Cue the Florida State excuse-makers now.
Florida State quarterback Tate Rodemaker is leaving. He’s jumping ship. He’s getting out while the getting’s good. Whatever you want to call it, Rodemaker is entering the transfer portal and he’s gone, according to several media outlets, including ESPN, the Associated Press (Florida State will turn to No. 3 quarterback as Tate Rodemaker opts out for Orange Bowl vs. Georgia), and now, yours truly, The Football Beat.
Rodemaker helped the Seminoles beat Florida in the regular season finale, but was apparently concussed in the contest and didn’t play in the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game against Louisville the following week.
Florida State finished the season 13-0, but was famously omitted from the College Football Playoff, instead being left on the doorstep by the CFP committee, ranked fifth instead of fourth in favor of Michigan, Washington, Texas and Alabama, in that order.
Brock Glenn, he of 55 yards passing against Louisville in the ACC title game win, will get the start against No. 6 Georgia in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 30.
And we said cue the excuse-makers because that’s exactly what’s going to happen if Florida State loses to the Bulldogs in the Orange Bowl – nevermind that Glenn or Rodemaker would have been the QB in the game if they had played Michigan, Washington or Texas in one of the CFP games.
Both were playing for injured starter Jordan Travis, who played the bulk of the season before suffering a knee injury in the next-to-last game of the season in Tallahassee against North Alabama. In 2023, Travis completed 64 percent of his passes for 2,734 yards, 20 touchdowns and just two interceptions, and ran for seven touchdowns.
In short, he WAS Florida State’s offense.
Rodemaker for the season went 32-of-56 for 510 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions. Glenn on the season is 10-of-25 for 90 yards.
FSU coach Mike Norvell put the best spin on the situation that he could.
“Definitely excited to see him take the step from his first start to his second start,” Norvell said. “A lot of confidence in what he’ll be able to do, what he’ll be able to accomplish. It’s part of the new age of college athletics. I know Brock is going to be fired up and excited for the opportunity that he has.”
The Seminoles have had other players who have declared for the NFL Draft are defensive end Jared Verse, running back Trey Benson and wide receiver Johnny Wilson, and won’t play in the Orange Bowl.
