Florida Football: FSU huffed and puffed and lost by more than Bishop Sycamore
Florida football fans are well aware that the Gators didn't play in 2023. One of the reasons Gator fans wanted to make a bowl was the extra practices Florida would have gained, which would have been valuable for a team as youthful as the Gators.
So for all the whining and moaning FSU had for getting left out of the college football playoffs, they still had an opportunity to build up their younger players that will be their starters in 2024.
But judging by Saturday's performance, FSU got about as much out of the 2023 bowl season as Florida did.
Florida Football: Hurt feelings
We here at Hail Florida Hail have chronicled how it wasn't a conspiracy theory that FSU was left out of today's playoffs. Even with Jordan Travis, the Seminoles bumbled and stumbled through the 55th ranked schedule. Think of it like Burnley having 29 wins, 14 draws, and just three loses in the English Championship for the 2022-23 season and thinking that made them better than the 28 win, five draw and five loss campaign that Manchester City had in the Premier League. Through 20 games this season in the Premier League, Burnley has three wins.
So fair or not fair, after being left out FSU took the mindset of "Well we didn't want to play in your stupid bowl game anyway" and had anyone and everyone that could opt out opt not to play on Saturday.
The end result was a beat down so bad that even Bishop Sycamore felt vindicated. If one is keeping score at home, FSU lost by 60 points to Georgia. In Bishop Syamore's infamous game against IMG, even they managed to keep it closer than 60.
And one could write off Saturday's performance as "Well, that team didn't represent who the Seminoles truly were in 2023," and one would be correct.
Um, question though. All the players that opted out were players that weren't going to return in 2024 anyway. But, if the players that did take the field in garnet and gold on Saturday are not the 2024 Seminoles either, then who is?
If FSU had lost by something like 35-3 or 45-10, no one would have blinked. 63-3 is FSU wasting any opportunity it had to get the players that will make up their 2024 squad better. 63-3 is FSU throwing a month long pity party and winding up with a less productive bowl month than Florida.
63-3 is a sign that 2023 was built on smoke and mirrors by a team that got away with having zero depth by playing in a weak conference.
When one loses by more than Bishop Sycamore, there are red flags that come with it.
"But we tanked the TV ratings, so take that ESPN executives."
I'm sure ESPN executives are devastated by having Alabama and Michigan in the Rose Bowl. Also the Orange Bowl had a 20% increase in viewership compared the the year before.
So hope you had a fun season FSU, and the good news is that DJ Uiagalelei will be joining FSU for the 2024 season. But unless Mike Norvell plans another complete roster overhaul in the transfer portal, we welcome you back to Earth alongside the Gators in 2024.