The NCAA shocked college football by leaving undefeated Florida State out of its College Football Playoffs, and now some state lawmakers are demanding answers.
When the NCAA College Football Playoff Selection Committee elevated Alabama’s Crimson Tide to the playoffs after a one-loss season but left the undefeated Seminoles out, cries of foul erupted from state officials, including Gov. Ron DeSantis, Sen. Rick Scott, and Reps. Byron Donalds and Jared Moskowitz, Fox News reported.
“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 wrote on X. “Congratulations to @FSUFootball on an outstanding season and winning the ACC championship!”
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.
Congratulations to @FSUFootball on an outstanding season and winning the ACC championship!
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) December 3, 2023
Florida Republican Donalds called the move “trash.”
“1. @FSUFootball is undefeated. 2. FSU won the conference championship with a 3rd string QB. 3. Texas was never ranked ahead of FSU all year. 4. FSU didn’t need a hail mary to survive rivalry week like Alabama did. Plus, we won with the 2nd string QB!” Donalds wrote.
The CFP committee is trash!
1. @FSUFootball is undefeated.
2. FSU won the conference championship with a 3rd string QB.
3. Texas was never ranked ahead of FSU all year.
4. FSU didn't need a hailmary to survive rivalry week, like Alabama did. Plus we won with the 2nd string QB!— Byron Donalds (@ByronDonalds) December 3, 2023
Even Florida Democrat Moskowitz blasted the NCAA.
“I am circulating a letter and will be doing a resolution condemning @NCAAFootball @NCAA decision to leave @FSUFootball out of the playoffs. This decision is about TV money, a corrupt decision for college athletics,” he wrote in an X post.
I am circulating a letter and will be doing a resolution condemning @NCAAFootball @NCAA decision to leave @FSUFootball out of the playoffs. This decision is about TV money, a corrupt decision for college athletics. https://t.co/laQ2K3hWau
— Jared Moskowitz (@JaredEMoskowitz) December 3, 2023
With an even harsher dig, Moskowitz asked, “Who made the decision, the CFP or the CCP?”
Senator Rick Scott was also “infuriated” by the NCAA’s decision. The Republican took to his own X account to blast the “illogical decision.”
“Like millions of college football fans, I was infuriated by the illogical decision to rob @FSUFootball of the chance to play in the @CFBPlayoff. I’ll be demanding the committee answer as to how this decision was made and what led to this outcome,” the senator wrote.
Like millions of college football fans, I was infuriated by the illogical decision to rob @FSUFootball of the chance to play in the @CFBPlayoff.
I’ll be demanding the committee answer as to how this decision was made and what led to this outcome.
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) December 3, 2023
For his part, College Football Playoff Committee Chairman Boo Corrigan tried to claim that Florida State is a “different team” now than it was at the top of the season.
“Florida State is a different team than they were through the first 11 weeks,” Corrigan told ESPN on Sunday. “… We had eight really good teams this year, somewhat of a unique year in the last year of the four.”
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