There are a number of reasons why former Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden is regarded as a legend. Bowden took a school that had won just four combined games in the three years prior to his arrival in 1976 and turned it into a national power. The Seminoles finished in the top 5 every season from 1987-2000 with a pair of national champions. On Monday, one of our Twitter followers posed an interesting question:

Imagine if there was a CFB playoff in the 1990's. How many titles would FSU have? — Anthony (@carpediemfsu) August 3, 2015

It’s definitely an idea worth exploring. Would FSU have more national titles? Might it not have as many? In the next segment, we’ll look to see whether FSU would have been a part of a 4-team playoff had there been one from 1987-2000 and how they might have fared. Since there was no College Football Selection Committee, we’ll use the Coaches Poll at the end of the regular season from 1987-97 and from 1998-2000, we’ll use the BCS standings. To settle tiebreakers, we’ll look at common opponents and margin of victory.

1987

Semifinal Match-ups: (1) Oklahoma vs. (4) Syracuse, (2) Miami vs. (3) FSU

Analysis: Florida State’s only loss during the 1987 season was a 26-25 loss to Miami in Tallahassee. Since the Hurricanes took down FSU at Doak Campbell Stadium, you have to give Miami the benefit of the doubt on a neutral field. Oklahoma probably gets the better of Syracuse and as was the case in the 1988 Orange Bowl, Miami tops the Sooners.

Projected Champion: Miami

1988

Semifinal Match-ups: (1) Notre Dame vs. (4) FSU, (2) Miami vs. (3) West Virginia

Analysis: The Seminoles had hit their stride to conclude the 1988 season after dropping their opener to Miami, 31-0. Notre Dame defeated Miami that season in South Bend, so it’s hard to say that the Seminoles top the Fighting Irish. West Virginia and Miami each had two common opponents that season — Notre Dame and Cincinnati. Miami defeated Cincinnati more convincingly and lost to Notre Dame by less in South Bend than the Mountaineers did in the Sugar Bowl. Therefore, Miami gets the nod and exercises its demons on a neutral field.

Projected Champion: Miami

1989

Florida State finished fifth in the Coaches Poll at the end of the regular season and would not have qualified for the playoff.

1990

Florida State finished fifth in the Coaches Poll at the end of the regular season and would not have qualified for the playoff.

1991

Florida State finished sixth in the Coaches Poll at the end of the regular season and would not have qualified for the playoff.

1992

Semifinal Match-ups: (1) Miami vs. (4) FSU, (2) Alabama vs. (3) Texas A&M

Analysis: Florida State’s lone loss in 1992 was to Miami on a missed field goal in the Orange Bowl, but on a neutral field, FSU would have fared a little better and defeated Miami to reach the national championship. Alabama and Texas A&M shared one common opponent that season — LSU. Both played in Baton Rogue and the Aggies won by nine while the Crimson Tide won by 20. Given that FSU’s only loss was to a team that Alabama defeated convincingly in the Sugar Bowl, the Crimson Tide get the benefit of the doubt.

Projected Champion: Alabama

1993

Semifinal Match-ups: (1) Nebraska vs. (4) Notre Dame, (2) West Virginia vs. (3) FSU

Analysis: This would have resolved a lot of controversy had a playoff been in effect in 1993, but unfortunately for Notre Dame, it wasn’t. FSU shared three common opponents with West Virginia — Maryland, Miami and Florida. The Seminoles beat both the Terrapins and Hurricanes more easily than the Mountaineers and also defeated a Florida team that blew out West Virginia in the Sugar Bowl. FSU would have easily advanced to the title game. The lone common opponent shared between Notre Dame and Nebraska was FSU, who the Cornhuskers fell to and Notre Dame defeated in South Bend. Florida State and Notre Dame would have met again, but this time on a neutral field. The Seminoles would not have endured the slow start and early deficit they were faced with at Notre Dame Stadium and would have gotten the better of the Fighting Irish the second time around.

Projected Champion: Florida State

1994

Florida State finished seventh in the Coaches Poll at the end of the regular season and would not have qualified for the playoff although it is worth pondering whether or not Coach Bowden went have went for two following Rock Preston’s tying touchdown in the regular season finale against Florida if a playoff berth was on the line.

1995

Florida State finished eighth in the Coaches Poll at the end of the regular season and would not have qualified for the playoff.

