Honestly, if you want to start a fight at a sports bar, just bring up the 2023 ncaa football rankings. It doesn't matter if you're in Tallahassee, Tuscaloosa, or Seattle. Someone is going to have an opinion, and it’s probably going to be loud.
We saw history. And not the "this is a great moment for the sport" kind of history. More like the "wait, did they really just do that?" kind. For the first time ever, an undefeated Power Five champion—Florida State—was told, "Thanks for playing, but no thanks," when the four-team playoff bracket was set.
It was wild.
The Chaos of the 2023 NCAA Football Rankings
The 2023 season was basically a long, stressful game of musical chairs. For months, Georgia sat at the top, looking like a juggernaut ready to three-peat. Then, the SEC Championship happened. Alabama pulled the upset, and suddenly, the selection committee was staring at a mess they couldn't quite clean up.
When the dust settled on Selection Sunday, the top four looked like this:
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- Michigan (13-0)
- Washington (13-0)
- Texas (12-1)
- Alabama (12-1)
Florida State was sitting right there at 13-0. They had the trophy. They had the wins. What they didn't have was their star quarterback, Jordan Travis, who suffered a season-ending leg injury late in the year. The committee basically decided that FSU without Travis wasn't one of the "four best teams," even if they were one of the "most deserving."
It felt wrong to a lot of people. It still does.
How the Top 25 Actually Finished
By the time the bowls were over and the confetti fell in Houston, the 2023 ncaa football rankings looked a bit different in the final AP Poll. Michigan took the top spot, obviously, after beating Washington 34-13 in the title game.
The final AP Top 10 tells a story of SEC dominance mixed with some serious West Coast resurgence:
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- Michigan (15-0): The undisputed kings. Despite all the off-field noise about sign-stealing, they just kept winning.
- Washington (14-1): Michael Penix Jr. was a wizard until that final game. They ended at No. 2.
- Texas (12-2): They're "back" (again). A semifinal loss to Washington didn't take away from a massive Big 12 title year.
- Georgia (13-1): They took out their frustration by beating Florida State 63-3 in the Orange Bowl. Brutal.
- Alabama (12-2): Jalen Milroe’s growth was the story here, though they fell to Michigan in a Rose Bowl classic.
- Florida State (13-1) & Oregon (12-2): Tied for 6th. FSU’s ranking is a bit of a "what if" because of that bowl blowout where half their team opted out.
- Missouri (11-2): Maybe the biggest surprise. They finished 8th after beating Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl.
- Ole Miss (11-2): Lane Kiffin got them to No. 9.
- Ohio State (11-2): A tough end to the year, sliding down to 10th.
Why These Rankings Still Matter in 2026
You might think, "Hey, it's 2026, why are we still talking about three years ago?"
Because this was the breaking point. The controversy surrounding the 2023 ncaa football rankings was the final nail in the coffin for the four-team playoff. It proved that a small field would always leave someone legitimately screwed. Now that we’re in the era of the 12-team playoff, 2023 stands as the "Year of the Snub."
It also changed how we look at injuries. If a team's ranking can plummet because one guy gets hurt—even if they keep winning—what does "team" even mean? Jordan Travis himself tweeted that he wished his leg had broken earlier in the year so the committee could have seen the team win without him for longer. That’s heartbreaking.
The "Strength of Schedule" Argument
The committee leaned hard on the fact that Florida State’s schedule was, well, kinda weak. They ranked 52nd in strength of schedule. Compare that to Alabama, who had to navigate the SEC gauntlet.
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But FSU fans point to the LSU game. Florida State beat LSU—a team that produced a Heisman winner in Jayden Daniels—by 21 points in the season opener. Alabama also played LSU and won, but the margin wasn't as decisive.
It's one of those arguments where nobody is ever going to be right. It’s basically subjective vs. objective.
Actionable Insights: What to Take Away
If you're looking back at these rankings for research or just to win an argument with your uncle, here’s what actually matters:
- Don't just look at the record. The 2023 season proved that 13-0 isn't always better than 12-1 in the eyes of the people who hold the power.
- Context is king. When assessing team strength, look at the "game control" metrics. Michigan and Georgia were masters of this—they didn't just win; they made teams quit.
- The "Eye Test" is real (and dangerous). The committee used it to justify Alabama over FSU. In your own evaluations, try to balance what you see on tape with the actual data on the scoreboard.
Next time you’re digging through the history of the 2023 ncaa football rankings, remember it wasn't just about the numbers. It was about a sport transitioning from an old, exclusive system into the massive, inclusive playoff world we live in now. It was the end of an era, and it went out with a massive, loud bang.
For those tracking historical trends, keep an eye on how the 2023 SEC scoring margins compared to previous years. The parity was starting to show, which laid the groundwork for the conference realignments we're navigating today.