowl.
- Some journalists believe FSU deserved a spot in the College Football Playoff (CFP) and criticize the committee’s decision to exclude them in favor of one-loss conference champion Alabama.
- Sports columnist Scott Rabalais and other AP voters express their doubts about the likelihood of FSU winning the championship and receiving a split national championship. The consensus is that FSU would need unlikely scenarios to occur in the other playoff games.
College football has not seen a split national championship since LSU and USC shared the title in 2003. The Associated Press (AP) does not require its poll voters to vote for the College Football Playoff (CFP) champion. However, if Florida State University (FSU) defeats Georgia in the Orange Bowl, they could potentially receive first-place votes in the final AP poll, becoming the first non-playoff team to do so since UCF in 2017. Before the era of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS), poll services like the AP determined the national champion, and the AP continues to vote for a champion and award a trophy.
After witnessing FSU’s convincing victory over LSU in the Camping World Kickoff, where their offense and defense performed impressively, there was optimism among some journalists that FSU had the potential to win the national championship. However, FSU faced a setback when star quarterback Jordan Travis suffered a season-ending injury in Week 11. Despite continuing to win, the CFP selection committee excluded FSU and included one-loss conference champion Alabama, leading to criticism from journalists who believe that the undefeated ACC champion deserved a spot.
Scott Rabalais, a sports columnist for the Baton Rouge Advocate, expressed his agreement with the sentiment that FSU deserved a spot in the playoffs. Rabalais, who is among the 62 voters in the AP poll, stated that if FSU defeats Georgia and the playoff produces a one-loss champion, he would strongly consider voting FSU as the number one team. He also believes that he would not be the only one to do so, as many voters share the belief that the committee made a mistake in excluding FSU.
While there is support for FSU receiving consideration for the AP national championship, Rabalais acknowledges that it is unlikely to happen due to the lack of widespread support. Other voters, including Emily Adams of the Greenville News, also highlight the injustice of FSU’s omission from the playoffs. The latest AP poll ranked FSU at No. 4, with some voters placing them as high as No. 3. However, despite the potential for FSU to climb in the rankings if they beat Georgia, it is unlikely that they would surpass the CFP champion.
Rabalais and other voters express their doubts about the possibility of a split national championship, citing the unlikelihood of FSU finishing higher than No. 3 in the final poll. The consensus among voters is that FSU winning the championship would require unlikely scenarios to occur in the other playoff games. Nonetheless, they appreciate the discussion and hypothetical scenarios, emphasizing the freedom of choice that AP voters have.
In the past, incidents where the AP and CFP disagreed on the top four teams were resolved through the postseason games, leading to an undisputed national champion. Rabalais has never voted for a team as No. 1 on his final ballot that did not win either the BCS or CFP championships. However, he remains open to considering FSU if they have an undefeated season and beat Georgia while the CFP champion is a one-loss team.
Overall, opinions are divided on whether FSU should receive consideration for the AP national championship. While there is support, including from AP voters, the likelihood of a split championship is minimal.
match that should be stopped.
