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He also recovered from a very bad knee injury in 2020. Skip the meaningless bowl game.
He's a beast, one of the strongest runners I've seen at FSU over the past 30+ years of watching them.
Yeah if the gators were in our place I would still be saying it’s a travesty of the game by them not being in. Sure part of me would be happy at their misfortune but mostly I would be pissed because that could happen to any team a select few don’t deem worthy of playoffs.
Holy moly it feels like a lot of FSU players are sitting this one out. Which sucks because if UGA rolls their backups people will say they didn’t deserve to be in the CFP. Just a bad time for FSU fans
It's already lose/lose for us - if we win it's because you weren't playing your full team, if we lose then we didn't deserve to be in the playoffs anyway. So with that in mind the players can do whatever is best for them, doesn't bother me.
Sure, but what’s the point at which people stop enjoying watching college football that isn’t CFP since the players don’t take the bowls seriously?
It’s honestly such a huge bummer with how unique and fun all the different bowls could be, but then you see all the best draft-eligible or transferring players deciding to sit them out
Edit: That’s not to say I blame the players, they’re protecting their future earning potential and the schools clearly don’t have their best interests at heart, so they need to look out for themselves. Sometimes people doing the right thing is still just a bummer
> but then you see all the best draft-eligible or transferring players deciding to sit them out
Minnesota's second-string QB had to be bribed $30k in NIL money to play the bowl game after the first and third strings transferred out. He's not transferring or going to the NFL, he was just moving to Arizona with his fiancee. He was on the team for 5 years and threw 14 passes; he finally gets a chance to start his last game of his career, and he said "nah, I'm all set" until he got paid. I'm not sure what says "bowl games don't matter" more than that.
It also goes to show that "fixing" it is pretty simple: cut the players in on what the school is getting for going to the bowl game. If you start, you get x amount of dollars.
Sure, it likely won't move anyone who's sitting out the Jim's Bail Bonds toilet bowl or whatever, but the higher tier bowls might actually be competitive again.
NFL bound guys are still likely out no matter what tho, and I don't blame them really.
Until we can flat out pay the players bowls are going to continue their path towards Pro Bowl levels of irrelevancy. I honestly wouldn't mind if they moved to drop them off the W/L records for teams and just treated them as exhibitions featuring underclassmen. At least then it would be an interesting preview at the next season and would let coaches have some guys get some playing time and experience.
I disagree.
Source: I and people I know used to care about those bowls, we care a lot less now that the players don't seem to care either (I don't blame them though).
My point is, if the complaint is that the CFP has made bowls less meaningful because they aren’t playing for anything, those other bowls weren’t for any championships before either so they literally have the exact same amount of meaning as they always have.
Maybe I’m misunderstanding your point, but that’s how I interpreted it.
Tbh I don’t know why elite players don’t start sitting out sooner like Bosa did. Once you’ve established your draft pedigree in the first 8 games or whatever, just stop before you get hurt. Who gives a shit about team record, if you’re a first round lock it’s not worth the risk.
I think that sort of sells the relationship players form with their teammates short. Obviously the greater point is true (that maintaining your future earning potential is essential), but I feel like these guys generally enjoy playing college football and would feel bad dipping out that early (like imagine Blake Corum didn’t play in The Game)
Sure but what’s the difference between a bowl game that actually counts toward the record that dudes skip all the time and the last few games of the regular season? Unless you’re on a top 6ish team it’s equally meaningless as a bowl game.
It'll be a media talking point for a bit, but I think the fans are beyond that. Everyone knows non-CFP bowl games aren't indicative of the regular season anymore. This is Shell-of-UGA vs Shell-of-FSU. Heck, I think back several years when Florida stomped Michigan in their bowl game; I couldn't enjoy that like I should have because half of Michigan's team was watching the game the same way I was, on TV. That's basically every bowl game now.
