Christine Jordan Sexton
U.S. Sen. Rick Scott followed up his scathing criticism of the decision to exclude Florida State University (FSU) from this year’s College Football Playoff with an official letter demanding the selection committee hand over detailed information that led to the decision.
FSU had an undefeated season and won the Atlantic Coast Conference in a defensive slugfest even though the team was relying on its third-string quarterback. But the College Football Playoff selection committee bumped FSU from its No. 4 slot in the playoff rankings to fifth, ensuring that FSU will not compete for the national championship.
Scott sent a letter to Boo Carrigan, the head of the selection committee, where the Florida Senator asked for “total transparency from the committee regarding how this decision was reached and what factors may have been at play in reaching this outcome.”
Scott asked the College Football Playoff committee to release votes and rankings, as well as any recordings of deliberations and emails between members of the 13-member selection committee.
He also asked for any emails, texts or other communication between members of the selection committee and the Southeastern Conference — home to one of the two one-loss teams selected over FSU — and between the committee and people outside the process.
“While I doubt the committee’s decision will be reversed to rightly reward FSU for its hard-fought, undefeated season as the committee has done for other undefeated Power Five conference champions in recent years, I do believe that total transparency regarding how this decision was reached would do tremendous good for the Committee, the CFP as a whole, and the college football community,” Scott wrote.
Scott was one of several Florida politicians who reacted furiously to the decision to elevate both Texas and Alabama over FSU. In interviews, Carrigan put part of the blame on the season-ending injury to Jordan Travis, FSU’s star quarterback. But FSU was ranked fourth just a week earlier after the Seminoles defeated the Florida Gators with backup quarterback Tate Rodemaker.
Scott on Sunday said he was “infuriated” by the decision to drop FSU out of the playoff.
In his letter, Scott added, “Beyond the fury and heartbreak caused by the Committee’s decision, there are also financial implications that must be discussed. The ACC and FSU have been denied $2 million of revenue distribution from the CFP due to the Committee’s decision to remove the Seminoles from playoff contention. While this is a significant amount of money, it is just a fraction of the total economic impact that playoff contention would have created for FSU.”
18 comments
PeterH
December 4, 2023 at 12:24 pm
In addition to managing the affairs of FSU football team Rick Scott, Marco Rubio and a dozen members of Florida’s Republican Party members of the House are very devoted and engaged in writing new immigration laws to halt undocumented immigrants from entering the USA illegally!
Republicans in Congress are well aware that the ONLY ENTITY in Washington that has the power to change or write laws for the executive branch to follow is Congress.
So folks …. let it be understood that all their whining about Joe Biden not protecting our Southern border is actually Congressional Republicans fault for failing to write new legislation for the executive branch to follow. Republicans will “hop to it” as soon as they finish investigating FSU’s football muddle. Only one muddle at a time!
Bama Fan
December 4, 2023 at 12:31 pm
No one asked your opinion, Rick, you douche. But way to show ’em with yet another sTrONgLy WoRdeD LeTteR from the GOP.
FSU’s impending loss to Georgia will finally silence all of this beta cuck energy that the coach, the AD, and the FL politicians having been giving off all season.
Mike Hewitt
December 4, 2023 at 2:24 pm
And if FSU wins and ends up beating 3 SEC teams maybe those in Alabama like you will understand football is played on a field not in the eyes of ESPN so called experts. The object is to win all your games. How is Michigan or Washington better than FSU ? They may look better to you but I am sure you thought Auburn might handle New Mexico State who they were favored by 25 at home and lost by 21. You have no idea just like everyone else on TV that’s why they play. The CFP Committee got this one wrong. And most of the country agrees accept the SEC network , ESPN and SEC fans.
John Smith
December 4, 2023 at 6:27 pm
Did you watch the FSU – Louisville game? It was painfull to watch. Neither team could catch a pass despite hitting the receiver in the hands. And don’t say both defenses are great. Most passes should have been caught and defense was not a factor. Zero offense on the field. Texas is a deserving team and one of the best 3 teams in the nation. So is Alabama. The only thing the committee got wrong is putting in Alabama. It should be Georgia as the 4th team with Alabama as the 5th.
Keith Glisson
December 5, 2023 at 11:23 pm
That is where you are wrong . I am a South Carolina fan and pull for all S.E.C. teams. Everyone I have spoken with ( SEC fans ) agree 💯 Florida State got shafted and most definitely , should be in the playoffs. I have not spoken to one person , all football fans , that I know personally , all conferences fans, we all agree , the committee is full of shit . We , regardless of being SEC fans are outraged and are shocked and in denial. There is no way , Florida State is not in. Hell , you go undefeated in the ACC beat two SEC teams this year. But , you are wrong , SEC fans Believe it is BS , they are not in. I hate to say it , especially being a SEC fan but I hope they beat the hell out of Georgia. I like Georgia much more than Alabama , simply to prove a point to the CFP committee.
F U Bama
December 4, 2023 at 5:53 pm
Someone must have read you this article. Most Bama Fans can’t comprehend beyond Roll Tide…
m patiro
December 5, 2023 at 4:15 pm
“No one asked your opinion, Rick, you douche. But way to show ’em with yet another sTrONgLy WoRdeD LeTteR from the GOP.
