CFP responds to Sen. Rick Scott, cites two factors in ranking FSU at No. 5
Requests for clarity in the College Football Playoff voting received a delayed response, and one that offers little new insight into the decision to exclude Florida State by the 13-member committee.
CFP executive director Bill Hancock responded with a two-page letter to Florida Sen. Rick Scott on Friday afternoon, outlining FSU's No. 5 ranking on two reasons. Hancock reiterates two points that have been made by himself and committee chair Boo Corrigan in previous interviews.
"The protocol requires the Committee to take into consideration the unavailability of key players that may affect a team's performance during the postseason. Simply put, Florida State is not the same team without its star quarterback. That caused the Committee to believe that there were indeed four teams that should rank higher than FSU.
"FSU's strength of schedule was not as strong as the four teams that were ranked ahead of them. As I'm sure you're aware, strength of schedule is a key metric the Committee takes into consideration. If being undefeated without regard to a team's strength of schedule was part of our protocol, other universities with undefeated records would have routinely been considered for the Playoff. There have been eight, counting Florida State, undefeated teams that did not make the Playoff. While this is the first year such a team was from a so-called P5 conference, strength of schedule remains a crucial factor."
An FSU spokesperson had released talking points before the ACC title game, including a note that the Seminoles had won seven games against bowl-eligible Power 5 programs. FSU picked up a nation-leading eighth win over Louisville in the ACC title game.
The CFP appears to be noting ESPN's strength of schedule metric, which ranks FSU 55th nationally.
Scott had asked for a "listing step" and "ranking step" from the CFP committee in a letter dated Dec. 4. He also asked for texts, emails and recordings. None of those requests appear to have been met in Friday's response by the CFP, which was shared by Scott in a post on Twitter/X.
The CFP is also the subject of an inquiry by Florida attorney general Ashley Moody, who is also seeking files from members on the grounds of antitrust laws. A spokesperson confirmed to the Osceola that the Florida AG office is seeking documentation from the CFP to begin by Dec. 26.
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