‘Mad Dog’ Russo Goes Off on Florida State Football Players for Skipping Bowl Game After Complaining About Playoff Snub
Chris “Mad Dog” Russo took aim at the Florida State University football team after it was announced several key players would be skipping the Orange Bowl against Georgia.
The Seminoles were the subject of countless headlines when, despite an undefeated season that ended with an ACC Championship victory, they were excluded from the College Football Playoff. Instead, spots in the playoff were given to Alabama and Texas — two one-loss teams.
Florida State was furious with what they considered a snub, and the decision led to heated debates in the media. State officials, including Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Attorney General, have even discussed the possibility of taking legal action against the Selection Committee.
During his weekly First Take segment “What Are You Mad About,” Russo called out the Florida State players who won’t be competing in the bowl game after weeks of expressing how they were wronged.
“But now, after they moaned and groaned, they have a chance to sit there and play Georgia,” Russo said. “Georgia! Probably still the best team in college football. And you know what? You would think they would use that game as a chance to show (the committee), ‘You know what? Would should’ve been in the final four! We’re gonna go beat Georgia! We’ll show you what they’re all about!’
“And you know what? They all opted out. They’re all not gonna play in the game. So here it is: I had to listen to Florida State moan and groan for weeks about how they got royally burned; and then, got a chance to tell us why they should’ve been in the final four against the Bulldogs… They play them in the Orange Bowl and all of them have backed out!”
It’s common for players to non-College Football Playoff bowl games as a precaution. Compared to the playoff, the games are relatively insignificant and players don’t want to risk jeopardizing their chances of getting selected in the NFL Draft.
This situation, however, is unique. Georgia is the two-time reigning national champion and it can be argued that, despite its loss to Alabama in the SEC championship, it’s still the best team in the country. A win over Georgia would be a strong statement for FSU, but players don’t appear to share that belief.
Stephen A. Smith chimed in and claimed players opted out due to fear of getting dominated by Georgia and proving the Selection Committee right.
“It’s a simple reason,” Smith said. “The Florida State Seminoles are probably scared they’re gonna get their ass kicked by Georgia; and then everybody would look at that and say, ‘See? You didn’t belong there to begin with. So, by not playing, we get to leave it up in the air and speculate as to whether or not they got hosed and all of that other stuff; whereas, they know if they showed up and Georgia romped them, all of a sudden it would be a different animal.”
Watch above via ESPN.
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