Florida attorney general launches investigation into College Football Playoff’s FSU exclusion
Michael Costeines contributed to this report.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said her office is investigating potential “anticompetitive conduct” of the College Football Playoff Selection Committee after it excluded Florida State University from the playoff.
“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,” Moody said. “In Florida, merit matters. If it’s attention they were looking for, the Committee certainly has our attention now.”
In a press release, Moody’s office slammed the committee’s “secretive selection process.” The investigation began with a Civil Investigate Demand from Moody’s Antitrust Division.
Moody demanded the following from the committee:
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody’s office
- 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.
The demand is also vying to determine the “individual votes and vote tallies” by committee members on the playoff decisions.
Instead of Florida State, the committee selected Michigan, Washington, Texas, and Alabama for the college football playoff. Winners of each semifinal game will compete for the national championship on Jan. 8, 2024.
The attorney general’s office also wants to find out which individuals gained “access” to the votes, along, who was present during the vote and who has knowledge about the “administration or use of the software or program” used to record such votes.
According to the committee, teams are selected to make the college football playoff on the following criteria.
- Championships won
- Strength of schedule
- Head-to-head competition (if it occurred)
- Comparative outcomes of common opponents (without incenting margin of victory)
Under its principles, “unavailability of key players” also is listed. The factor, according to guidelines, may affect a “team’s performance during the season or likely will affect its postseason performance.”
Moody’s office derided the committee’s decision as one that will cost the school and the ACC “millions of dollars.” It pointed to the Florida State Seminoles’ undefeated 13-0 record.
Beginning next season, the College Football Playoff committee selection process is moved to a 12-team format. Initially No. 4, Florida Stated moved down to No. 5 in the rankings, leaving them out of the final spot.
Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott also recently demanded “answers” from the committee on its decision regarding FSU.
In a letter, Scott said he was shocked by the committee’s choice on deciding to keep Florida State from the playoff despite being a perfect 13-0.
The Seminoles also defeated the Louisville Cardinals in the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship game, becoming the first undefeated Power 5 team to be left out of the playoff.
“Florida State is a different team than they were the first 11 weeks,” College Football Playoff committee chair Boo Corrigan said. “If you look at who they are as a team right now, without Jordan Travis, without the offensive dynamic that he brings to it, they are a different team.”