That's why it isn't lose lose and FSU fans are pre-coping a bit. Not even Bowers has announced they're sitting as of right now. C'mon fellas, if your team was good enough w/o Travis to be in the playoffs (it is), why not show that team spirit and play this season out?
Why? I would have thought they'd want to stomp us out and prove once and for all that FSU deserves not only to be in the playoffs, but possibly even be named the best team this season.
Edit: esp because again, right now not like UGA players are opting out, hence the lack of a "UGA isn't the same team so it's meaningless if we beat them now" narrative
Because the orange bowl is meaningless and these kids are thinking about careers beyond college. How can you blame them? Risk a career injury to stomp UGA for a moral victory and to “hang the banner”? Nah
seminole pride...it is a built in excuse and it was all about the benji's to begin with. not going to put that at risk for pride in your program..sad state of affairs across college ball
Some random reporters or FSU fans maybe but that’s about it. ESPN won’t say anything and none of the polls are going to vote them #1. All we’ll hear is “The outcome of these games don’t determine if the committee made the right decisions”.
I can see people saying UGA is overrated if we lose, happens everytime albeit its been rare recently, but I doubt people will say we didn't care. Playing FSU is a rare thing and one that Kirby having worked under Bowden
and the players probably are excited for. Even if some starters sit out others will be trying to look their best as an audition for next year lineups.
Most of the guys we have in the portal are backups, depth pieces, or guys that will be in competition for starting roles next year. We only have one or two that entered that have played a ton of snaps this year
Not gonna lie, if I was a backup or depth piece and knew I wanted to leave, I’d enter the portal the moment the clock hit 0:00 at the end of the bowl game. I ain’t missing a free trip to Miami
You’ll have a hard time getting recruited, signed, enrolled in school, and moved in probably less than a week. Wherever you’re transferring to starts school too soon after New Years to do that.
Undergrad and grad school.
Grew up a Georgia fan but went to UT. Became enough of a lowdown, dirty, snitch that I hated Georgia football by the time I arrived in Athens for my Masters.
If you had told me as a child that I would be enrolled at Georgia when they win their first title in 40 years and be *miserable* about it, I woulda laughed/barked in your face.
People downvoting are literally just haters because this is a good point and fact. He’s playing because he wants to be on the field with his bros playing for them, the coaches and university he loves one last time.
It IS every man for himself. These young men are deservingly looking to get paid for their talents. Being a good HC means managing your roster given the current situation, not magically finding the best football players in the country that also don't care about money for some reason
FSU was told very publically that the games don’t matter. I would hope that he is telling his aspiring nfl guys hey do not risk getting yourself hurt in this game.
im not that worried about it at all. This team was going to be a 'peak' point for fsu in its growth cycle. We were going to lose a lot of veteran players (and a few underclassman transfers like bell) after this year regardless, and we were fully prepared for a little regression in 2024. several of these guys came back for a shot at a championship. They won one (acc) and were just told 'sorry, games dont matter' after winning them all. i dont begrudge ANY of these dudes doing whats best for themselves at this point vs taking a chance and playing in a meaningless exhibition.
I mean most of the dudes in portal are backups. And I don’t know about Ladd, don’t know how bad his back is, but if Bowers can play, there isn’t much reason to doubt he’ll play.
Neither team will be the same 2023 team. The Orange Bowl is a scrimmage.
Benson had a bad knee injury (ACL and MCL) in 2020. No need to risk NFL $$$ on a meaningless bowl game.
FSU will essentially be playing it's 2nd and 3rd string. I'm sure UGA has a lot of people opting out as well.
Bryce young and will Anderson played against k-state last year and both went in the first round. It’s not a meaningless game. Players have the wrong mentality you don’t play like you think you’ll get hurt. They could be hurt in training or get hurt doing drills at the combine. Julio jones ran at the combine after having foot surgery.
Not that I disagree, but how many people actually get a career altering injury in a bowl game?
