Anyone who tuned into the Orange Bowl hoping to see a spirited battle between two teams that felt they were snubbed from the College Football Playoff was disappointed. In fact, anyone who tuned in hoping to see a moderately competitive game was left disappointed.
Georgia, who spent much of the season ranked No. 1 before losing to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game, dominated the game pretty much from the outset. The Bulldogs had a turnover on downs on their first offensive possession, but scored touchdowns on their next nine possessions. Florida State, the ACC Champion who finished the regular season undefeated, couldn’t compete with that, managing only three points in a 63-3 blowout loss. The 60-point margin was the most decisive in the history of bowl games.
While Georgia was the two-time defending national champion, the Seminoles were the more hotly-discussed team leading into the Orange Bowl. That was no different during and after the game, with members of the media weighing in on the lopsided defeat.
One of the people was Joe Tessitore, who was calling the game for ESPN. Tessitore noted how all of the bowl opt-outs and transfer decisions handicapped the Seminoles, bemoaning the college football calendar.
“The football part of college football is glorious. We have great players, coaches and games. It’s the second-most popular sport in America. And it’s a great product on the field. The business of college football, the infrastructure of college football, is broken. A calendar where you have the Transfer Portal, the early signing day, the coach’s turmoil and the silly season of hirings and firings. Players coming and going while you’re trying to bowl prep. That is pure chaos. And it gets us results like this (Florida State) roster right now.”
"The football part of college football is glorious… The business of college football, the infrastructure of college football, is broken… That is pure chaos. And it gets us results like this (Florida State) roster right now." – Joe Tessitore pic.twitter.com/pWXFZV5RDK
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 31, 2023
ESPN’s Nicole Briscoe and CBS Sports’ Tom Fornelli, meanwhile, had conflicting takes. Briscoe tweeted, “Dear #FSU, This is why. Signed, The Committee #OrangeBowl.”
Fornelli, meanwhile said, “I’d like to put it on the record that no matter the final score of the Orange Bowl, Florida State should’ve been in the CFP, and Georgia is the best team in the country. Which is why the “deserving vs best” argument holds no weight with the four teams chosen.”
Dear #FSU,
This is why.
Signed,
The Committee #OrangeBowl— Nicole Briscoe (@RB_Mrs) December 31, 2023
I'd like to put it on the record that no matter the final score of the Orange Bowl, Florida State should've been in the CFP, and Georgia is the best team in the country.
Which is why the "deserving vs best" argument holds no weight with the four teams chosen.
— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) December 31, 2023
Barrett Sallee of CBS Sports was quick to note that the Florida State team that lost the Orange Bowl would have been been much different than the one that would have played in the playoff. Brandon Walker had a similar view, though also opined that the result wouldn’t have been different.
No, this is not proof that the CFP committee got it right by leaving Florida State out. Don't start with that nonsense.
— Barrett Sallee 🇺🇸 (@BarrettSallee) December 30, 2023
It’s important to note that this is not the Florida State team that would’ve been playing in the Playoff.
That team would’ve also gotten its ass kicked. But it’s still important to note.
— Brandon Walker (@BFW) December 30, 2023
Of course, Georgia did earn some commentary. Rich Eisen of the NFL Network commented that he “May be going out on a limb with this take, but I *do* have 25 years of sports TV experience so here goes… Looks like Georgia was trying to make a statement today in the Orange Bowl.”
May be going out on a limb with this take, but I *do* have 25 years of sports TV experience so here goes…
Looks like Georgia was trying to make a statement today in the Orange Bowl.
— Rich Eisen (@richeisen) December 31, 2023
