Manny Diaz blasts CFP snub of FSU, claims Big Ten doesn't have a team like NC State

There are plenty of different opinions about whether or not Florida State should have made the College Football Playoff. Duke head coach and former Penn State defensive coordinator Many Diaz made his stance clear at the ACC Kickoff Event on Wednesday.

Diaz believes FSU was snubbed and proved throughout the season, including in the ACC Championship Game against Louisville, that it was a College Football Playoff team.

“Well, think about the game that got everybody bent out of shape about Florida State. They beat Louisville for the ACC Championship,” Manny Diaz said. “What did Louisville do? Louisville beat the heck out of Notre Dame, which by the way, Duke had Notre Dame beat on a fourth-down-and-long. What did Notre Dame do? Notre Dame was a dropped interception away from beating Ohio State.

“And I know it’s a tricky game in college football to compare scores but what did Ohio State do? Ohio State had the ball, in Ann Arbor, driving down the field down by 6, to win the game against the team that became the national champion.”

Some look at Florida State’s performance against Louisville as a reason why the Seminoles should not have made the CFP. Diaz doesn’t see it that way.

“So everybody hated on Florida State because they only beat Louisville 16-6. Louisville was a hell of a team. How do we know? Well, they hammered Notre Dame,” Manny Diaz said. “The point is what do you get credit for then?”

It’s not just Florida State, though. Diaz believes that there are several other excellent teams in the ACC, including NC State.

The Wolfpack went 9-4 last season, winning their final five regular season games. NC State beat Clemson, Miami, Virginia Tech and North Carolina during that stretch.

“I’m watching from afar. How come when Duke beats Clemson it’s ‘what’s wrong with Clemson?’ NC State — there’s not a team in the Big Ten conference like NC State. Nobody talks about it,” Diaz said. “We were in [the Big Ten] for two years. We were 0-4 against Michigan and Ohio State with Penn State. I think the first game I was there against Coach Brohm’s offense we beat Purdue by one score. I don’t think we played anybody else within single digits the last two years I was there.

“So having been in this league for six years, on two separate occasions, and then going to the Big Ten conference, I can see firsthand how good this football league is. Watch Georgia Tech’s offense against Georgia in that game. Look what Virginia Tech did down the stretch. These are real things. All you’ve gotta do is put the film on and watch it and you can see what’s going on in this league.”