SOUND OFF, VOTE: Outrage continues over Florida State’s historic CFP snub

ORLANDO, Fla. – The outrage over FSU’s historic snub from the College Football Playoff selection committee continued after U.S. Sen. Rick Scott spoke out on Monday.

Florida State won every game this season, but it still wasn’t enough for the College Football Playoff committee. Instead, Michigan, Texas, Alabama and Washington will vie for the national championship.

No. 4 Florida State will play No. 6 Georgia on Dec. 30 in the Orange Bowl after both programs felt like they deserved a chance to play for the national title.

On Monday, Sen. Scott said he sent a letter to the CFP Selection Committee Chairman Boo Corrigan “following yesterday’s shocking decision to exclude Florida State University, an undefeated, Power Five conference champion from the playoffs for the first time in the Committee’s 10 year history.”

The full letter can be read below:

“Dear Chairman Corrigan:

Yesterday, for the first time in its 10 year history, the College Football Playoff (CFP) Selection Committee (the “Committee”) made the shocking decision behind closed doors to exclude an undefeated, Power Five conference champion from the playoffs. The Committee’s decision to drop the 13-0 Florida State University (FSU) Seminoles from its previous 4th-place ranking, and thereby exclude the team from the upcoming playoffs altogether, mere hours after they won the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Championship game has rightly raised questions among millions of Americans about the integrity of the process employed by this 13-member body, which consists of just five (38%) individuals with relevant experience in coaching or playing football at the collegiate level or higher. Today, I write to demand total transparency from the Committee regarding how this decision was reached and what factors may have been at play in reaching this outcome.

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. Beyond the benefit to the university and its athletic program, the Committee’s decision will also likely have profound impacts on the future earnings and opportunities for the players.

The Committee’s decision to remove FSU from playoff contention is also difficult to understand given the Committee’s actions in prior years when ranking other undefeated, Power Five conference champions among the top four teams in the nation. While I understand that the Committee considered the tragic, season-ending injury to FSU quarterback Jordan Travis, I am confused as to why this was not a factor in the previous week’s rankings. One week ago, the Committee chose to rank FSU as the 4th-best team in the nation, moving them up from fifth place following the road-game win in Gainesville against the University of Florida Gators. As you know, this win occurred after Mr. Travis’s injury. It’s difficult to understand how FSU’s next win, over the 14th-ranked University of Louisville Cardinals, would reflect poorly on the team and result in a ranking drop and exclusion from the College Football Playoffs.

There are countless other concerns and arguments that could be voiced here, but the main issue is the justified perception of an unfair system that has wrongly disregarded the known strengths of an undefeated team over the speculated impact of losing a single player. 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.

I request that you immediately respond to this letter with the following information:

The “listing step” and “ranking step” votes of each member of the Selection Committee for the CFP rankings released on Sunday, December 3, 2023.

Any notes, recordings or reports detailing the deliberations of the CFP Selection Committee in deciding the CFP rankings released on Sunday, December 3, 2023.

Any emails, text messages or other written communication exchanged between the members of the Selection Committee regarding the CFP rankings released on Sunday, December 3, 2023.

Any emails, text messages or other written communication exchanged between members of the Selection Committee and CFP company officers, Board of Managers and/or Management Committee regarding the CFP rankings released on Sunday, December 3, 2023.

Any emails, text messages or other written communication exchanged between members of the Selection Committee and individuals affiliated with ESPN regarding the CFP rankings released on Sunday, December 3, 2023.

Any emails, text messages or other written communication exchanged between members of the Selection Committee and individuals affiliated with the Southeastern Conference (SEC) regarding the CFP rankings released on Sunday, December 3, 2023.

Any emails, text messages or other written communication exchanged between members of the Selection Committee and any individual(s) not affiliated with the CFP regarding the CFP rankings released on Sunday, December 3, 2023.

The statistical data and game video for the Seminoles reviewed by members of the Selection Committee during the deliberation process.

Any documentation of recusals granted to Committee members for the CFP rankings released on Sunday, December 3, 2023.

The CFP ethical and conflict of interest standards.

There are hopes, dreams and billions of dollars in economic activity that hinge on the decisions made by the 13-member group you lead. Given the unprecedented nature of your recent decision, an unprecedented commitment to transparency is required. I appreciate your prompt attention to this letter and look forward to reviewing your response.”

U.S. Sen. Rick Scott

The final version of the four-team playoff produced a truly unsatisfying outcome Sunday when unbeaten Florida State was left out because, essentially, its starting quarterback got hurt.

FSU quarterback Jordan Travis was carted off the field after suffering a serious injury to his left leg late in the first quarter of the Seminoles’ game against North Alabama on Nov. 18.

Next season, officials will introduce a 12-team playoff bracket next season.

The Seminoles’ head coach Mike Norvell released a statement on Sunday, saying he was “disgusted and infuriated” with the decision by the CFP committee.

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“I’m hurting for our players who have displayed a tremendous amount of resilience and response this season,” Florida State coach Mike Norvell said Sunday. “What happened today goes against everything that is true and right in college football. A team that overcame tremendous adversity and found a way to win doing whatever it took on the field was cheated today. It’s a sad day for college football.”

Gov. Ron DeSantis also chimed in, posting on social media congratulating FSU on their undefeated season and deriding the committee’s decision to exclude the Noles.

“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,” DeSantis said.

Florida State University President Richard McCullough also released a statement that can be read in full below:

“I am so proud of FSU Football for an outstanding season – going 13-0 and winning the ACC Championship! Congratulations! The resilience of this team and our coaches is the envy of all college football.

Leaving Florida State out of the CFP is shocking and shows that selection is based on potential and not performance and that the system is broken.”

Florida State University President Richard McCullough

Former FSU great and NFL Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks posted a photo with the late FSU coach Bobby Bowden that read “I want to take another moment to tell the entire FSU Seminole Football Team that I am extremely proud of you all. As I searched for words this picture came to my mind and how he would want me to handle this decision as a Captain.”

There were six teams that had realistic arguments to make the four-team CFP field: Michigan, Washington, Texas, Alabama, Florida State and Georgia. The first four of those teams made the playoff, and the Seminoles’ fate — undefeated, ACC champions, and snubbed anyway — even had other schools who made the playoff shaking their head.

Washington coach Kalen DeBoer — the CFP’s No. 2 seed — was asked if he could imagine going 13-0 and not making the field.

“In all honesty, no,” DeBoer said.

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