Paul Finebaum: Florida State needs chaos in College Football Playoff battle

Paul Finebaum believes the injury suffered by Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis on Saturday in Tallahassee has thrown their College Football Playoff hopes for a loop.

Travis was carted off the field in the first quarter as his season comes to an end for the Seminoles during their win in Week 12. Now, the undefeated, potential ACC champs could actually be left standing in the rain, while the rest of the best make it to the dance.

During an appearance on The Matt Barrie Show, Finebaum elaborated on why he believes the Seminoles need chaos to make it to the Playoff.

“I found myself watching two games yesterday I never dreamed I’d be watching. I was watching that game against North Alabama. I wasn’t even sure where it was. I just finally found it. I live in an ACC market. So it happened to be on CW. I mean, I would’ve eventually found it. And then the game that’s really not worth talking about, and that’s New Mexico State and Auburn. I haven’t seen anything quite like that, and I think that’s the most important thing. I know what the CFP experts are saying, ‘It shouldn’t affect them.’ I know what Danny Kannell is saying, who’s the chief spokesperson for Florida State. But I know what I’m saying. I think it hurts their chances very badly,” Finebaum said.

“If we don’t get chaos the next two weeks, they have — their schedule, good. The LSU game no longer looks elite. But good. I think they can get squeezed out. Wouldn’t bother me.”

Additionally, it echoes Finebaum’s earlier comments on the situation, where he claimed that Florida State simply doesn’t belong in the College Football Playoff without Jordan Travis.

“I’m telling you right now they’re not one of the four best teams in the country and I don’t care what everyone says,” Finebaum said. “Things change and right now we’re still looking at an imperfect masterpiece.” 

“Two weeks from now there won’t be any more debate and we’ll just start measuring them up against a lot of other schools, and I’m not jumping the gun here, I’m just saying they don’t belong without Jordan Travis. I mean he’s the singular reason why Mike Norvell brought this program back from the dead and that cannot be discounted.”

Is that fair to an undefeated Florida State team? Probably not. But we’ll see what the College Football Playoff committee thinks of the situation moving forward.