The debate will rage on for years about whether the College Football Playoff committee got the top four teams in 2023 right by picking one-loss Alabama over undefeated Florida State for the No. 4 seed. Many were disappointed to see the Crimson Tide over the Seminoles.
It appears Michigan can be counted among those. The Wolverines found out they’d be the No. 1 team heading into the College Football Playoff. Then, to draw out the drama, ESPN waited to reveal the No. 4 and No. 5 teams last.
And when Alabama popped up as the No. 4 seed rather than Florida State, the Wolverines were clearly stunned.
Michigan will take on Alabama in the Rose Bowl pic.twitter.com/obgheMS7oU
— Clayton Sayfie (@CSayf23) December 3, 2023
MORE: Explaining College Football Playoff snubs
During The Athletic’s “Until Saturday” live reaction show, The Athletic’s Nicole Auerbach reported in the room, Michigan players began to do the tomahawk chop after Texas was named the No. 3 team because some were convinced they’d be facing the Seminoles.
Florida State certainly has the case to be the most deserving team at No. 4. The Seminoles did not lose a game during the regular season, but lost their quarterback in the penultimate game of the season and struggled offensively down the stretch with backups. Michigan would have been an enormous favorite in the game against a Jordan Travis-less Florida State team.
Then, there’s the Crimson Tide. Alabama lost to Texas in the second week of the season, played shockingly close to South Florida and Auburn. It’s not the powerhouse program it has been in recent years.
But at its height this year, Alabama has been a force. It just took down No. 1 Georgia in the SEC championship. It demolished LSU 42-28, crushed Tennessee 34-20 and steamrolled Kentucky 49-21. And it’s Alabama, a team that has not gone more than three years without winning a national championship under Nick Saban. It’s now been three years since the last Crimson Tide title.
Whether Florida State deserved to be in more than Alabama or not, it appears it was clear who Michigan would have rather faced in the Rose Bowl. And the Wolverines don’t appear thrilled with their opponent.
