Florida State still struggling with CFP exclusion, coach says - ESPN

«The most challenging couple weeks of coaching I've ever had.»

That's how the past two weeks have gone for Florida State coach Mike Norvell since the Seminoles were left out of the College Football Playoff despite their 13-0 record.

Norvell said he spoke to the team immediately after the College Football Playoff committee's decision on Dec. 3 to move FSU from No. 4 to No. 5 in the final rankings — jumped by both Texas and Alabama — and followed that up with several text messages to players while he was on the road recruiting.

He said many Seminoles players are still struggling with the reality that an undefeated season was not enough to sway the committee.

«You had to learn how to work through disappointment, hurt, frustration and anger — every bit of it — for 18-to-22-year-old kids and a 42-year-old coach,» Norvell said Tuesday. «It's hard. But at the end of the day, you control things you can control. We did everything we needed to to win 13 games this season.»

Florida State was ranked in the CFP's top four for much of the season, but when quarterback Jordan Travis went down with a season-ending leg injury against North Alabama in Week 13, the offense struggled to regroup, scoring just 40 points in wins over Florida and Louisville to close out the season.

The Seminoles' margin of victory in those two games were still better than that of Alabama or Washington, and its yardage differential better than Michigan's in the same span. Still, the committee determined the struggles in the passing game — FSU started No. 2 quarterback Tate Rodemaker against Florida and No. 3 quarterback Brock Glenn in the ACC title game while Rodemaker was in concussion protocol — was evidence the Seminoles were not capable of winning a