College football fans were left scratching their heads as the unbeaten ACC champs (Florida State Seminoles) got the cold shoulder from the College Football Playoff. Despite a 13-0 season, they found themselves on the sidelines while one-loss teams like Texas and Alabama made the cut, leaving everyone from die-hard supporters to an Attorney General wondering why.
“No matter what team you’re a fan of, you must admit.. that was a snub,” Lambert junior and FSU football fan Zoe Leak expressed.
Florida State’s stellar 2023 season as its the third time undefeated in program history became a narrative entwined with adversity. The absence of star quarterback Jordan Travis who suffered a season-ending injury, and the subsequent injuries to backup Tate Rodemaker presented challenges. Nonetheless freshman Brock Glenn stepped in and guided the Seminoles to victory, securing the ACC title.
Committee Chair Boo Corrigan explained on ESPN that the absence of Jordan Travis had altered Florida State’s dynamic, a factor considered under the committee’s protocol guidelines regarding the “unavailability of key players.” The move marked the first time an undefeated Power 5 conference champion was left out of the playoffs.
Florida’s top legal authority and self-proclaimed lifelong Flordia Gator, Attorney General Ashley Moody, did not hold back. She called for an antitrust investigation into the College Football Playoff Committee’s moves.
“The NCAA, conferences and the College Football Playoff Committee are subject to antitrust laws,” Moody said. “My office is digging into whether there’s any anticompetitive business going on.”
Moody’s additional claim that the committee’s decision “reeks of partiality” underscores the need for transparency not only for Florida State but for all college football teams and fans.
As the fallout continues, the College Football Playoff’s decision is seen as a departure from competitive expectations, leaving Florida State and its supporters disillusioned. The strong reactions from players, coaches and even rivals reflect the broader sentiment that the decision challenges the core principles of competition and fair play in college football.
