ESPN Lists FSU Football As A Team That 'Could've Done More' In CFP Era

This assertion is based on data surrounding college football teams in the last five seasons.

Dec 30, 2023; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell reacts against the Georgia Bulldogs during the second half in the 2023 Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports / Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN writers Bill Connelly and Adam Rittenberg provided a list of those who have (in their eyes) underperformed in the last five years of college football. This list includes seven tiers: “CFP no-shows,” “under the projections,” “hoops or else,” “never won big,” “money problems,” “could’ve done more,” and “who’s next.”

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Connelly and Rittenberg placed institutions into these categories based on SP+ intricacies, a “tempo and opponent-adjusted measure of college football efficiency” that are based on “recent recruiting rankings, long-term history, stadium capacity and, where available, coach and coaching staff salaries.”

Following spring practice, Florida State was placed at 12th in the country based on these rankings.

However, of the seven tiers listed above, FSU was placed in the “could’ve done more” position. A bit ironic after the Seminoles went undefeated and won their conference last season but were not invited to participate in the CFP, but remember, this list includes the last five years in its positioning, and the Garnet and Gold have had three losing seasons in that span.

Connelly and Rittenberg wrote that FSU has a great location to lure in high school talent as well as a history of excellence and player development for the next level, and a financial backing for facilities and NIL.

However, they expanded upon why they’re underachieving:

“FSU's level of underachievement isn't nearly as glaring as other programs on this list, and the Seminoles are clearly poised to be an annual CFP contender under coach Mike Norvell. But few programs can dream bigger than Florida State when its coaching, recruiting and resources are properly aligned. Although the program had its warts under Jimbo Fisher, FSU had five straight AP top-15 finishes, including the 2013 national championship, while also signing ESPN top-10 recruiting classes from 2012 to 2017 (top-5 classes in all but one year). The Seminoles also will be judged, perhaps unfairly, by their historic surge from 1987 to 2000, when they won two national titles and nine straight ACC titles, while never finishing worse than No. 5 in the final AP poll.”

- Bill Connelly, Adam Rittenberg - ESPN

They continued:

“The past two decades have been a bit bumpier, especially toward the end of the Bobby Bowden and Fisher eras. FSU went 26-33 from 2017 to 2021 before turning a corner under Norvell. Finances/resources became an issue late in Fisher's tenure and prompted his move to Texas A&M, but athletic director Michael Alford's assertive leadership has put Florida State on stronger footing, as the school pushes for a possible ACC departure. After the CFP snub in 2023, regular appearances in the expanded playoff field will become the standard expectation for Norvell and the Noles.”

- Bill Connelly, Adam Rittenberg - ESPN

As for FSU rivals Miami and Florida, they were both placed in the CFP no-shows tier. Both of these schools will attempt to crack the CFP in 2024 for the first time. Florida State will look to make its second appearance in the Big Dance.

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