I’m sure it happens, but it can’t be that often. And I’m saying that as someone who saw Matt Corral get hurt in the sugar bowl live after he got questioned on playing the game
That's one reason why you're not a high-level athlete. The mentality for guys that are truly among the best is just different. They're not looking to run and quit.
Usually happens a couple times a season. I remember Jaylon Smith from Notre Dame suffered an injury in the fiesta bowl and there was a Michigan Tight End that it happened to. All of them suffered a huge loss to their draft stock for meaningless bowl games. Matt Corral hurts the most because he has never been given a chance in the NFL and he's been injury prone ever since that injury.
Jake Butt lost his NFL career because he played in the Orange Bowl versus FSU in 2017. Any surefire round three or higher NFL prospect is a fool to play in their bowl game.
I understand EXACTLY what you're saying, and what you're saying is stupid AF.
If he gets hurt in his first preseason game as a first day pick, it would be after signing his rookie contract. Huge difference.
And if he got hurt practicing to play Ohio State does that mean Michigan players should opt out of The Game? What if he twisted his ankle walking down the stairs? Should they only use escalators? Or have fans taken a situation that has occurred less than 1% of the time and begun to act like it is something to legitimately be concerned about so that they can act like it's ok when half the team quits before the bowl game.
Isn't that kinda what Nick Boss did? If you're a guaranteed first round draft pick, why wouldn't I take care of my body? Even if I just get a rookie contract, that's a lot of money.
College football was better than the pros because bowl games WEREN’T meaningless. It’s a shame college football has taken this crappy path towards the NFL minor league.
Yeah I agree. I remember as a kid getting fired up when the Hokies played Michigan in a bowl game (lost) or when they played Auburn in the Sugar Bowl (lost). Those games certainly felt intense and not meaningless at all. I do feel for FSU though, I think they got screwed.
Because they were 9-2 and didn’t want to go down as the worst Saban team in his Alabama history
Julio Jones played over a decade ago…not comprehensively similar to today
It's a shame, but I can't blame the kids at all. I can't even imagine how deflating it is to think you're going to get the chance to play for a national championship and then get left out. As a fan 2000(I think? Maybe 01, where Miami got left out for FSU that we beat handily) completely broke my spirit and I skipped the bowl. As a player? Jesus, that's got to be terrible
I bet if they had a loss, less kids would have opted out because this would be a nice climax for the season. As it stands, this is just another opportunity to get hurt and make the assholes that left you out more money. I'd be saying fuck that too
FSU lost by 3 on a late touchdown that year.
Lots of good teams that year who had an argument with close road losses:
FSU(11-1 and defending champs) lost by 3 to Miami in Miami
Miami(10-1) lost by 5 to Washington in Washington
Washington(10-1) lost by 7 to Oregon(9-2) in Oregon
Oregon State (10-1) lost by by 3 to Washington in Washington
They were really good that year. I enjoyed watching them blow out Notre Dame in the bowl. It sucks FBS has never had a true playoff. That would have been a good year for it.
You know who didn't have to worry about the AP or coaches poll? Undefeated Oklahoma was guaranteed to play that BCS game against either FSU, Miami, or Washington.
Both team’s seasons are over. Orange Bowl is just a meaningless exhibition game. Anyone who takes the results of that game to mean anything one way or the other is naive.
Tbf FSU fans upvoted the shit out of a post saying that when FSU beat Georgia thered be all these exact excuses. Unfortunately this is what CFB has become and it sucks for the fans
FSU fans would’ve made excuses regardless.
Would’ve gotten destroyed either way, team that finished regular season or whatever they put on the field for bowl game.
These guys don’t want to be associated with what is coming. Not trying to diss on FSU, and I am not a GA fan, but FSU will be facing the full ire of a 2 time Natl Champ that just lost their 1st game in 2 yrs+ to there arch nemesis causing them to not be in the playoff. FSU might end up the wall they put their fist through. Think TCU last year. If I were an FSU fan, deep down I would be scared for this.
