Paul Finebaum addresses the committee's justification for Alabama over Florida State

You could talk circles around the debate between Alabama vs. Florida State regarding which team should have made the College Football Playoff. Considering all things, though, Paul Finebaum believes the committee’s decision to take the Tide was more than sound.

Finebaum shared that opinion during ‘The Matt Barrie Show’ on Sunday amidst the ranking release. To him, the main point for ‘Bama and against the ‘Noles was the competitiveness of semifinal in The Rose Bowl. With Alabama in, there’s a shot that No. 1 Michigan could go down while, had it been Florida State, his belief is that it would have been a foregone blowout.

“It’s possible (that Alabama could be a favorite over Michigan). That game will hover as a pick ’em and go one way or the other,” said Finebaum. “I don’t care whether there’s action, Michigan or not – it’s a pick ’em game.”

“The other game was not watchable. It truly wasn’t,” Finebaum said. “I think that’s how they justified it.”

Finebaum also thinks they made the decision between Alabama and Florida State easier for themselves in the end. By moving Texas up and Georgia down, the committee put themselves in a position where putting the Crimson Tide was all they could do based on their definition of being one of the ‘best’ teams.

“They were very clever – they may not be right all the time but they’re clever,” Finebaum admitted. “They moved Texas up to get them out of the conversation, they moved Georgia down to get them out of the conversation. That made it Alabama vs. Florida State.”

“I wish they weren’t so predictable. I’m glad that they got it right. But this ‘deserving’ vs. ‘best’ is convoluted because we know they don’t ever pick the best,” said Finebaum. “If they did? Georgia would be in there and, quite frankly, folks in Columbus might have an argument as well.”

There was a lot of joy in Tuscaloosa yesterday while, 300 miles southeast of there, there was plenty of justified frustration out Tallahassee. It may have caused a ton of controversy but, with the playoff field set, all anyone can do now is hope that we get a great matchup out of it between the Wolverines and Crimson Tide.

Finebaum: Putting Alabama in the playoff was the right decision

Alabama was able to jump into the top four and make the College Football Playoff on Sunday.

Paul Finebaum completely concurred with the committee’s decision to put the Tide in after they beat Georgia this weekend and since their only loss came to a team that also ended up in the playoff.

“It was the right decision,” said Finebaum. “I know that there’s been a lot of rhetoric spewed by many, well-being people. But this is the only way that you could have done it.”

“I’ll spare the audience all of the talking points that you’ve all had literally driven down your throat. You go out there and you beat the No. 1 team in the country? And your only loss is the No. 3 team? I don’t know how they could have done anything else,” said Finebaum.

Finebaum couldn’t have agreed more based on what he saw himself in Atlanta on Saturday versus what he watched later that night in the ACC Championship.

“You really can’t (debate for Florida State) if you’re reasonable,” Finebaum said. “Some of the lines I’ve heard today issued by your colleagues up there at ESPN? They do want to make your head explode. ‘What about the other 99 players on the team?’? Well, what about the other 99 players on Alabama’s team?”

“They just knocked off Georgia. I mean all these things are great but I’m glad this committee didn’t buy it,” said Finebaum. “I didn’t think they would as midnight struck last night because Florida State vs. Louisville was a painful game to watch – as opposed to where I was yesterday watching to heavyweights. It was like going back to the 70s and watching Ali and Frazier. Then the winner of that meets some boxing gym in Queens. It’s absurd.”