With hordes of opt-outs and transfers, the Orange Bowl has devolved into joke exhibition game, but don't blame Florida State

Bless, Mike Norvell. 

I understand why Florida State’s head coach is putting on a brave face, but at this rate, the Seminoles’ roster has been ravaged so badly by opt-outs and transfer portal declarations that he sounds like the Black Knight from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

“Life is full of choices,” Norvell told reporters on Christmas evening when his team arrived in Miami for their Orange Bowl game against Georgia.  

“The last month has been really challenging. Coming off the championship game, a lot of emotion, guys having to make tough and challenging decisions. But the guys that are here, I know we’re excited about it and looking forward to the week of preparation and the competition that’s ahead.”

He later added, “We’ve had really good bowl practices leading up, and I’m excited to see the guys prepare. There’s an opportunity there for Saturday to go and push to be our best.”

“Our best” deserves quite the qualifier because in no way, shape or form will Florida State be at its best against the Bulldogs. The ‘Noles who do take the field Saturday won’t remotely resemble the team that’s won 19 straight games — including going 13-0 as ACC Champions in 2023. 

Since getting snubbed from the College Football Playoff, Florida State has seen unparalleled attrition — mostly from its best players. 

The Seminoles will be without at least 18-20 scholarship players against Georgia, including NFL Draft opt-outs in pass rusher Jared Verse, wideouts Keon Coleman and Johnny Wilson, defensive back Akeem Dent, tight end Jaheim Bell, defensive tackle Fabien Lovett, tailback Trey Benson and cornerbacks Jarrian Jones and Renardo Green. Injured quarterback Jordan Travis is obviously out, as is No. 2 tailback Lawrence Toafili, who had 118 yards in the win over Louisville.

A number of backups and depth pieces have also entered the transfer portal. On Christmas, quarterback Tate Rodemaker — the prospective starter vs. UGA — became the latest ‘Ole to announce his decision to not participate in the Orange Bowl, leaving Florida State with just a single scholarship QB (freshman Brock Glenn).

“Tis but a scratch,!” The Black Night Mike Norvell proclaimed!

Despite beating Louisville for the conference title, it has not been a December to remember for ‘Noles. 

They went undefeated as a Power 5 champion, but were told that wasn’t enough to make the College Football Playoff because a bad system was always designed to eventually fail someone.

Others can debate the merits of “meaningless bowl games,” but there’s no way you can tell a Seminoles player this season that the Orange Bowl is anything more than an exhibition when a committee of stooges already decided their 13 wins earlier this year didn’t even matter. 

The Orange Bowl is a joke at this point, and with Georgia unlikely to be at full strength either (opt-outs pending, lots of transfer already), Saturday’s contest might as well be a beauty pageant without contestants. 

None of this is Florida State’s fault. 

And none of the players — from those off to the NFL or someone like Rodemaker, who is watching FSU recruit transfer portal QBs in real time — should be blamed for their decisions. 

Shortly after Rodemaker’s announcement, Norvell fired off a tweet that was less than subtle, but understandable considering the chaos of the last month.  

The world will let fear affect it, life can be full of disappointing moments, and will always have competition. Be true and honest in the moment you then you can live with all the results. Excited and grateful for each opportunity #KeepCLIMBing #AllWeGotAllWeNeed pic.twitter.com/egkqNGVWPk

— Mike Norvell (@Coach_Norvell) December 25, 2023

Florida State’s coach is understandably frustrated, and he’s doing everything he can to rally the team he has. 

The 2023 Florida State team that beat Clemson, Miami and Duke doesn’t exist anymore. The team that did a better job corralling Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels than any other defense in the country this year saw their season end three weeks ago in Charlotte.

FSU’s season wasn’t supposed to end this way, and it certainly wasn’t their choice, so don’t blame the players on a screwed-up system and calendar.

Like Black Knight, Florida State’s roster has lost all its limbs. The pulse of the program (Jordan Travis) has long been gone, too. Maybe FSU pulls off the funniest thing imaginable and upsets Georgia to claim a national championship anyways.

More than likely though, the Seminoles get splattered and their special season is lost to history. 

Three years ago, a Florida team littered with opt-outs was waxed in the Cotton Bowl by Oklahoma, and then-head coach Dan Mullen famously told reporters, “The last game the 2020 team played was 11 days ago (in the SEC Championship).”

Mullen was lampooned for his comments, but if Mike Norvell takes the mic Saturday after a blowout loss, he should echo the same sentiments and get nothing but nods bin return. 

“We’ll call it a draw.“