Mike Norvell shares message to players ahead of first CFP rankings

The first College Football Playoff ranking reveal show is just around the corner, taking place on Halloween night. Currently, Mike Norvell’s Florida State Seminoles sit just inside of the playoff picture, according to the AP rankings, ranked fourth. But the College Football Playoff rankings and the AP rankings sometimes don’t see everything eye to eye. So, how would Florida State feel if they landed outside of the top four? And does it matter to the program?

Following their dominant 41-16 win over Wake Forest, Norvell discussed how he would handle the first College Football Playoff ranking reveals 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 opponents, but none of it will matter; all the rankings, all the things that are out there, if we don’t continue to improve.

Currently, in the AP rankings, Florida State is behind the top-seeded defending national champions, the Georgia Bulldogs, followed by a pair of Big Ten rivals, Michigan and Ohio State. And with Washington’s struggles as of late, coupled with Oklahoma’s upset loss to Kansas on Saturday, it’s likely that Florida State will remain at No. 4. But as Norvell explained, that’s not what his program is focused on 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.”

The initial College Football Playoff rankings have yet to ever line up completely with the final field. With November plus conference championship games yet to be played, there is still a lot of movement that can happen throughout until the final rankings, which is why Norvell wants his Seminoles to focus on being better than they were yesterday and take things one step at a time.

So far, that has worked for Florida State as they are in the top four and have wins over some pretty solid competition, including their week one victory over the LSU Tigers.