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Kirby Smart: ‘I empathize’ with Florida State over Playoff plight
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Kirby Smart has experienced everything the 4-team College Football Playoff has to offer. The head coach at Georgia has produced a pair of national titles, but Smart has also seen the Bulldogs left out of the field, including this season.
When the final Playoff field was unveiled Sunday, Texas and Alabama landed in the top 4 as 1-loss conference champions. Florida State — an undefeated Power 5 champion — landed at No. 5 overall while Georgia was No. 6 with 1 loss and without a conference title.
During an Orange Bowl teleconference, Smart admitted he is empathizing with Florida State and head coach Mike Norvell. The head coach also said he’s empathizing with his Bulldog players for being left out but acknowledged the oddity of an undefeated Power 5 champion not getting included.
Kirby Smart on FSU: “I empathize with anybody who doesn’t get in [with undefeated record]. I empathize for our guys, too.”
Smart says he can’t imagine being undefeated and missing out. Notes that UGA has just missed out on playoffs a few times.
— Brendan Sonnone (@BSonnone) December 3, 2023
Despite losing to Alabama, Smart campaigned for his team as one of the best 4 teams in the country late Saturday night. Those pleas went unrealized on Sunday.
As for the Seminoles, FSU finished the year undefeated in the face of Jordan Travis’ season-ending injury. Unfortunately, that perseverance was not rewarded by the CFP committee.
Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.