We did not believe that Florida State was worth including in the College Football Playoffs without starting quarterback Jordan Travis – and it seems the CFP Committee agreed with that stance.
In a letter to US Senator Rick Scott, CFP Executive Director Bill Hancock explained that Jordan Travis‘ injury at the end of the season „caused the committee to believe that there were actually four teams that should have been ranked higher than FSU.“
The other reason for the snub? Strength of schedule.
„If it were part of our protocol to be undefeated, regardless of a team’s strength, other universities with undefeated records would have been routinely considered for playoffs,“ Hancock wrote. „With Florida State, there were eight undefeated teams that did not make the playoffs. Although this is the first year such a team is participating in a so-called P5 conference, schedule compliance remains a critical factor.“
Fans and even Florida officials like Governor Ron DeSantis expressed dissatisfaction with the final placement.
„Everyone on the committee understands the disappointment of Florida State fans,“ Hancock added. „We realize that fans would be disappointed somewhere no matter what decision was made. The committee members are confident they have made the right decisions in ranking the best four teams in the country based on the protocol, and we are all looking forward to great playoff games.“
Scott was not satisfied with the response.
This news comes after Florida’s Attorney General announced that an investigation will be launched into the matter. It’s unclear whether FSU will play their bowl game against Georgia on December 30th, or whether the Seminoles will boycott the game altogether.
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