Christine Jordan Sexton
Florida leaders are ripping into the decision to leave Florida State University out of this year’s College Football Playoff with some demanding answers about the snub.
FSU is the first undefeated Power 5 conference champion to be left out of the playoff or its predecessor in the past 25 years. The selection committee — after ranking FSU 4th a week ago — instead jumped both Texas and Alabama ahead of the Seminoles even though those two teams had a loss this season.
U.S. Sen. Rick Scott said he was “infuriated” by the “illogical” decision and said, “I’ll be demanding the committee answer as to how this decision was made and what led to this outcome.”
U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, who went to FSU, called the committee “trash,” while Rep. Jared Moskowitz said in a post on X that he would be circulating a letter and will file a resolution condemning the decision to leave FSU out of the playoffs.
“This decision is about TV money, a corrupt decision for college athletics,” Moskowitz said.
Gov. Ron DeSantis — who has talked recently about how his young children have become FSU fans — put out a milder statement in response. DeSantis said “what we learned today is that you can go undefeated and win your conference championship game, but the College Football Playoff committee will ignore these results.” Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez reposted DeSantis’ statement.
Other Florida politicians who weighed in included Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, an FSU alumnus who called the decision “shameful.”
FSU has gone 13-0 this season including wins over two Southeastern Conference teams — LSU and Florida — and won the Atlantic Coast Conference championship on Saturday evening with their third-string quarterback. FSU’s first-string quarterback, Jordan Travis, suffered a gruesome injury in November and the team’s second-string quarterback was held out because he got a concussion during the win over the Gators.
The head of the playoff committee defended the decision to bypass FSU by contending that the team wasn’t as good as it previously was following the loss of Travis — a somewhat head-scratching comment given FSU was ranked fourth a week earlier after beating UF with Tate Rodemaker.
FSU Coach MIke Norvell and other FSU officials eviscerated the logic used to keep the Seminoles out of the playoffs.
“I am disgusted and infuriated with the committee’s decision today to have what was earned on the field taken away because a small group of people decided they knew better than the results of the games,” Norvell said in a statement. “What is the point of playing games? Do you tell players it is okay to quit if someone goes down? Do you not play a senior on Senior Day for fear of injury? Where is the motivation to schedule challenging non-conference games?”
FSU Athletic Director Micheal Alford said the decision destroys the legitimacy of the playoff.
“For many of us, today’s decision by the committee has forever damaged the credibility of the institution that is the College Football Playoff,” Alford said. “And, saddest of all, it was self-inflicted. They chose predictive competitiveness over proven performance; subjectivity over fact. They have become a committee of prognosticators. They have abandoned their responsibility by discarding their purpose — to evaluate performance on the field.”
13 comments
Joe
December 3, 2023 at 4:22 pm
Everybody hates Florida… because Florida. You all did this to yourselves.
WhatNow
December 3, 2023 at 9:22 pm
Agreed… and I’m a Floridian!
Don
December 4, 2023 at 7:21 am
Your a faggot Joe
Gerry [email protected] is
December 4, 2023 at 12:46 pm
It takes one to know one, boy!
James L Wilson
December 3, 2023 at 4:49 pm
Amen.
rick whitaker
December 3, 2023 at 5:15 pm
because of my disdain of desantis, i rooted against fsu. i know that’s not cool, but desantis will heat you up.
Andrew Finn
December 3, 2023 at 6:57 pm
This has to be the ultimate BS all in capital letters. I feel so bad for the entire Florida State organization. It was suggested that the Seminoles should turn down a bowl game if awarded one. That is a great idea, but here is another that would make a huge impact — If given a bowl, the Seminoles should accept and say nothing. On game day, show up and go through all the motions. Then as the game is ready to start, the entire team, coaches, and everyone else, just get up and exit the stadium. Just leave it with a huge crowd in the stands, all the TV people in place ( and now no game to broadcast) sitting there. Up-raised middle fingers on the way out would be optional (but very apropos) as they make their statement about being screwed. Please Seminoles –do it !!!!!!!!
rick whitaker
December 3, 2023 at 7:29 pm
andrew if you feel bad about the fsu org., then you should blame the 6 florida congressman that voted to not kick santos out of congress. most people see that as an example of florida run by cheaters and grifters and therefore deserving of disdain. desantis’ surgeon general falsely coming out against covid vaccine, and desantis’ gerrymandered voting maps are more reasons the other 49 states looks down on florida. desantis lies about every time he talks, so him being the head of florida doesn’t reflect well on florida’s integrity. it’s not fair to the football team to be judged based on florida politicians, but it’s also not fair to the other 49 states to be affected by the floridas bad politicians.if you love florida football, vote them maga cultist’ out.
David Johnson
December 4, 2023 at 11:35 am
I also think that is EXACTLY what FSU should do. This was all done so that an SEC team would be in the playoffs. Stop kissing up to the SEC and Alabama and play it out on the field. Poor Alabama and Nick Saban. Let;s make sure we prop them up. If you want to see how their wins compare to FSU’s, let’s first start by comparing their LOSSES.
Tom Patton
December 4, 2023 at 6:14 pm
I like that idea !
REBA DAVIS
December 3, 2023 at 8:00 pm
I AM A FLORIDA GATOR BUT WE HAVE THE WORST COACH WHO IS FIRING EVERYONE EXCEPT HIMSELF. WHERE EVERY GOOD ATHLETE IS TRANSFERRING AND WITHDRAWING THERE LETTER OF INTENT. BUT I WAS ROOTING FOR FSU THEY TRULY DESRVE TO BE IN THE COLLEGE PLAYOFFS.THEY HAVE PROVEN WITH A GOOD HEAD COACH AND GOOD COACHING STAFF . THAT TRULY CARES ABOUT THERE PLAYERS PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY AND THERE EDUCATION . THAT THEY SHOW THEM REAL LOVE AND RESPECT. SOMEONE THESE PLAYERS CAN LOOK UP TO. THAT YOU CAN WIN WITH ANY PLAYER AT ANY LEVEL. FSU WAS RIPPED OFF. THE COLLEGE PLAYOFF COMMITTEE SHOULD BE INVESTICATED FOR RACERTEERING OR MONEY LAUDERING. WHO IS PAYING THEM TO MAKE THESE DECESIONS. 🤔
rick whitaker
December 4, 2023 at 12:06 am
reba, it’s simple, because of the bad politicians of florida, the whole country is pissed at the whole state and everyone in it. football don’t really matter anyway, getting rid of the maga cultist does.
WhatNow
December 3, 2023 at 9:21 pm
Sorry for the “language,” but who really gives a s**t? Florida’s lazy Congressional members still looking for ANY excuse to avoid doing truly meaningful governing that would actually HELP American and Florida’s citizens?
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