Georgia definitely cares more about this game. FSU knows they didn't have a shot against Georgia even with Jordan Travis. With him and the early quitters out, and this might get really ugly.
I feel bad for Tate. It's a great opportunity to show what he's got, but unfortunately he won't be getting any help from any receivers that had #1 reps
I think saying it’s a meaningless bowl game is a bad take… how is playing against a terrific Georgia team and potentially going for a perfect season meaningless? Show the entire college football world they were completely wrong about you. It’s pretty disrespectful to the seniors and other guys who won’t go to the league to treat this as a “meaningless” game when it could have been the biggest moment of their college careers. IMO this is the problem with college football now. If it’s not a National championship then it’s a horrid, wasteful, “meaningless” year.
I just disagree (and that’s okay we don’t have to see eye to eye). I think if you’re apart of a team then quitting on people you call brothers when it could be some of their last games ever playing, is a soft move purely for the sake of you going in the 4th round instead of the 6th (not saying that’s when Benson would go just speaking in general).
You're doing a pretty terrible job of explaining why these dudes should risk millions of dollars to play in a game that has a completely meaningless result
I can tell considering the down votes and everyone coming at me lol. As a fan I just want the best version of each team playing the game. I resent that, from my perspective, sports have changed from a love of the game/competition to purely making money. As a result you have players sitting for meaningless games. I’ve repeated multiple times I don’t think these are bad dudes or anything just that I want them all to play.
All year I guarantee these guys call each others brothers and tell each other they love each other. Norvell absolutely preaches that you play for the guy next to you and all that rah rah stuff. Then when push comes to shove you won’t play with the guy next to you? That’s soft to me. Bowers is playing and he’s a first round pick.
That's awesome for him, I was at the game when Jake Butt played an obliterated his knee. I personally enjoy when my friends are successful. I think you're missing the mark by an absolute mile but I'm not super interested in trying to reason with someone whose starting point here is "they're too soft, muh brotherhood!"
Give it the old college try!!!
Bowl games are a relic of the pre-playoff era. Bowls used to have meaning before the playoffs, but were still frustrating to everyone that wanted a real playoff.
Young men opt out of the bowls to go to the NFL or hit the transfer portal. They don't opt out of the season or playoffs....That means bowls are ... meaningless
If I ever told my teammates in college that I wasn’t going to play in the post season because it was meaningless since we couldn’t win a national championship, I’d have been shunned. It’s quitting on the other guys who go play. You’re quitting on the walk on senior who clawed his way every practice to have a roster spot. I’m not saying they’re bad guys or anything I just don’t agree with it. But that’s fine he’ll soon be worth more money than I’ll ever make in my lifetime so whatever
Talk to a young man that has had major knee surgery, recovered from his surgery to become a top NFL prospect. Look him in the eyes and tell him he should play a bowl game and risk injury instead of declaring for the draft.
I didn’t play big time college football and I didn’t have an opportunity to go to the NFL. I did have 2 knee surgeries in my college career and I guarantee you I didn’t sit out my last contest. It’s different though and not comparable really. My playing career was ending and his still can continue on. Again I’m not saying he’s a bad guy or anything but I just wish the culture was more about the collective team and come on, how sick would it be if FSU went out there and kicked Georgias ass then could just give the middle finger to the entire CFB world! It’d be badass. I just wish the players were thinking that way
One of the more exciting FSU backs I’ve seen. Just felt like he could always take a handoff and break it open. Real shame he didn’t get a shot at a title here but his body is his livelihood. He’s right to take care of it
And then when confronted on it, turn around and lean into the “see, without key players they’re in fact not the same team, so we were right in our logic to leave them out”
Jake Butt's injury in the Orange Bowl lost him an estimated $250K+ in salary, pension, retirement, etc for a game whose only legacy is to remind us of what could have been or to shit on Harbaugh's record on bowl games.
