The Biggest 'What-Ifs?' of the 2023 College Football Season
The road to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game has been littered with season-altering moments.
Because those scenarios played out exactly how they did, we've wound up with Michigan and Washington in the final showdown of the season. The champion will be crowned on Monday in Houston.
But what if...
It's the simple question that, in any number of places, could have altered the results of the 2023 season. What if Washington hadn't survived its trend of tight finishes? What if Michigan hadn't avoided a last-second debacle in the Rose Bowl?
And the big one: What if Jordan Travis hadn't been hurt?
While we look ahead to the national title game, we've identified the five biggest moments that shaped the final matchup of the season.
The Moment
In mid-October, unbeaten Washington shockingly trailed Arizona State—then a 1-5 team—in the fourth quarter. Not only that, but ASU also had a great chance to extend its 7-6 lead. But a 4th-and-3 snap ended with Mishael Powell returning an interception for an 89-yard touchdown. Washington limped through the evening but managed a 15-7 victory.
The Result
Amid the many other uncomfortable games in 2023, Washington squeezed out a tight win—which we soon discovered would be a very consistent theme for Kalen DeBoer's team. Entering the national title game, the Dawgs have registered 10 straight wins of 10 points or fewer.
The What-If
Let's say nothing else changes: Washington wins out, including a triumph over Oregon for a Pac-12 crown. But on Selection Day, it's plausible that a 12-1 UW squad would've been left out behind Michigan, Texas, Alabama and Florida State. Yes, the CFP selection committee picked 12-1 Bama over 13-0 FSU anyway, but I have a suspicion the Pac-12 champ wouldn't have landed a bid like the SEC winner.
The Moment
Florida Stated hosted North Alabama for a tune-up game on the penultimate weekend of the regular season. The easy win became a nightmare when a hip-drop tackle—a style that has become quite controversial—caused a gruesome, season-ending leg injury for star quarterback Jordan Travis.
The Result
Florida State rolled UNA and edged Florida with backup Tate Rodemaker, but his concussion pushed Brock Glenn into the lineup against Louisville in the ACC title game. No matter! FSU won again, improving to 13-0 and surely locking in a CFP berth—or not. The selection committee chairman overtly said that Travis' injury is why Florida State ended on the wrong side of the playoff cut line.
The What-If
Seems simple, right? Florida State likely slots in third behind Michigan and Washington, leaving Texas as the presumed fourth over Alabama thanks to a head-to-head win. Michigan would've played Texas in one semifinal with Washington and FSU in the other game.
The Moment
Alabama traveled to rival Auburn in the regular-season finale. Amazingly, the underdogs had a shot at a massive upset—only seven days after losing 31-10 to New Mexico State. But on 4th-and-goal from the 31-yard line in the final minute of the fourth quarter, Alabama's Jalen Milroe hit Isaiah Bond with a truly miraculous touchdown to give Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide a 27-24 victory.
The Result
Alabama stayed alive in the playoff hunt at 11-1. The next weekend, the Crimson Tide clipped Georgia in the SEC Championship Game and ascended from No. 8 to No. 4 in the final CFP rankings. Alabama ultimately played in the Rose Bowl, losing 27-20 to top-ranked Michigan in overtime.
The What-If
Had that jaw-dropping pass fallen incomplete, Alabama (probably?) would not have reached the playoff. One-loss Bama instead of zero-loss FSU was controversial enough, but a two-loss Tide squad? Whew. Instead, there's a legitimate chance Georgia may have lost the SEC title yet stayed ahead of Florida State on Selection Day—or FSU simply made it.
The Moment
Facing a 17-10 deficit in the third quarter of the SEC title game, the Dawgs took possession with an opportunity to even the score. On the fourth play of the drive, though, a mishandled exchange in the backfield led to Alabama recovering a fumble at the 11-yard line. The drive led to a field goal, and Georgia ended up losing by, you guessed it, three points.
The Result
Georgia plummeted from No. 1 in the nation to sixth, while Alabama skyrocketed from No. 8 to fourth in the final CFP rankings. In short: Bama in, UGA out. Georgia went to the Orange Bowl, where it obliterated, demolished and annihilated a short-handed FSU roster 63-3.
The What-If
Yes, Alabama fans, perhaps the Tide win anyway. But as UGA faced a double-digit deficit, the likelihood of a comeback fell swiftly and altered the expected CFP outlook. Georgia would have remained the No. 1 team in the nation, leaving Michigan and Washington to play in the Rose Bowl before UGA took on Texas in the Sugar Bowl.
The Moment
During the Rose Bowl, Michigan scored a game-tying touchdown with 1:34 left in regulation and quickly forced Alabama to punt. On a night riddled with special-teams mistakes, the Wolverines' second mishandled punt nearly cost them a shot at a national title. Michigan's Jake Thaw recovered the ball at the 1-yard line—and also managed to avoid a fumble while taking a pretty big hit.
The Result
Michigan side-stepped what could've been the most iconic safety in college football history. In overtime, Blake Corum's touchdown run pushed U-M to a 27-20 lead. The defense responded with a fourth-down stuff of Milroe near the goal line, sending U-M to the national title game.
The What-If
Washington would be preparing for Bama, which presumably would've headed to Houston as the championship favorite. Jim Harbaugh and Michigan, meanwhile, would be trying to process a third straight loss—and an especially avoidable one, at that—in the CFP semifinals.
