ESPN’s Paul Finebaum has a strong take on why Florida State should be behind Alabama in the polls despite Noles’ win over the Tide
The popular talking head already is discrediting FSU’s win over the Tide.
Alabama vs. Florida State was a sore subject for many FSU fans after 2023, when 1-loss Alabama got into the College Football Playoff over an undefeated ACC champion Florida State team.
The Seminoles got a bit of widely seen payback to open the 2025 season with a convincing 31-17 win in which Florida State was the physically dominant team for much of that game. There was nothing fluky about the win. No bizarre trick plays or lucky turnovers. FSU was clearly the better team on that day.
But one notable talking head isn’t buying it despite the on-field result. ESPN and SEC Network commentator Paul Finebaum responded strongly to his colleague Heather Dinich’s note about Florida State dropping 10 spots in the polls, arguing it was deserved.
Finebaum says Alabama team that lost at FSU is “not the same one” anymore
“I think Alabama and Ole Miss are the teams to beat, but Heather, come on now, that Alabama team we saw the first weekend of the season was not the same one,” Finebaum said. “And I dare say trying to equate a loss at Virginia – whatever they are, I appreciate you complementing them – versus a loss at Georgia are not one and the same. I think the AP Poll got it right, and I bet if the committee met this past weekend, they would say the same thing.”
When it comes to the polls themselves, week to week, they’re reactive. The voters are quick to move up and reward and even more so quick to punish and drop a team, and that’s what happened with Florida State last weekend.
But where I think Finebaum’s words are off is saying that it’s not the same team as it was in Week 1. It’s the exact same team it was in Week 1. We’re only four games removed from that. Both teams were healthy – this isn’t a missing Jordan Travis situation – and FSU’s defense made Ty Simpson and Alabama’s offense look pedestrian.
Results have to matter, and if it comes down to Florida State and Alabama for a final spot, for once, FSU might actually get the benefit of the doubt if the resumes are similar based on that head-to-head win. It doesn’t matter if it was Week 1 or not.
However, Florida State has a golden opportunity to redirect the narrative back to them being a top 10 team with a win over archrival Miami on Saturday night in Tallahassee.
Florida State Seminoles News
Florida State sees crucial area exposed in loss to Virginia that they have to address if they hope to have realistic shot of beating Miami
A brutal night for the Noles in Charlottesville.
