A nation of college football fans watched as the Florida State Seminoles played a phenomenal undefeated season despite facing brutally difficult challenges. The team fought against every obstacle thrown at them including losing their starter Quarterback Jordan Travis due to a serious injury causing him to be sidelined for the rest of the season. The Power 5, undefeated Seminoles team still came out on top as the 2023 Atlantic Coast Conference Champions. Many thought winning the ACC Championship would secure the well-earned spot in the playoff games but were shocked when the news broke about them being dropped to the #5 rank.
“I am a lifelong Gator, but I’m also Florida’s Attorney General and I know injustice when I see it,” said Ashley Moody while standing in front of the Florida State University Unconquered statue at Doak Campbell Stadium.
It is no secret there is often controversy in the world of sports, but even athletes and fans of rival teams are siding with the Florida State Football Team and believe what should have been a secure spot in the College Playoffs was unjustly stripped away. Moody has launched an investigation in hopes to discover the truth behind the unprecedented decision made by a selection committee of thirteen individuals behind closed doors.
“As it stands the committee’s decision wreaks of partiality, picking winners in the boardroom and not on the field,” Moody gallantly stated.
A subpoena was sent to the Committee demanding all communication and documentation that was linked and used for and during deliberations that ultimately made the final team selections for the playoff games. Florida State has lost millions of dollars due to the committee’s irrational decision. Florida State has also been left scrambling to plan for new recruits at a rapid pace to replace the athletes leaving the team and entering the transfer portal. Nineteen athletes from the Florida State University football program have entered the transfer portal, Rodney Hill (RB), DJ Lundy (LB), Dwayne Wells Jr. (DB), Dylan Brown (DL), Malcolm Ray (DL), Tyler Keltner (K), Thomas Shrader (iOL), Bless Harris (OT), Patrick Payton (EDGE), Ayobami Tifase (DL), Daughtry Richardson (OL), Qae’Shon Sapp (OL), Dylan Brown-Turner (LB), CJ Campbell (RB), Preston Daniel (TE), Markeston Douglas (TE), AJ Duffy (QB), Colin King (OT), and Winston Wright (WR).
A main concern about a comment made by the committee chairman who strongly leaned on the final decision coming down to Jordan Travis’s injury and not being able to play. According to Boo Corrigan, the Chair of the College Football Playoff Selection Committee, “Florida State is a different team than they were through the first eleven weeks.”
Bill Hancock, the Executive Director of the College Football Playoff, threw together a disrespectful letter of jargon addressed to Senator Rick Scott. In the letter Hancock proceeded to arrogantly throw shade at Florida State with comments like this, “such a team was from a so-called P5 conference.”
The sarcasm is loud and clear and more than proves the bias shown towards Florida State’s football team throughout their entire undefeated winning season.
The committee claimed Florida State was not the same team without Jordan Travis. The truth is, FSU was a better and stronger team during the ACC Championship game because of Jordan Travis. The team was strongly motivated and determined to win the ACC Championship title and make it to the playoffs because of their love of Jordan Travis.
If that is not the very definition of a strong winning team and plausible enough reason to be chosen for the playoffs what is?
Will you be watching the most controversial and widely discussed game of the year? The Florida State Seminoles faceoff with the Georgia Bulldogs at the Orange Bowl on December 30.
Patricia Smith – Gadsden County News Service