When it comes to college football, Kirk Herbstreit has seen the good, the bad and the ugly.

For 28 years, the football analyst has appeared on ESPN’s “College GameDay,” and the criticism from fanbases has become the norm. This past year, however, may have taken it to new heights when he took a stance on Florida State being left out of the College Football Playoff.

“Consistency and maintaining is a very challenging aspect of any job and that’s what I face,” Herbstreit told Levi Lusko on “Faith and Football.” “And in my case, you can go from being kind of in and out like overnight. And so sustainability I think is, as things around my sport change – the kids, the players, everything changes, it’s very challenging to kind of maintain a certain level of trying to be as good as I can be. I deal with fanbases. It’s social media, it’s a different level of a lynch mob mentality. Every year we deal with it. This year has been maybe especially a little bit louder.”

The CFP committee went with Alabama over the undefeated ACC champs in Florida State. The Tide’s strength of schedule stood at No. 5, while the Seminoles were a dismal 55th. The strength of records were similar with FSU No. 3 and Alabama No. 4.

“And this year there were probably six, maybe seven teams, there’s normally three,” Herbstreit said. “This year there were about seven teams that were deserving of being in those four spots. And I said the four that I think, it ended up being the four that I thought would go, went. So then those teams sitting at five and six and seven, you feel that wrath from that fanbase, which I guess is natural. As if I had anything to do with it. But I tell you, it can be dark.”

In December, Herbstreit said Florida State was impressive against Florida in the Swamp, but it wasn’t enough.

“To me, it is a reflection of what (injured FSU QB Jordan Travis) meant to that team,” Herbstreit said then. “… You’re comparing Alabama to Florida State. You got to give Alabama the nod even though they had a close game with Auburn in a rivalry game. They beat Georgia on a neutral site, and Georgia was the team. Alabama just beat them. You can’t take Alabama out of this. They have to be in. I think the committee did a great job. I tip my cap as well.”

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.