NCAA President Comments on CFP Selection Committee's Decision To Snub Florida State
The Florida State Seminoles are gearing up to face No. 6 Georgia in the 2023 Orange Bowl on December 30. With all the accolades that come with finishing the season as undefeated ACC Champions, people across the country seem to have a bad taste left in their mouths.
The reaction follows a historic decision by the College Football Playoff Committee to exclude 13-0 Florida State from the playoffs in favor of Alabama and Texas, exposing a subjective and premature decision by the committee, leaving people questioning motives and the sport itself.
The Tampa Bay Times contacted NCAA President Charlie Baker regarding the decision. Baker kept his hands clean of the issue and stated, "It's up to them," referencing the 13-member panel that makes up the selection committee.
Baker has no control over the panel despite overseeing the entire NCAA.
“The teams that are involved in this, the schools that are involved in it, they make their own rules, right? And they should decide what they think makes the most sense," Baker said.
There has been a massive uproar and backlash from across the country, leaving governors, senators, an attorney general, and people across the country wondering "why?" which has resulted in an anti-trust investigation launched by Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody.
While this situation will likely be resolved to some extent next year when the playoff is expanded to 12 teams, it still strikes a chord with Seminole fans who feel robbed given the season's success.
“I’m glad they’re going to 12 teams next year,” Baker said. “I’m hoping when they go to 12, we won’t have that kind of challenge. We’ll probably have something that happens between 12 and 15 or whatever.”
Although teams will always be excluded, the playoff committee has never left out an undefeated "Power Five" Conference Champion in favor of a team that has a tarnished record in the nine years that the College Football Playoff has existed.
The full report by Matt Baker of the Tampa Bay Times can be found here.
READ MORE: Former Florida State Head Coach Jimbo Fisher Weighs In On College Football Playoff Snub
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