Displeasure over Florida State’s Penalty
Charles Barkley, the former basketball star-turned-analyst, expressed his confusion regarding Florida State’s exclusion from the College Football Playoff. Barkley voiced his concerns during his appearance on ESPN for the USC-Auburn men’s college basketball game. He questioned why the team was penalized for playing with backup players and argued that winning with substitutes should have earned them recognition rather than repercussions.
Backing Alabama and the Importance of Backup Players
Barkley, despite his personal dislike for Alabama, commended Coach Saban and their ability to win games even with backup players. He emphasized the importance of recognizing the performance of substitute players and expressed excitement for the upcoming playoffs, where four elite teams would compete without a clear frontrunner.
College Football Playoff Officials Respond
Following the controversy, College Football Playoff officials faced pressure to justify Florida State’s absence from the Playoff. Executive Director Boo Corrigan addressed the concerns raised by Senator Rick Scott of Florida. Corrigan outlined two reasons for Florida State’s exclusion: the impact of key player unavailability on the team’s performance, and the strength of schedule compared to the teams ranked above them.
Florida State’s Orange Bowl Opportunity
As a result of their exclusion from the College Football Playoff, Florida State will instead compete against Georgia in the Orange Bowl.
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