College Football Playoff executive director Bill Hancock explained the committee's decision to give undefeated Florida State the No. 5 ranking to a group of politicians that included United States Senator Rick Scott, who demanded transparency regarding the final standings.
"Everyone on the Committee understands the disappointment felt by Florida State fans," Hancock wrote in a letter sent on Friday, per ESPN's Andrea Adelson. "We recognize that no matter what decision was made, fans somewhere would be disappointed. ... The Committee members are confident they made the right decisions in ranking the best four teams in the country based on the protocol and we all look forward to great playoff games.