The ACC Championship game saw the Florida State Seminoles defeat the Louisville Cardinals by a score of 16-6. Florida State achieved this incredible feat even when their top-notch quarterback, Jordan Travis, was absent. They have concluded their 2023 season with a 13-0 score.
According to Awful Announcing, the results of some teams have been decided, as the Washington Huskies and Michigan Wolverines have almost successfully secured their spots. However, the Florida State Seminoles are unclear currently.
However, the College Football Playoff Committee members will decide on the team moving forward. During the game commentary, Joe Tessitore and Jesse Palmer also gave forth their insightful and interesting thoughts on FSU, the SEC, and the playoff.
Joe Tessitore and Jesse Palmer on Florida State, the SEC, and the College Football Playoff. #CFP 🏈🎙️🏆 pic.twitter.com/6mm07M3CC4
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 3, 2023
Joe Tessitore shared, “We’re such a quarterback-centric sports society, yet let’s look to the other side and size them because would you not stack up this (Florida State) defense against anybody who you either know is already in (Michigan and Washington), or is politicking to get in (Alabama and Georgia) when you have (Jared) Verse and (Patrick) Payton off the edge. When you have (Braden) Fiske and (Fabien) Lovett and (Joshua) Farmer in the middle; these linebackers, those defensive backs.”
Palmer also reckons that Florida State can go to the playoffs even if they lack top selections in the NFL Draft. They can achieve further as they have enough skills.
Palmer also shared, “Joe, I just think from an eye test standpoint, if you just look at Florida State’s roster, it’s a playoff-caliber roster.”
“I don’t know if they have as many first-round picks as Georgia or Alabama — we’ll find out in April — but I’ll tell you, they got as many starters on this team that are gonna go play on Sundays in the NFL.”
In response to Palmer, Tessitore shared, “And maybe that point is proven best by that roster being able to win without the quarterbacks the past couple of weeks,”
Palmer further explained, “I think another thing that the committee’s gonna talk about because there is the possibility that an SEC team may not make the playoff for the very first time.”
“I know the SEC has been the most dominant conference since 2006 — easily. This year, though, does feel a little bit different and it started in nonconference games earlier this year. The SEC was 7-9 this year against nonconference Power Five opposition, not as dominant as we’re used to them being. And so I wonder if that’s something the committee takes into account as well.”
“It’s a funny year too, right? Because you got three Power Five unbeatens, and if you’re Alabama, the team that you’re being compared to is a team that beat you by 10 points in Tuscaloosa.”
In the concluding segment, Tessitore expressed, “That Week 2 Alabama team, with Jalen Milore, who, listen, was benched the next week — and now you look at the quarterback and you look at the team against Georgia and came up huge.”
“A Texas team that was shining bright. And now this Florida State team that found a way with defense, with all the sacks, with all the TFLs, and their fifth ACC Championship.”
Both the commentators lauded the abilities that the Seminoles showed in their games and in reaching the spot they reached. Moving forward, clarity will be provided if the Seminoles find success in securing their spot or not.