FSU’s impending loss to Georgia will finally silence all of this beta cuck energy that the coach, the AD, and the FL politicians having been giving off all season.”
Bama fan- I have failed to see that anyone wanted your uneducated opinion in this matter. You must be stupid; the US Congress can write and pass laws that ban collage football. Not that they would but they look to be getting prepared launch an investigation that will bring out the corruption involved and that could mean jail time for some. This includes ESPN, Disney, the SEC and the once thought untouchable NICK SABIN. This is very serious and I think with your apparent ignorance I would keep my mouth shut if I were you. It always seems to be the mentally challenged like you that can’t control their emotions. You need help if you think this situation was handled without corruption.
Bama Fan
December 15, 2023 at 8:30 pm
The CFP has now responded to Mr. sTrONgLy WoRdeD LeTteR man with a brush off, refusing to give him any of the information he requested. No surprise given that FSU SIGNED UP for the system it is complaining about. Now pRick is acting like so many other Florida suburban losers, rage tweeting, “ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS!”
I’ll take apologies for my correct evaluation of the situation later. I guess I should wait now that it’s apparently somehow going to get “very serious” according to the Q-level theorist above. What next, “Patriots in control?” They better hurry up with the deliverance, only 16 more days until the loss to Georgia confirms what everyone else outside of yr bubble already knows.
Biscuit
December 4, 2023 at 1:17 pm
NewsBleep out of Florida: U.S. Senator Rick Scott, faced with tough decisions regarding the war in Gaza, the war in Ukraine, the border crisis, millions of Americans without adequate health care (plenty of them in Florida), the global impact of climate change, and his own flagging poll numbers, took a bold step forward and wrote a letter asking why the Florida State University football team got snubbed for the playoffs.
No word on what he will do if he is not satisfied with the answer he gets, although watch out if he puts his Navy cap on, he’s liable to write another letter in all caps.
Scary man.
Arf.
My Take
December 4, 2023 at 1:24 pm
A tempest in a teapot.
It’s just sports.
Snott should be as concerned by DeSScamus’s ďegradation of the universities in their main job.
Melvin Pope III
December 4, 2023 at 1:46 pm
A humble Thank you Senator Scott.
A grateful Seminole Nation appreciates your simple requests for transparency of governance, with so much going on in our Nation and the world. Mr. Carrigan has violated his Fiduciary responsibility as chairman of this so called “Championship Playoff” committee, by excluding an undefeated Conference Champion from Florida, in favor of other conference champions that had losses and ARE lower ranked.
There will be no Championship this year, they have excluded an undefeated champion, so this “playoff” is incomplete.
With the disrespect for our team and conference on full display, this violation is a distant 2nd to the false equivalent narrative and complete disregard for the performance accomplishments of Florida State on the field, which this chairman and committee have exhibited. Its un American. Its unethical. It is egregious.
The moral and financial damage has just begun.
Accountability is demanded. Thank you sincerely and follow the money, because this “committee” of football bureaucrats, unlike the AP and Coaches poll, who have Florida State in the top 4, are costing the taxpayers of Florida a LOT of dough….
Pam Yates
December 4, 2023 at 8:50 pm
Wow! Thank you, Senator Scott. We deserve answers.
Bama Fan
December 15, 2023 at 8:32 pm
Entitlement is a hell of a drug, lady.
Let me know when it wears off because there won’t be any answers then, either.
PeterH
December 4, 2023 at 8:27 pm
In addition to managing the affairs of FSU football team Rick Scott, Marco Rubio and a dozen members of Florida’s Republican Party members of the House are very devoted and engaged in writing new immigration laws to halt undocumented immigrants from entering the USA illegally!
Republicans in Congress are well aware that the ONLY ENTITY in Washington that has the power to change or write laws for the executive branch to follow is Congress.
So folks …. let it be understood that all their whining about Joe Biden not protecting our Southern border is actually Congressional Republicans fault for failing to write new legislation for the executive branch to follow. Republicans will “hop to it” as soon as they finish investigating FSU’s football muddle. Only one muddle at a time!
Harvy Warlock
December 5, 2023 at 6:55 am
You realize there is a House and Senate that all bills have to go through? Move along you ignorant muppet.
PeterH
December 5, 2023 at 10:17 am
So Mr. genius….. what’s the hold up! Why are Republicans in the House and Senate whining about undocumented crossings into the country WHEN IT’S THEIR JOB TO PUSH THROUGH LEGISLATION?????
Dave
December 5, 2023 at 10:46 am
Its all about money. Bama and Texas have bigger fan base. Lots of advertising money at stake. And what about Michigan they were stealing other teas signals. Why should they be rewarded.
Troy Williams
December 6, 2023 at 12:23 am
It’s ALL about not having an SEC team in. And if Balawhama’s usually cheating limbo has to be in , Texas has to as well because of stomping the cheaters on there own turf. I say what about the Iron bowl. Same week Travis went down
Auburn whipped ealabamas ass and a last second deep toss to the end zone and whalah the cheaters win. So whalabama got whipped by everyone all season. They just came out on top via the score. They R not a top 5 team. Proven ALL year. I wish like hell FSU could play Saban and his illiterate children on their turf to finish this off.FSU is # 3 BOO.
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