Jason Whitlock excludes ACC and SEC powerhouses from his "best teams" list for the 2023 College Football Playoff
In anticipation of the College Football Playoff selection committee's final ranking, Jason Whitlock has named the four best teams in college football this season. These are the programs the Fox Sports Radio analyst believes should make the playoffs this season.
In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), Jason Whitlock named Washington, Michigan, Texas and Alabama as the four best teams of the 2023 season. The list is undoubtedly a good one, which many have applauded. It is to be seen if the CFP selection committee holds the same view.
However, notable exclusions made by Jason Whitlock include Florida State, who had just claimed the Atlantic Coast Conference title with an unbeaten season, and defending champion Georgia, who had led the CFP ranking ahead of championship games this weekend.
Was Jason Whitlock right to exclude Florida State?
While Georgia might miss out on the College Football Playoff, according to many analysts, the exclusion of Florida State by Jason Whitlock is quite debatable. The Seminoles are a Power Five league champion and have just finished the season undefeated.
The Seminoles remain one of the three teams yet to taste defeat this season and have won their conference titles. This presents FSU as a worthy candidate for a College Football Playoff berth. Florida State has been impressive all season and deserves to be in the top 3.
However, the Seminoles' strength of schedule could count against them in the voting process. Florida State played a few top teams this season compared to others in the race for the College Football Playoff. It remains to be seen if this factor will play a role in the selection committee's decision.
Will Texas and Alabama make it to the playoffs?
While Jason Whitlock has named Texas and Alabama the best teams for the 2023 college football season, the chances of both making the playoffs are low. The two schools suffered a loss in the regular season, and we might only see one of them in the postseason tournament.
There's a popular belief that Alabama might be the team that gets in. The Crimson Tide defeated Georgia 27-24 in the SEC championship game on Saturday, which presents them a good opportunity. It will be a return for Nick Saban's team after missing out in 2022.
However, Texas defeated Alabama during the regular season, which many believe should count against the Crimson Tide. Fans will have to wait to see which four teams the 13-member College Football Playoff selection committee will deem worthy of a spot in the tournament.