ACC Summer Football Check-in with Florida State’s Chop Chat
By Joe Micik
Sep 28, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Boston College Eagles running back Andre Williams (44) runs the ball against the Florida State Seminoles during the first half at Alumni Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports
(2) STG: The BCS has punched out permanently and there’s a new college football playoff in town. In general, how do you feel about it, and how do you think the new format will impact FSU’s chance at another title this season?
Nohe: FSU had the distinction of welcoming the BCS system (back in 1998) and then also closing it out. Overall FSU went 2-2 in national title games during the BCS era and over its course the program fell, changed hands and rose again.
As for the new playoff, I think the level of subjectivity is troubling. I’d like to believe that any personal biases would be checked at the committee’s door each year but I’m not naive enough to believe that will actually happen. For all the complaining about the BCS — and there was a lot — I think it gets forgotten that it was a vast improvement over the way things used to be done.
The formula was unforgiving, perhaps unfair at times, but it served its purpose. I would have much preferred to see college football retain the BCS formula, use it to determine the top four teams (rather than just the top two) and leave the highly subjective “selection committee” completely out of it.
I also think it has the potential to crater college fans’ postseason experience. Plenty of Florida State fans were happy to go for broke making their way to Pasadena for last year’s BCS Championship Game. The number of people who are going to be able to make two such trips in back to back weeks is going to be very small.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy about a playoff. I just think the way it’s been planned will lead to a totally new set of problems and fan complaints.
As for FSU’s chances, it helps tremendously. A one-loss defending national champion — assuming the loss isn’t a complete embarrassment — still has a solid chance to get into the playoff thanks both to the human element and the fact there are now four spots. But then, Jameis Winston’s likability could also play a factor as it did with the Heisman voting and postseason awards. Again, the subjectivity is troubling.