1996

Semifinal Match-ups: (1) FSU vs. (4) Ohio State, (2) Arizona State vs. (3) Florida

Analysis: Florida State and Ohio State shared no common opponents in 1996, but considering the Seminoles beat the Buckeyes 31-14 in the Sugar Bowl the following year, the nod goes to FSU. Since Ohio State defeated Arizona State in the Rose Bowl and Florida defeated FSU in the Sugar Bowl, the Gators still advance to the title game. Considering they beat FSU 52-20 in New Orleans, it’s hard to suggest a different result with an extra game in between.

Projected Champion: Florida

1997

Semifinal Match-ups: (1) Michigan vs. (4) FSU, (2) Nebraska vs. (3) Tennessee

Analysis: Picking between Florida State and Michigan isn’t easy. The Wolverines defeated seven ranked opponents in 1997 without a loss while FSU went 5-1 against ranked teams. The common opponent however, was Ohio State, who Michigan beat 20-14 in Ann Arbor and FSU trounced 31-14 in the Sugar Bowl. It’s hard to imagine that the Wolverines would not have struggled with the depth and speed of the FSU defense, so the Seminoles get the nod. FSU would have faced Nebraska, who handled Tennessee 42-17 in the Orange Bowl. With no common opponents, Nebraska beat four ranked opponents by an average of more than 20 points, but struggled with UCF, Missouri and Colorado, who went a combined 17-17. Given Bowden’s 5-2 record against Nebraska’s Tom Osbourne and 3-0 mark in bowls, you have to give this one to the Seminoles.

Projected Champion: Florida State

1998

Semifinal Match-ups: (1) Tennessee vs. (4) Ohio State, (2) FSU vs. (3) Kansas State

Analysis: Florida State opened the year by defeating the same Texas A&M team that topped Kansas State in the Big XII Championship, but that was with a healthy Chris Weinke, who the Seminoles were without for the latter part of the regular season. Given that the Wildcats free-fell to close the year, FSU gets the nod. Tennessee and Ohio State shared no common opponents, but the Buckeyes beat their four ranked opponents by an average of more than 16 points while Tennessee topped its six opponents by just more than a touchdown. Ohio State however, fell at home to an unranked Michigan State squad while the Volunteers embodied the look of a team of destiny. Tennessee gets past Ohio State and goes on to top FSU in the Fiesta Bowl, 23-16.

Projected Champion: Tennessee

1999

Semifinal Match-ups: (1) FSU vs. (4) Alabama, (2) Virginia Tech vs. (3) Nebraska

Analysis: Considering Alabama lost three games in 1999 and beat Florida in Gainesville by fewer points than FSU, the nod easily goes to the Seminoles. Virginia Tech and Nebraska shared no common opponents in 1999. The Cornhuskers beat four ranked opponents by an average margin of nearly 19 points, but also lost to Texas. The Hokies beat four ranked opponents by more than five touchdowns. Virginia Tech advances, but as was the case in January of 2000, the Hokies fall to the Seminoles.

Projected Champion: Florida State

2000

Semifinal Match-ups: (1) Oklahoma vs. (4) Washington, (2) FSU vs. (3) Miami

Analysis: Though Florida State lost to Miami during the regular season in the Orange Bowl, one could make the argument that the Seminoles would have fared better on a neutral field. FSU however, would have been without All-American wide receiver Marvin Minnis and offensive coordinator Mark Richt, who had already taken the head coaching job at Georgia. Miami peaked late in the year and probably would have again got the better of the Seminoles. Oklahoma and Washington did not share a common opponent, but the Sooners beat six opponents by an average margin of about 16 points while Washington beat three ranked teams by an average of six points. The Huskies also lost to Oregon. Oklahoma gets the benefit of the doubt and moves on to face Miami. Miami lost to Washington early in the season, but the Hurricanes were playing great at the time. Based on the common opponent of FSU and margin of victory over ranked teams however, the Sooners still get the nod.

Projected Champion: Oklahoma

Overview: Based on our hypotheticals, Florida State would have made it out of its stellar run with an extra national championship. This however, could be done a number of different ways like based on match-ups and how teams were playing at the time.

No one could say for sure how FSU might have done against Miami a second time in 1987, 1992 or 2000 or whether the Seminoles would have even faced Florida again in 1996 or Tennessee in 1998 had there been a game between. Perhaps Florida State would have matched up better with Alabama in 1992 than Miami or maybe Notre Dame gets FSU a second time in 1993 had there been a playoff.

Maybe Marcus Outzen would have fared better against Tennessee had he had a game less than two weeks before rather than a long layoff. No one can say for sure how many national championships FSU might have had there been a 4-team playoff, but it is certainly fun to wonder.