Jason Kelce Takes Both Sides on Florida State, Alabama Controversy

Jason Kelce believes Alabama should be in the college football playoffs.

The Philadelphia Eagles center also believes the reason the College Football Playoff (CFP) committee gave for leaving Florida State out was unfair.

In other words, Kelce highlighted the impossible situation in which the committee found itself when it was forced to choose four teams out of five deserving candidates last week.

Speaking on the New Heights podcast with his brother Travis, Jason admitted that there probably wasn't a good answer.

"In my heart of hearts, I think the SEC champion should be in the college football playoffs because the SEC is by far the best conference in football," Jason said. "So I think it's not fair, in my mind, to leave an SEC champion out of the playoffs."

Still, Jason noted, the reason the committee gave for leaving Florida State out didn't entirely add up. Kelce read a statement from CFP selection committee chairman Boo Corrigan, who spoke to ESPN.

"Florida State is a different team than it was the first 11 weeks," Corrigan said. "As you look at who they are as a team right now, without [injured quarterback Jordan Travis], without the offensive dynamic he brings, they are a different team and the committee voted Alabama four and Florida State five."

Jason didn't approve.

"I don't care who their quarterback is now. I don't care who their coach is now," he said. "That team and that group of players, did they earn the right to go there? That's the only reason I have an issue with it. The reason they gave, I don't think it's a fair one. And if their backup quarterback is [former Eagles quarterback] Nick Foles, it might lead to some magic happening."

Jason certainly isn't alone in his thoughts on either side. Alabama supporters believe that winning the most difficult conference championship in the sport should get them in. Florida State supporters believe that an undefeated season in a Power Five conference should earn them an opportunity, regardless of the players who are available, and that penalizing them for an injury is deeply unfair.

"If I was a player [at Florida State]," Travis added. "I'd be pretty f****** p*****[...]That's whack. Whack-ass excuse."

Of course, while the SEC is undeniably a powerful conference, the NCAA might not want to say that Florida State's conference was the reason the Seminoles didn't get in, especially since they scheduled (and crushed) a high-powered non-conference opponent like LSU for their first game of the season.

The uncomfortable truth for the NCAA (and for podcast hosts like Travis and Jason Kelce trying to build a take on the situation) is that someone was going to be livid this season, and they would have had a strong case to be angry.

"This is the problem with the playoff situation," Jason admitted. "No matter how many teams you have, there's going to be somebody usually that has a case for being in it."

Jason asked Travis if he's cheering for anyone. Travis, who believes this year's playoff picture is even across the board, noted he didn't have ties to Washington or Alabama.

"I've got some ex-Texas teammates like Jamaal Charles and Derrick Johnson," Travis said. "[Alex] Okafor. But damn, I mean, being an Ohio kid, there's something about Michigan. I wanted to play hockey at Michigan."

Travis also admitted that he was an Ohio State fan growing up, which makes his Michigan fandom a little awkward.

"But when it came to hockey, I just liked the..." Travis said, trailing off and pointing to his head.

"You liked the helmets," Jason said, laughing. "That's what you liked about Michigan."

"Fashionista," Travis answered.