It’s comforting to know Friday’s special Florida State University Board of Trustees meeting wasn’t about unbeaten FSU, coming off its first Atlantic Coast Conference football championship since 2014 and missing the College Football Playoffs, being upset enough not to show up for the Capitol One Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens next week to play once-beaten Georgia. That would’ve been down-right embarrassing.
You know Florida politicians, the attorney general in particular, filed a subpoena not taking kindly to the Seminoles, unbeaten at 13-0, falling in the CFP’s final rankings from fourth to fifth and out of the playoffs being surpassed by once-beatens Big 12 champion Texas and SEC champion Alabama.
Remember, though. Texas beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa early in the season. And, then, Bama beat previously unbeaten No. 1 Georgia in the Southeastern Conference championship game on Dec. 2.
The CFP committee’s response was justified in my mind by the season-ending broken leg of Florida State quarterback Justin Travis and the fact FSU’s schedule wasn’t that difficult.
According to reports, being passed over by the CFP committee like they were was possibly the final straw for Florida State wanting to get out of the Atlantic Coast Conference. And, the sooner the better. The meeting is to begin the process of pursuing an exit from the ACC. Not something that can be done overnight, quickly, easily, or without quite a bit of money.
Nevertheless, on Friday, Florida State trustees voted unanimously in favor of suing the ACC over the legality of the conference’s grant of rights and withdrawal fees, the two strongest reasons why the ACC has held on stable ground in the recent shifts of conference realignment changes. But Florida State supporters have long felt those were merely hurdles yet to be cleared. Now, Florida State is backing up the talk with actions.
In short, Florida State is filing a lawsuit with the hope of having the grant of rights and withdrawal fee voided, thus making it easier to swiftly move to a new conference.
Something else to consider: Who will take them? Only time will tell so stay tuned. …
Don’t know if you’ve noticed or not, but Michigan football is under investigation by the NCAA, and the Los Angeles Chargers are without a football coach, having fired Brandon Staley. Team owner Dean Spanos is known for his unwillingness to spend big on coaches, and he would have to deviate from that if he wanted to pry Jim Harbaugh away from Michigan. Harbaugh has told us “he’s a Michigan Man”, and the Wolverines have won the last three Big Ten championships, and are in the College Football Playoffs for the third year in a row. His primary concern currently is the semifinal against Alabama on New Years’ Day in the Rose Bowl, and then National Championship Game in Houston a week later against the Washington vs. Texas winner if they beat Bama.
But, the Chargers have a quarterback (Justin Herbert) and he’s won at the NFL level before with the 49ers. Makes me wonder, if he’s really that much of a Michigan Man. Seems to me Harbaugh and the Chargers would be a good fit.
The college bowl season isn’t a third of the way over, so sit back and enjoy, although most of the games haven’t been very competitive yet.
Oh, and Merry Christmas!
Follow Joe on X/twitter @joeyballgame.jh