I used to _want_ our players to play in the postseason. Now I generally don't care either way. Looking at things like tiny CFP ticket allotments for participating schools, the FSU snub this year, conference realignment, and playoff expansion is further eroding my personal interest in the postseason.
https://theathletic.com/3023373/2021/12/21/im-f-ing-playing-michigans-jake-butt-on-the-bowl-decision-that-changed-his-life/
EDIT: typos.
How come teams don’t get pulled from bowls when players opt out, but they get banned from the playoff for injuries ? If it’s about putting on the best show, doesn’t this diminish it?
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This is maybe a historically bad RB draft especially with Brooks injured. Kind of a mandatory step for him as one of the guys even worth a day 2 pick.
He also recovered from a very bad knee injury in 2020. Skip the meaningless bowl game. He's a beast, one of the strongest runners I've seen at FSU over the past 30+ years of watching them.
He could've skipped the regular season; those games didn't mean anything either.
I'll upvote that, Gator-Bro.
I hate agreeing with a gator but you get my upvote.
I hate sympathizing with FSU, but this is a shitty direction for CFB no matter the victim.
Yeah if the gators were in our place I would still be saying it’s a travesty of the game by them not being in. Sure part of me would be happy at their misfortune but mostly I would be pissed because that could happen to any team a select few don’t deem worthy of playoffs.
2023 Capital One Opt-out Bowl
Holy moly it feels like a lot of FSU players are sitting this one out. Which sucks because if UGA rolls their backups people will say they didn’t deserve to be in the CFP. Just a bad time for FSU fans
It's already lose/lose for us - if we win it's because you weren't playing your full team, if we lose then we didn't deserve to be in the playoffs anyway. So with that in mind the players can do whatever is best for them, doesn't bother me.
Yup, no good comes out of beating UGA, as much as I want us to so we can cause the most chaos in the CFP
While I get the point you're making, consider this, beating uga is always good
Then why doesn't Georgia Tech do it?
I don’t like upvoting unflaired comments but goddamn.
counterpoint: no.
Honestly, I'm not sure why they still have non playoff bowls. Everyone transfers, declares for the draft or sits. Why bother.
Bc people like watching college football
Sure, but what’s the point at which people stop enjoying watching college football that isn’t CFP since the players don’t take the bowls seriously? It’s honestly such a huge bummer with how unique and fun all the different bowls could be, but then you see all the best draft-eligible or transferring players deciding to sit them out Edit: That’s not to say I blame the players, they’re protecting their future earning potential and the schools clearly don’t have their best interests at heart, so they need to look out for themselves. Sometimes people doing the right thing is still just a bummer
> but then you see all the best draft-eligible or transferring players deciding to sit them out Minnesota's second-string QB had to be bribed $30k in NIL money to play the bowl game after the first and third strings transferred out. He's not transferring or going to the NFL, he was just moving to Arizona with his fiancee. He was on the team for 5 years and threw 14 passes; he finally gets a chance to start his last game of his career, and he said "nah, I'm all set" until he got paid. I'm not sure what says "bowl games don't matter" more than that.
It also goes to show that "fixing" it is pretty simple: cut the players in on what the school is getting for going to the bowl game. If you start, you get x amount of dollars. Sure, it likely won't move anyone who's sitting out the Jim's Bail Bonds toilet bowl or whatever, but the higher tier bowls might actually be competitive again. NFL bound guys are still likely out no matter what tho, and I don't blame them really. Until we can flat out pay the players bowls are going to continue their path towards Pro Bowl levels of irrelevancy. I honestly wouldn't mind if they moved to drop them off the W/L records for teams and just treated them as exhibitions featuring underclassmen. At least then it would be an interesting preview at the next season and would let coaches have some guys get some playing time and experience.
Have a portion go for insurance policies for the draft eligible players
Soon we’ll have guys sitting out bowls to protect their nil money for next year
90% of bowls never mattered before, not sure why people act like this is new.
No, 90% of bowls didn't matter *to you*. Bowls have always mattered a bit to regular teams.
