MARCO ISLAND, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is willing to spend up to $1 million in taxpayer dollars to potentially sue over the undefeated Florida State University's football team not making the playoffs.
The governor announced the effort Tuesday morning while speaking about his $114.4 billion state budget recommendations for 2024-25.
DeSantis' million-dollar effort "for expenses related to litigation" is a result of "Florida State University['s] football team to be ranked fifth in the nation and, consequently, ineligible to participate in the College Football Playoff games," the proposal says, in part. Reporter Jason Garcia posted on X the section of the proposal.
"What we've decided to do is set aside a million dollars for any litigation expenses that may become as a result of this really, really poor decision by the College Football Playoff to exclude an undefeated team who won a Power Five conference championship," DeSantis said. He said, living in Tallahassee, his children were "not happy" at the committee's decision Sunday.
"It's unfortunate that we have to even do that, but we're going to put aside a million dollars and let the chips fall where they may on that," DeSantis continued.
Florida State finished with a 13-0 season and won the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) championship game over the weekend, even after losing the Seminoles' star quarterback Jordan Travis in November. Fans nationwide criticized the College Football Playoff Selection Committee in ranking FSU No. 5 while one-loss Texas (12-1) and Alabama (12-1), placing No. 3 and No. 4, respectively, have a shot at a national glory — a snub to Florida State.
"To me, it's like, if you win and you're undefeated — that should mean something. That should really be significant," DeSantis said. "And they're telling us that it doesn't, that other factors matter more. That's just not how I would approach it."
The issue has even made it to the halls of Congress as U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, a Republican, posted a letter Monday morning on X addressed to CFP Chairman Boo Corrigan. Scott called the College Football Playoff Selection Committee's decision to exclude FSU "shocking" and "unprecedented" and demanded "total transparency" in how the outcome was reached.
The Florida senator says that the decision will have financial implications for the FSU football program, the players' future earning opportunities and the university as a whole. He also demanded notes and other communications between the committee members.
Florida State is set to face the No. 6 University of Georgia Bulldogs in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 30.