Colorado football head coach Deion Sanders opened up about his thoughts in regards to the Florida State Seminoles being left out of the College Football Playoff and instead the Alabama Crimson Tide getting the last spot. Sanders said to Carl Reed on Transfer Portal Palooza Monday that it's tough for the ousted team, but the committee went with the “business” decision according to 247 Sports.
“No way that you're going to leave coach (Nick) Saban and Alabama out of a playoff, and Georgia,” Sanders said. “No, you're not going to leave Georgia and Alabama out. It ain't no playoff if you do that. … But that's a tough one. But they're going to always go with the business. People think it's just football, man. You got to understand this is a business as well.”
Sanders wants FSU's problem with Colorado
When originally asked about his thoughts on the Seminoles being left out despite having an undefeated record, Sanders first said that he wants that “problem” in having success as the school in question. Sanders went on to say that he's glad the college football playoff bracket will be larger than four for next season.
“First and foremost, I want that problem. Can I have that problem? Can I have those problems, please? I want those problems. Thank God the committee got it right next year where there's a bigger gate open for a plethora of schools to have an opportunity to the playoffs and we plan on being one of them,” Sanders said. “It's no way that you're going to leave coach (Nick) Saban and Alabama out of a playoff, and Georgia. No, you're not going to leave Georgia and Alabama out. It ain't no playoff if you do that.”
The all-time great defensive star is an alum of Florida State after spending four seasons at the university until he was drafted in the first round in 1985. He previously was the head at Jackson State university before taking the job at Colorado in 2023.
Sanders calls it a “business” decision
Sanders and Colorado football started hot in the 2023 season winning four of their first six games, but they would finish the year with six straight losses. He tries to put himself in the shoes of Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell and how he would have reacted to it, but said he's a “tough man.”
“I don't know how I would have handled that. I think coach (Mike) Norvell did a wonderful job articulating himself, speaking his truth and the players supporting him as well,” Sanders said. “That's a tough one man. I would have love to be in that situation. Unfortunately we're not, but we plan on being in that situation. But that's a tough one. But they're going to always go with the business. People think it's just football, man. You got to understand this is a business as well.”
Norvell's take
There's no doubt that the Seminoles being left out of the picture has resulted in some heated debates on social media and in the college football landscape. Norvell himself released a statement saying that he's “disgusted and infuriated” with the committee in leaving FSU off the playoff bracket.
“I am disgusted and infuriated with the committee’s decision today to have what was earned on the field taken away because a small group of people decided they knew better than the results of the games,” Norvell said. “What is the point of playing games? Do you tell players it is okay to quit if someone goes down? Do you not play a senior on Senior Day for fear of injury? Where is the motivation to schedule challenging non-conference games? We are not only an undefeated P5 conference champion, but we also played two P5 non-conference games away from home and won both of them. I don’t understand how we are supposed to think this is an acceptable way to evaluate a team.”
While the Buffaloes weren't bowl-eligible as they didn't reach six wins, Florida State will, even though it won't be in contention for a national championship. They'll face the Georgia Bulldogs on Dec. 30 in the Orange Bowl.
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