GOP Sen. Rick Scott responds to Bill Hancock, College Football Playoff Committee on FSU snub

GOP Sen. Rick Scott is still looking for answers from the College Football Committee and its executive director Bill Hancock.

Scott responded to a letter from Hancock which was sent out Friday. Scott's office shared the letter with the Democrat on Monday morning.

Scott has been one of the most outspoken Florida politicians demanding transparency about the College Football Playoff Committee's decision to snub Florida State from the four-team playoff field.

The Seminoles went a perfect 13-0 and won the ACC Championship but were still left out for two 1-loss teams in Texas and Alabama for a playoff spot.

"Dear Mr. Hancock

"I appreciate your response on Friday, December 15, to my letter dated Monday, December 4, regarding the unprecedented exclusion of the 13-0, Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Champion Florida State University (FSU) Seminoles from the College Football Playoff (CFP). Unfortunately, your response failed to answer all 10 of the questions I posed in my initial letter.

"Although I am sure you are incredibly busy this time of year, I am once again asking that you take the time necessary to provide transparency behind your selection process. As I stated in my first letter, I believe that total transparency regarding how this decision was reached would do tremendous good for the CFP and the entire college football community."

Hancock's email last week listed two principal reasons for leaving FSU out:

• Taking into consideration the unavailability of players
• FSU's strength of schedule.

Scott had a list of 10 questions for Hancock and the committee to respond to, including any notes, recordings, or other written communications deliberations of the CFP Selection Committee.

"The @CFBPlayoff’s decision will deny significant financial & economic opportunities for #FSU, our student athletes, the City of Tallahassee & the State of Florida. It’s bigger than college football & I won’t stop fighting for Florida, our students & our universities," Scott wrote in a tweet.

Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner James Phillips and Florida State University Director of Athletics Michael Alford were each copied on the letter sent out.

Following the snub, the No. 5 Seminoles are scheduled to play No. 6 Georgia (12-1) in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 30 in Miami Gardens.

The full letter can be read here: https://www.rickscott.senate.gov/services/files/0A81DC81-DCD6-484B-8D35-78EA68B61A46

Alabama GOP Senator and former Auburn football head coach Tommy Tuberville called Scott's efforts 'a waste of time.

“They went by the criteria of who played the toughest schedule — all the criteria that they had,” Tuberville said.

“There’s nobody more experienced to talk about this than me,” Tuberville added. “I got left out in 2004, and we were undefeated.”

Scott concluded the letter by indicating he is not going to slow down until he gets an answer to his satisfaction.

"Finally, please know that no matter how busy things are in Washington, I will never stop fighting for Florida families, our students and our universities. I sincerely hope that you will take this opportunity to choose transparency and salvage the integrity of the important organization you represent," Scott wrote in his letter.

HOW TO WATCH ORANGE BOWL

Who: No. 5 FSU (12-0) vs. No. 6 Georgia (12-1)

When/where: 4 p.m., Saturday, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens

TV/Radio: ESPN/94.9 FM

Live game updates: www.Tallahassee.com; @Ehsan_Kassim, @jackgwilliams and @JimHenryTALLY on X, formerly Twitter

Reach Ehsan Kassim at ekassim@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Ehsan_Kassim. You can also follow our coverage on Facebook (NoleSports), Instagram (tlhnolesports) and YouTube channel (NoleSportsTD).

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