Florida State Coach ‘Infuriated’ About College Football Playoff Snub

Mike Norvell was irate after the decision by the College Football Playoff Selection Committee on Sunday, and the Florida State Seminoles head football coach made sure his voice was heard.

After it was confirmed the undefeated Atlantic Coast Conference champion Seminoles were left out of the College Football Playoff, Norvell released a scathing statement eviscerating the committee.

“I am disgusted and infuriated with the committee’s decision today to have what was earned on the field taken away because a small group of people decided they knew better than the results of the games,” Norvell wrote, as released by the ACC.

“What is the point of playing games? Do you tell players it is OK to quit if someone goes down? Do you not play a senior on Senior Day for fear of injury? Where is the motivation to schedule challenging nonconference games?”

The Seminoles are now the first team in College Football Playoff history to go undefeated and win a Power Five conference, and yet still miss the four-team field. Norvell noted just that and went into further detail as to why Florida State was deserving.

“I don’t understand how we are supposed to think this is an acceptable way to evaluate a team,” he wrote. “I’m hurting for out players who have displayed a tremendous amount of resilience and response this season.

“What happened today goes against everything that is true and right in college football. A team that overcame tremendous adversity and found a way to win doing whatever it took on the field was cheated today. It’s a sad day for college football. I’m proud of the work we have put in and the players I have the privilege to coach.”

You can read Norvell’s full statement here.

Norvell was not the only one to criticize the committee. ACC director Jim Phillips called it an “unfathomable” decision.

Michael Alford, Florida State vice president and athletic director, also wrote: “To eliminate them from a chance to compete for a national championship is an unwarranted injustice that shows complete disregard and disrespect for their performance and accomplishments. It is unforgivable.”

Boo Corrigan, the chairman of the College Football Playoff Selection Committee, explained the Alabama Crimson Tide were rewarded the final spot over the Seminoles in large part because of the season-ending injury to quarterback Jordan Travis, and how Florida State has looked since that injury.

Florida State now will face No. 6 Georgia in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 30.