Florida State AD Michael Alford shares the moment he knew the Seminoles were going to be left out of the playoff

You could argue that the moment Florida State's whole season changed wasn't when they learned they were being left out of the College Football Playoff, it was the moment star quarterback Jordan Travis went down with a broken leg to end his season against North Alabama late in their season.

A healthy Jordan Travis likely meant the committee has more than enough faith in the Seminoles to get them a spot in the playoff, and what happened beyond that is anyone's guess.

In a conversation with Danny Kannell and Dusty Dvoracek on Sirius XM's College Sports show, Seminoles athletic director gave some interesting insight into when he began to realize that Florida State may be left on the outside looking in come the selections show.

Doubt started to creep in after overhearing a conversation among players following their victory in the ACC title game with Travis under center.

"Follow the money" was the comment made by the player, who Alford notes is no longer with the program, adding that Alabama won the SEC so they'd likely be in.

At the time, Alford said he blew it off, using the same logic that everyone else using - "They've never left out an undefeated champion of a Power Five league."

Alford shares that it was the next day, during the team's event to watch ESPN's coverage of the selection show that it really hit him.

"When I looked up and I saw who was covering us, and that Marty Smith was in Tuscaloosa, that hit me that we're not in."

"I did not get really worried until I saw that. Then I kind of knew that, okay, we may not be in. Then when Texas popped up, I knew for sure."

Alford ends by sharing he went back and listened to the narrative in the broadcast booth during their final regular season game and was alarmed with what was being talked about by analysts that were supposed to be impartial.

Being left out of the playoff meant a bunch of Seminoles didn't play in their bowl game, as they were routed by Georgia in a 63-3 outing in the Orange Bowl, and in the months since there has been chatter about everything from state legislators wanting to take the CFP Selection Committee to court, to the Seminoles leaving the ACC.

Hear Alford's full thoughts in the clip.