Duval Times

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Rick Scott has expressed his concerns and demanded transparency from the College Football Playoff (CFP) Selection Committee after the shocking decision to exclude undefeated Florida State University (FSU) from the upcoming playoffs. In a letter addressed to Committee Chairman Boo Corrigan, Senator Scott called for a full explanation of how the decision was reached and what factors influenced the outcome.

The exclusion of FSU, a 13-0 Power Five conference champion, from the playoffs has raised questions about the integrity of the selection process. Senator Scott highlighted the unprecedented nature of the Committee's decision to drop FSU from its previous 4th-place ranking, despite the team's recent victory in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Championship game.

Senator Scott emphasized the financial implications of the Committee's decision. The ACC and FSU have been denied $2 million in revenue distribution from the CFP, which is just a fraction of the total economic impact that playoff contention would have created for FSU. Additionally, the exclusion from the playoffs may have profound impacts on the future earnings and opportunities for the players.

The decision to remove FSU from playoff contention is particularly perplexing considering the Committee's past actions in ranking undefeated Power Five conference champions. Senator Scott pointed out that just one week ago, FSU was ranked as the 4th-best team in the nation, despite the season-ending injury to quarterback Jordan Travis. It is difficult to understand why FSU's subsequent win over the University of Louisville Cardinals would result in a ranking drop and exclusion from the playoffs.

Senator Scott acknowledged that the Committee's decision is unlikely to be reversed. However, he believes that total transparency regarding the decision-making process would benefit the Committee, the CFP, and the college football community as a whole.

In his letter, Senator Scott requested various pieces of information from the Committee, including the voting records of each member, details of the deliberations, and any communication exchanged between Committee members and other individuals or organizations involved in the CFP rankings. He also called for the release of statistical data and game videos that were reviewed during the deliberation process, as well as documentation of recusals and the CFP's ethical and conflict of interest standards.

Senator Scott emphasized that the decisions made by the Committee have far-reaching consequences, impacting hopes, dreams, and billions of dollars in economic activity. He urged Chairman Corrigan to respond promptly to his letter and provide the requested information, in order to uphold transparency and address the concerns raised by the exclusion of FSU from the College Football Playoffs.

The college football community and fans across the nation await the Committee's response, hoping for a clearer understanding of the decision-making process and the reasoning behind the exclusion of FSU from the playoffs.

To learn more, click on this link: https://www.rickscott.senate.gov/2023/12/sen-rick-scott-to-cfp-we-demand-transparency-regarding-unprecedented-exclusion-of-undefeated-fsu