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Bill Hancock responds to Senator Rick Scott letter criticizing CFP decision to leave out FSU

On3 imageby:Andrew Graham•12/15/23•

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NCAA Football: CFP Press Conference
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

In the continuing chronicles of politicians making noise about the College Football Playoff, more specifically the exclusion of Florida State from the four-team field this year, the CFP has responded.

In a two-page letter, CFP executive director Bill Hancock sought to lay out to Florida’s junior U.S. senator, Rick Scott, why the Seminoles weren’t put in.

“[Florida State] 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. ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS!” Scott tweeted in response to Hancock’s letter.

The letter, which Scott then paraded on social media as unsatisfactory in his quest for transparency around the decision making process, lays out two main reasons that 13-0 Florida State was left out: Health and strength of schedule. With quarterback Jordan Travis injured and having played what was a lesser schedule in the eyes of the committee, the Seminoles were kept out, Hancock explained.

“Everyone on the Committee understands the disappointment felt by Florida State fans. We recognize that no matter what decision was made, fans somewhere would be disappointed. This year, there were more than four highly impressive teams competing for four Playoff spots — yet only four could qualify. 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,” Hancock said in the letter.

Florida State slipped to No. 5 in the final rankings, while No. 4 Alabama took the final spot in the four-team field, vaulting up from No. 8 and leapfrogging the Seminoles in the process.

Scott is also one of many politicians in his state pushing back against the CFP with the exclusion of Florida State. On Thursday, a Georgia state lawmaker joined the fray, too.

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Florida’s AG is investigating the CFP for potential antitrust violations

On Tuesday, Florida attorney general Ashley Moody announced an investigation into the College Football Playoff selection committee and it’s “secretive selection process.” Moody has sent a Civil Investigation Demand to the CFP selection committee seeking a number of communications and other documentation.

Moody, who claims to be a “lifelong Gator,” called the exclusion of the Seminoles an injustice in a statement announcing the investigation.

“I’m also the Florida Attorney General, and I know injustice when I see it. No rational person or college football fan can look at this situation and not question the result. The NCAA, conferences, and the College Football Playoff Committee are subject to antitrust laws,” Moody said in the release. “My Office is launching an investigation to examine if the Committee was involved in any anticompetitive conduct. As it stands, the Committee’s decision reeks of partiality, so we are demanding answers—not only for FSU, but for all schools, teams and fans of college football. In Florida, merit matters. If it’s attention they were looking for, the Committee certainly has our attention now.” 

Moody, as part of the investigation, is trying to suss out the specific votes and deliberations of each of the committee’s 13 members.

Moody is also seeking a spate of communications from the committee, including the following, per the CID and the press release:

  • All communications relating to deliberations to or from the SEC, ACC, NCAA, ESPN, Group of Five conferences, Power Five conferences or any other person relating to the deliberations;
  • All documents relating to public statements relating to the deliberations, including media talking points and interview notes; 
  • Documents relating to restrictions of the Conferences against having alternate playoff schedules; 
  • Documents showing compensation of members in 2023; 
  • Documents sufficient to show all recusals of Committee members from deliberations; and 
  • The Committee’s standards relating to ethics and conflicts of interest.