To Bowl or Not to Bowl
ACC partial member Notre Dame turned down their bowl invitation after not making the playoff. Shortly thereafter, Kansas State and Iowa State, both of the Big 12, did the same. That made up the last of the 6-6 teams. Then the search was on. The Seminoles found themselves in a pot with teams like Auburn, UCF, Kansas, Baylor, Rutgers, and Temple due to Academic Progress Rates (APRs). These were the highest eligible teams. In essence, a replacement for a team that did not want to participate.
Florida State had to say no. This does not boil down to pride, what fans may want, or even a cash windfall (if applicable). It is time to close the chapter on 2025 and start the process for 2026. The school has already relieved coaches, and after what we saw in that 2023 Orange Bowl, what’s the point? That team was 13-0 heading into a matchup with the SEC runner-up, yet players still opted out, and the team flat-out quit. If this were pre-NIL, I would be singing a different tune, but there will no doubt be transfers and changeover. The extra practices sound nice until you realize half the roster will not be there. What would another loss do to the morale of those remaining? What would winning this exhibition prove?
The Aftermath
Turning down the bowl invitation gives Coach Norvell the chance to focus on changes. Whether that is coaching or hitting the portal earlier, there is an opportunity for a rebirth of sorts and establishing the vision to avoid a season like this. Head into next season on a new page instead of limping through the winter and spring. Long-term, this decision could provide a launching pad for 2026. Though I am sure Coach Norvell understands what must be addressed, and what is on the line, being the third or fourth choice of losing teams could provide an extra spark. Or at least it should.
The Final Spear
Florida State turning down the bowl invite shows that the standard is excellence. Florida State is not Notre Dame, which turned down a bowl after missing out on something greater. This would have been an undeserved trip/vacation. You know what builds hunger? The feeling of starvation. Heading into next season, making a bowl would be an achievement. That is not the standard, but it is a start.
For more College Football Analysis Michael can be found on the Sports Reports as Ordered Podcast on YouTube, X, TikTok, and all DSPs.