True that. Normally FSU's regular schedule would be solid. But this year Clemson and Florida weren't even on the CFP rankings at the end of the regular season: https://www.espn.com/college-football/rankings/_/week/14/year/2023/seasontype/2. (Yup, I'm poking fun at the Gators. LOL)
Only 2 teams that unbeaten FSU played were good enough to be in the final rankings. Same with unbeaten Michigan. Same with unbeate Washington (though they played one big team twice: Oregon). That's why they were unbeaten.
Georgia, however, played 3 of those big teams, which is why they lost one (only by 3 points). IMHO Georgia is better than the unbeatens. Texas played 4 of those big teams (losing only 1 to Oklahoma). Bama played 5 of those big teams -- FIVE!! That's why Bama had a loss (to Texas) but FSU and Michigan are unbeaten -- Bama played more of the big boys than anybody else.
The SEC wasn’t good this year.
Against the ACC: 4-6
Against the Big 12: 1-2
Against the Pac-12: 2-1
Auburn lost to New Mexico State.
Agreed. And as a Gator I do think Georgia got hosed.
But FSU has benefited from a soft schedule for decades and it finally caught up to them. Bobby Bowden and the admin at FSU had their chance to join the ACC years ago.