Quinn Ewers Talks New Playoff Format, FSU Snub

Texas starting quarterback Quinn Ewers has weighed in on the selection committee’s decision to leave out undefeated ACC Champion Florida State and Georgia, which had won 43 of its previous 45 games out of the 2023 College Football Playoff in favor of the Longhorns and Alabama, both 12-1 conference champions.

Florida State starting quarterback Jordan Travis' season-ending leg injury complicated matters, which Ewers and the committee felt merited consideration.

"It’s definitely a tough choice to make, especially with how the SEC Championship Game went, and Florida State and Jordan Travis getting hurt — in their minds, they were just picking who was playing the best football right now," the Longhorns quarterback said in a recent interview with Fox News .

The playoff has now expanded from the top four teams in the nation to twelve teams consisting of the top five conference champions and seven at-large bids. Notably, the four highest ranked conference champions, presumably those from the “power 4” conferences will get a first round bye, while the highest ranked “group of five” champion will be guaranteed a spot in the field for the first time ever.

"I think it’s gonna give a lot more teams opportunities to win a national championship,” Ewers said. “And I think it’s gonna be great for the fans to see their teams making college football runs. Even for a smaller program that hasn’t had the opportunities that hasn’t had some of the opportunities that some of the bigger programs have had, I think it’s gonna be awesome for those guys to get a shot at it for sure."

While Texas will aim to win the SEC in its first year as a member, if it stumbles once or twice in conference play and/or loses in the SEC Championship game, the Longhorns will still be in playoff contention under the new format.

"It leaves a little bit more room for error. I think it’s what college football has needed," Ewers added.

Last season, Ewers threw for 3,479 passing yards with 22 touchdowns and six interceptions across 12 games while completing 69% of his throws.

Texas will begin its road to the College Football Playoff on August 31 at 2:30 p.m. CT against Colorado State at Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium.