FSU needs to leave ACC; playoff committee caved to pressure

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Former Florida State President John Thrasher believes the Seminoles’ exclusion from the College Football Playoff shows the school needs to leave the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Thrasher also believes the CFP committee caved in to pressure from ESPN and the Southeastern Conference when it announced its four playoff teams Sunday.

Undefeated ACC Champion FSU (13-0) was the odd team out of the CFP behind unbeatens Michigan and Washington and one-loss teams Texas and Alabama.

The Seminoles’ controversial omission sent shockwaves through college football, calling into question the integrity of the system and pecking order of Power Five Conferences.

“It gives me hope the leadership at FSU will look at other places to be. I think it shows we are a secondary-level conference,” Thrasher said.

FSU indicated last August it would have to consider leaving the league unless there is change to its revenue distribution. The ACC in September added Stanford, Cal and SMU starting next season, bringing the conference to 18 members, with 17 playing football.

ESPN exclusive rights holder to College Football Playoff

Thrasher, who retired from FSU in 2021 after nearly seven years as the university’s president, also pointed to the power that ESPN and the SEC wields in college football.

“I believe the committee caved into pressure from a couple different levels – with ESPN and the SEC the two levels they caved to,” Thrasher said. “I’ve been in those management meetings. …. The SEC has incredible power.”

ESPN, which is set to enter into an exclusive broadcasting deal with the SEC in 2024, is the exclusive rights holder of the College Football Playoff.

The SEC has also been represented in the playoffs the past 10 years. Saturday, SEC Commissioner SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said during an interview on ESPN “GameDay” the thought of his league…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/ex-florida-state-president-fsu-133730149.html

Author : USA TODAY Sports

Publish date : 2023-12-06 13:37:30

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