Florida State’s exclusion from the College Football Playoff has caught the attention of some of the state’s top politicians.
US Senator. Rick Scott released a letter to CFP selection committee chair Boo Corrigan on social networks after the “unprecedented exclusion” of the Seminoles 13-0.
“Today I write to demand full transparency from the Committee on how this decision was made and what factors may have been at play in reaching this outcome,” Scott wrote.
Corrigan cited several factors SundaYes on why the committee placed 12-1 SEC champion Alabama fourth, one spot ahead of undefeated, ACC Champion Seminoles. Among them: the injury to star quarterback Jordan Travis this drastically changed FSU’s offense and “significantly” lower strength of schedule.
In his letter, Scott referenced the millions of dollars FSU and the ACC could have had if the ‘Noles had won the final spot in the four-team playoff ahead of the 12-1 SEC champion, the Alabama. He also said it could have “profound impacts” on players’ future earnings.
Florida State was on the outside looking in for the College Football Playoff.
( ERIK VERDUZCO | P.A. )
Scott’s main problem was “the justified perception of an unfair system that wrongly ignored the known strengths of an undefeated team over the speculated impact of losing a single player.” Scott acknowledged that a reversal was unlikely, but requested notes or recordings of the meeting. He also requested relevant emails and text messages between committee members and officials from ESPN, the SEC or anyone else not affiliated with the CFP.
Scott wasn’t the only Florida politician in Washington interested in the issue.
U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Parkland, wrote on social networks that he is “circulating a letter and will draft a resolution condemning” the decision. “This decision is about TV money, a corrupt decision for college athletics,” Moskowitz added.
Governor Ron DeSantis also weighed, writing Sunday on X (the platform formerly called Twitter): “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. Congratulation to @FSUFootball on an exceptional season and winning the ACC championship!
On Monday morning, former President Donald Trump suggested that the culprit behind the decision might be DeSantis, who is running against him for president.
“The State of Florida has been treated very poorly by the ‘Committee,'” Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social. “They become the first Power Five team to be left out of the College Football Playoff. Really bad lobbying effort… Let’s blame DeSanctimonious!!!
The state financial director, Jimmy Patronis, wrote the decision was made “by CORRUPT bureaucrats, clearly in collusion with ESPN and the SEC.” He said on “in conversations with lawmakers about additional measures” and asked committee members to retain relevant documents.
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