The executive director of the College Football Playoff (CFP) sent a letter to Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) Friday outlining the reason Florida State University (FSU) was excluded from the playoffs — a move that sparked intense backlash from sports fans to politicians.
CFP chief Bill Hancock told Scott that the selection committee must take injuries into consideration. Jordan Travis, FSU’s quarterback, sustained a season-ending injury that Hancock said led the committee to believe the other teams — Michigan, Washington, Texas and Alabama — were more suited for the contest.
“Everyone on the Committee understands the disappointment felt by Florida State fans,” Hancock said in the letter, which Scott shared on his social media. “We recognize that no matter what decision was made, fans somewhere would be disappointed.”
“The Committee members are confident they made the right decisions in ranking the best four teams in the country based on the protocol and we all look forward to great playoff games,” he added.
His response comes after the Florida senator pushed the committee earlier this month to turn over text messages, emails and notes related to the decision. In his request, Scott demanded “total transparency.”
He also asked the selection panel for all statistical data and game videos of FSU’s season reviewed by the selection panel.
“Was this a financial decision? If you did the right thing, you should disclose everything,” Scott told The Hill at the time. “Be up front about it. Disclose what happened, how they made the decision.”
On Friday, Scott blasted Hancock’s letter, arguing the decision still “makes no sense.”
“The @CFBPlayoff just responded to my letter with more excuses & still NO TRANSPARENCY,” he wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
“@FSUFootball was #4 before beating #14 Louisville without Jordan Travis…but then after that win, the CFP thinks #FSU is a weaker team? It makes no sense,” Scott added. “ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS!”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and former President Trump, a Florida resident, also criticized the selection committee for its decision.
DeSantis said he plans to set aside $1 million from the state’s annual budget for potential ligation over the issue. Trump, however, used the news to hit his 2024 GOP presidential rival, blaming him for the snub.
The state attorney general has launched a probe into the selection committee’s decision.