On Sunday, the College Football Playoff selection committee made a rather shocking decision to choose the Alabama Crimson Tide over the Florida State Seminoles for the playoff field, even though Alabama had one loss and Florida State was undefeated. And it looks like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is making a pretty firm move against the committee.
During a press conference this week, Ron DeSantis called for $1 million in the state budget for “any litigation expenses that may come as a result of this really, really poor decision by the College Football Playoff” as the state looks to fight the decision from the selection committee.
“It’s unfortunate that we have to even do that, but we are going to put aside $1 million and let the chips fall where they may on that,” DeSantis said according to the Tampa Bay Times.
It’s obviously quite a bold move from DeSantis, and he quickly got absolutely blasted on social media as a result.
“But your honor we were undefeated”
“Does the criteria say an undefeated team is guaranteed a spot?”
“No but-”
“Have a nice day” https://t.co/AbIxZ62KF6
— Blake Byler (@blakebyler45) December 5, 2023
People that call our generation soft are using actual citizen dollars to sue a college football committee https://t.co/l816w4qR3r
— cade smith (@cadesmith_3) December 5, 2023
Why help solve property insurance issues when we can pay for a losing lawsuit that doesn't have any actual standing? https://t.co/PVsmHLgm7j
— Dan Thompson (@DKThompson) December 5, 2023
Complete and unethical waste of hard earned tax payer dollars. Just another example of why Florida politics is a laughing stock https://t.co/WzW3217I0K
— 🐊 𝓢𝔀𝓪𝓶𝓹 𝓜𝓾𝓼𝓲𝓬 🐊 (@Swamp_Music2) December 5, 2023
If you see a Canes fan or Gators fan today, thank them for their tax dollars going to helping FSU sue over the snub. 🙏😂 https://t.co/hpdlTT7lY1
— TJ Pittinger (@TJ_Pittinger) December 5, 2023
Typically I don’t talk politics on here but I’m gonna make a rare exception for this.
Everyone involved here is a loser. What an astounding waste of money, resources and time. Among other reasons this is idiotic: you realize the CFP triples in size to 12 teams next year, right? https://t.co/CrpdwhOTkx
— InAllKindsOfWeather.com (@AllKindsWeather) December 5, 2023
Suddenly I love paying taxes https://t.co/WAQK3WrtaI
— Molly (@FSUmollz) December 5, 2023
Schools need teachers and we putting up $1 million for a football team? I see why everyone thinks this state a joke https://t.co/gl0Y3EqCJq
— Diogo Jota Stan Account (@Michael2Wallace) December 5, 2023
Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis said that he would “have no problem cutting those checks” to cover the legal costs, saying that the committee’s decision ultimately cost Florida State millions of dollars.
It’s worth noting that DeSantis did acknowledge that it’s quite unlikely that anything could be done before the College Football Playoff begins on Jan. 1.
