Earlier this week, Florida State quarterback Brock Glenn said that if the Seminoles were to beat Georgia in the Orange Bowl, they should “absolutely” be considered for the national championship.
But could it happen?
It could, if you’re OK with using a poll to determine the national champion, like we’ve done for more than 100 years.
Some history in split national champions
Let’s put you in a time machine. Back when we first started tinkering with the idea that a college football national champion should be crowned by winning a game instead of by voters.
It was 1998 and it was called the BCS championship. Or the Bowl Coalition Championship. That season, Tennessee beat Florida State in the Orange Bowl to win the first title. The Volunteers got there by winning the SEC championship and seeing UCLA, which was ranked No. 1, lose to Miami in its final regular season game and Kansas State, which was No. 2, lose to Texas A&M in the Big 12 title game.
Tennessee was No. 3 in the polls going into that weekend and Florida State was fourth. Those two moved up and we got the two clear cut teams for the game.
It worked that way until 2003. That season Oklahoma, USC and LSU were in the hunt. The Sooners were undefeated and USC and LSU had one loss each. LSU won the SEC championship, Oklahoma lost the Big 12 championship and USC didn’t have a title game to play, so the BCS picked Oklahoma and LSU. USC played Michigan (which was ranked fourth) in the Rose Bowl.
LSU and USC won. LSU was named the BCS champs. The Associated Press poll, which had USC ahead of LSU going in, had the Trojans as No. 1. So, we had a split.
Could Florida State still win a national championship?
Could this happen again? Could a team not be in what we’ve deemed the national championship win the national championship?
If Florida State beats Georgia in the Orange Bowl, the AP poll could vote the Seminoles No. 1
That is what some voters are already saying.
“As a matter of principle, I’d consider ranking Florida State No. 1 regardless of whether they are in the CFP field,” ESPN’s Rece Davis, a longtime AP Top 25 voter, told the AP this week. “Much like the selection process itself, the exercise is who, in my judgment, is the best team.”
A lot has to happen. Alabama has to beat Michigan in one semifinal and Texas has to beat Washington in the other. At that point everybody has a loss except for Florida State.
Florida State has lost a ton of players since it was snubbed from the playoff, so it goes into the Orange Bowl as a huge underdog. It is iffy on offense, but has a great defense. But players said this week that if they win, they should get consideration.
Linebacker Kalen DeLoach told reporters at the Orange Bowl this week: “Nothing else needs to be said if we’re the only undefeated team.”
Glenn went on to say that the Seminoles have beaten two SEC teams already, so they won’t go into this game lacking confidence.
“You can say what you want about the SEC, but we’re just as good.”
If the Seminoles can pull this off and they’re the only undefeated team left standing, buckle up, it’s going to be a great way to send off the four-team playoff.