Georgia steamrolls Florida State in Orange Bowl after College Football Playoff controversy
The Seminoles' exclusion from the playoffs sparked anger
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Maybe the College Football Playoff committee got it right after all — for one team, at least.
After weeks of anger about No. 5 Florida State not being included in the playoff, the committee’s controversial decision was proven justified Saturday.
No. 6 Georgia entered the game as roughly three-touchdown favorites, and it blew by that number in the blink of an eye.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Kirby Smart said after the Bulldogs were upset by Alabama in the SEC championship they still deserved to be in the College Football Playoff.
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Dominic Lovett (6) of the Georgia Bulldogs celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter against the Florida State Seminoles during the Capital One Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium Dec. 30, 2023, in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
And Georgia handed FSU a 63-3 beatdown in the Orange Bowl.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Noles had a glimmer of hope when they stopped Georgia on its first drive, but that was a false alarm. Georgia got on the board early with a Kendall Milton touchdown in the first quarter, and he scored a second time on the first play of the second quarter. That was the first of five Georgia touchdowns in the second frame.
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Daijun Edwards, Ladd McConkey, Dominic Lovett and Arian Smith each scored in the second quarter, all while Florida State had just a field goal, four punts and four turnovers. It was 42-3 at halftime.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The second half was a continuation of the first, except with the backups.
It should be noted that Florida State had plenty of players unavailable for the game, but Georgia still covered the spread by almost triple the amount - again, it was hovering around three touchdowns throughout online books.
Ladd McConkey (84) of the Georgia Bulldogs celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter against the Florida State Seminoles during the Capital One Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium Dec. 30, 2023, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Saturday’s result doesn’t take away from the controversy of Florida State not playing for a national championship. The Seminoles went 13-0 and won a Power Five conference. The committee can’t ask for much more than that.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}But Bama’s win in the SEC title game was impressive, as was Texas’ blowout victory in the Big 12 championship. Plus, Florida State was without Jordan Travis. Had the quarterback not been injured, maybe Bama or Texas is left out. Florida State players even suggested they should be considered national champions if they were the last undefeated team remaining and even discussed raising a banner if that were the case.
Looking back, though, Smart definitely had a reason to feel robbed. Georgia has now won 30 of its last 31 games.
Ladd McConkey (84) and Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint (1) of the Georgia Bulldogs celebrate after McConkey scored a touchdown in the second quarter against the Florida State Seminoles during the Capital One Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium Dec. 30, 2023, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (Rich Storry/Getty Images)
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}But it's the end of the road for both teams. And Georgia has momentum for a third title in four seasons when it kicks off the 2024 season in a few short months.
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