A quirk of the College Football Playoff's 10-year lifespan is that, despite the system's general unpopularity from the mid-2010s onward, one could plausibly argue the selection committee had never truly missed on a selection before this season.
Sure, quibbles were possible—Baylor and TCU in 2014, Penn State in 2016, etc.—but it seemed like the CFP was for the most part avoiding the land mines that had ruined the BCS's credibility.
Then came 2023. Florida State's exclusion from the CFP field in the wake of a 13-0 season attracted widespread outrage, to the point where the company that stages the annual tournament seemingly wants to hear no more of it.
