FSU Deserves a Shot

Mike and Tarlin kick things off by chatting about their recent adventures - Tarlin's trip to see Usher perform in Vegas, his progress in the step challenge (down 9 lbs!), and a podcast he discovered called Smartless. But the main event is a discussion about Florida State University's football team getting snubbed from making the College Football Playoff, despite their undefeated 13-0 record this season. Mike and Tarlin think they deserved a shot, but the selection committee went with 1-loss Alabama and Texas instead. The guys talk about how the current 4-team playoff format is flawed and often comes down to TV ratings and money rather than rewarding deserving teams. They cover some controversial playoff selections in past years too. Getting into the FSU situation, Tarlin breaks down their strong defensive rankings, key wins, and how they persevered despite losing their starting QB. For Mike and Tarlin, leaving out an undefeated power conference team goes against the competitive spirit of sports - it denies potential underdog stories. They touch on lots of famous cases where underdog teams/players defied expectations after adversity, like the 1980 Lakers without Kareem and the 1990 Giants with backup QB Jeff Hostetler. The new 12-team format starting in 2024 should improve things, but controversy will always exist on the playoff fringes. In the end, they think the system should give worthy teams like FSU their shot, between the lines not in some conference room debate. You never know how the games will unfold or who will rise to the occasion. That unpredictability and drama is part of why we watch sports. Subscribe to Running It Back wherever you get your podcasts. Now also on Youtube!