Heather Dinich assesses Florida State's security ahead of the first College Football Playoff ranking

No. 4 Florida State has been one of the season’s best teams over the first two months. However, ahead of the first ranking for the College Football Playoff, how safe should the Seminoles feel about making the four-team field?

Heather Dinich answered that exact question during an appearance on ‘The Paul Finebaum Show’ on Monday. In her opinion, FSU should feel pretty good about their chances at the moment considering the resume that they’ve put together with their eight wins from the opener to the start of November.

“If they are undefeated? I think they are fairly secure,” said Dinich.

“I think Florida State is a top-four team tomorrow night when the rankings are revealed because – I’ll remind people – that not only is it wins against Top-25 teams but the committee will look at the entire resume and wins against teams .500 or better of which Florida State, right now, has one of the best overall strength of records in the country according to ESPN analytics,” Dinich contined. “They’re number two, I want to say, right behind Ohio State even though the Clemson win has been devalued.”

Florida State sits as one of the year’s last remaining unbeatens at 8-0. That record includes a pair of wins against Top-25 squads and three wins over teams with a winning record. Four more of their wins could join that grouping of wins over squads that are about .500 with Clemson, Virginia Tech, Syracuse, and Wake Forest all sitting at 4-4.

Even so, the title as an undefeated is going to be important for the Seminole’s case according to Dinich. While they’ve had a great season to this point, the state of their conference and the crowd of other contenders may force them to base their argument on an unblemished record by the end of the year.

“I would agree with you, though, that I think, because of what’s happened elsewhere in the ACC? They probably have to finish as an undefeated champion,” said Dinich. “We don’t know that yet because we don’t know what happens in the rest of the Power Five conferences and their championship games.”

Mike Norvell shares message to players ahead of first CFP rankings

How would Florida State feel if they landed outside of the top four in the season’s first College Football Playoff rankings? And would it matter to the program?

Following their 41-16 win over Wake Forest, Norvell discussed how he would handle the first ranking with his players and whether or not he would allow them to watch them at all.

“I don’t think it’s real to say, ‘Don’t pay attention’. You don’t control it,” said Norvell. “Keep going, keep getting better, keep doing the things that we’re doing. Go be our best. We can’t force anybody but they watch. People understand. This team? They’ve been through it. We’ve played a really good schedule. I think every team that we played is at least .500 or better. We’ve played a good schedule of opponent. But none of it will matter – all the rankings, all the things that are out there – if we don’t continue to improve.

As Norvell explained, his program isn’t focusing on that right now.

“To say, ‘Guys, don’t watch that show’ or ‘Don’t see this’? I mean, they come and stand in front of you guys in here. You’re going to ask, ‘Are you upset?’, ‘Are you happy, are you?’. They’re going to know. But what are we putting our focus on? Are we focusing on a number? A number is not going to define us. What’s going to define us is what shows up in how we play next Saturday. What’s going to define us is how we work tomorrow, what’s going to define us and how we improve this week. That will be defining, and that’s what I care about.”

“I’m sure there will be a number beside our name. But what that number is? it really doesn’t matter right now. Let’s continue to work, continue to prove, and see what that number will be at the end.”