The NCAA Football regular season finished after a weekend of conference championship games. The Selection Committee chose four football teams that will compete in a four-team playoff to determine who will be crowned National Champion.
Despite a perfect 13-0 record, Florida State was not selected, much to the anger of several political leaders.
What Happened: The NCAA Football Playoff Selection Committee decided to put Michigan, Washington, Texas and Alabama in the four-team playoff, which sees Florida State left out and also the ending of hopes for Georgia to win back-to-back-to back NCAA Football Championships.
The final playoff seedings are:
- Michigan (13-0 record)
- Washington (13-0)
- Texas (12-1)
- Alabama (12-1)
- Florida State (13-0)
- Georgia (12-1)
Leaving Florida State out of the playoff sparked debate among sports analysts on season records, conference favoritism, strength of schedule and what an undefeated season means.
The decision also comes as Florida State lost their starting quarterback and star player Jordan Travis to a leg injury late in the season. The Selection Committee argued that Florida State was not the same team after the injury, winning its last two games 24-15 and 16-6.
A member of the ACC, Florida State became the first undefeated team from a Power 5 conference to be left out of the playoff.
The debate has also spilled over to the world of politics with several Florida figures ready to take legal action.
Florida governor and 2024 presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis slammed the decision to leave Florida State out of the playoff despite an undefeated record.
"My first-grader, my fifth-grader and my preschooler … they are all Noles and they are big-time fans and they do the tomahawk chip and they were not happy," DeSantis said at a news conference, shared by ESPN.
DeSantis said he is asking for $1 million from the state of Florida's $114.4 billion budget to be used to sue the Selection Committee.
"We are going to set aside $1 million and let the chips fall where they may."
DeSantis's comments came as a suggestion ahead of the Florida state budget is set, which ESPN said could come months after the playoff games happen.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) also called into question the decision to exclude Florida State from the four-team playoff. Scott requested emails, text messages and communications made by the Selection Committee to be released, according to Politico.
Scott's letter to the Selection Committee Chair Boo Corrigan calls for "total transparency" into the decision made on Florida State.
Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) called the decision to leave Florida State out as a "corrupt decision," and suggested the decision was made based on television money.
Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) said the committee was "trash" for leaving out Florida State. Donalds is a Florida State alumnus.
Playing the blame game, former President Donald Trump suggested it could be DeSantis' fault that Florida State was left out of the playoff.
"Florida State was treated very badly by the ‘Committee.' They become the first Power Five team to be left out of the College Football Playoffs. Really bad lobbying effort…Lets blame DeSanctimonious!!!" Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.
What's Next: Florida State will now compete in a different non-playoff bowl game, which could have an impact on the criticism the Selection Committee received.
Florida State will play Georgia in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 30 at 4 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on ESPN, a unit of Walt Disney Co DIS.
Current betting odds at DraftKings Inc DKNG have Florida State as a significant underdog of 14 points against Georgia. A bet on Florida State to win the game has odds of +470, paying out a profit of $470 on a $100 bet if the Seminoles win the game.
While they were left out of the playoff, Georgia has been one of the most dominant college football teams, losing only to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game.
The winners of the NCAA Football Championship in 2022 and 2023, Georgia entered the season as the favorite to win a third consecutive title with odds of +220.
A win by Florida State over Georgia could lead to more criticism over the decision to keep the Seminoles out of the playoff. A win by Georgia, specifically one of double digits or more, could throw cold water on the debate and prove the Committee made the right decision.
Photo: DeSantis, Shutterstock; FSU 2023 via FSU
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Trade confidently with insights and alerts from analyst ratings, free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about.