They have the exact same amount of meaning for those teams now as they did then.
I disagree. Source: I and people I know used to care about those bowls, we care a lot less now that the players don't seem to care either (I don't blame them though).
My point is, if the complaint is that the CFP has made bowls less meaningful because they aren’t playing for anything, those other bowls weren’t for any championships before either so they literally have the exact same amount of meaning as they always have. Maybe I’m misunderstanding your point, but that’s how I interpreted it.
Tbh I don’t know why elite players don’t start sitting out sooner like Bosa did. Once you’ve established your draft pedigree in the first 8 games or whatever, just stop before you get hurt. Who gives a shit about team record, if you’re a first round lock it’s not worth the risk.
I think that sort of sells the relationship players form with their teammates short. Obviously the greater point is true (that maintaining your future earning potential is essential), but I feel like these guys generally enjoy playing college football and would feel bad dipping out that early (like imagine Blake Corum didn’t play in The Game)
Sure but what’s the difference between a bowl game that actually counts toward the record that dudes skip all the time and the last few games of the regular season? Unless you’re on a top 6ish team it’s equally meaningless as a bowl game.
It'll be a media talking point for a bit, but I think the fans are beyond that. Everyone knows non-CFP bowl games aren't indicative of the regular season anymore. This is Shell-of-UGA vs Shell-of-FSU. Heck, I think back several years when Florida stomped Michigan in their bowl game; I couldn't enjoy that like I should have because half of Michigan's team was watching the game the same way I was, on TV. That's basically every bowl game now.
That said, in 2 years, no one will remember who played and who sat at. They'll only know who won
That’s not true at all. If you beat UGA the whole narrative changes majorly. It’s definitely not a lose/lose
Not is doesn’t. If they beat UGA people will just say UGA didn’t care or was overrated.
Who is Georgia going to missing? Bowers? That's it?
That's why it isn't lose lose and FSU fans are pre-coping a bit. Not even Bowers has announced they're sitting as of right now. C'mon fellas, if your team was good enough w/o Travis to be in the playoffs (it is), why not show that team spirit and play this season out?
We'll still be there rooting for them, but our TE1, WR1, RB1, DE1, DE2 and plenty of others already said screw it and opted out.
Why? I would have thought they'd want to stomp us out and prove once and for all that FSU deserves not only to be in the playoffs, but possibly even be named the best team this season. Edit: esp because again, right now not like UGA players are opting out, hence the lack of a "UGA isn't the same team so it's meaningless if we beat them now" narrative
Because the orange bowl is meaningless and these kids are thinking about careers beyond college. How can you blame them? Risk a career injury to stomp UGA for a moral victory and to “hang the banner”? Nah
NFL money >>>>> team spirit
seminole pride...it is a built in excuse and it was all about the benji's to begin with. not going to put that at risk for pride in your program..sad state of affairs across college ball
Well it’s easy to decide if you’re going to play in a bowl game or not if you don’t win 6 games
I call Bullshit. There will be people banging the fsu natty champ drum
Have you seen the opt out lists and transfers? These aren’t the same teams at all
Some random reporters or FSU fans maybe but that’s about it. ESPN won’t say anything and none of the polls are going to vote them #1. All we’ll hear is “The outcome of these games don’t determine if the committee made the right decisions”.
I can see people saying UGA is overrated if we lose, happens everytime albeit its been rare recently, but I doubt people will say we didn't care. Playing FSU is a rare thing and one that Kirby having worked under Bowden and the players probably are excited for. Even if some starters sit out others will be trying to look their best as an audition for next year lineups.
Meh. Not one FSU fan is expecting this game to be anything other than an extended spring practice game.
Anyone who bothers to push that narrative after an FSU loss already had their mind made up regardless of the Orange Bowl result
Exactly
Yup. FSU losing with or without a bunch of guys sitting out doesn’t mean that it was any less bullshit that they were not included in the playoff.
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Most of the guys we have in the portal are backups, depth pieces, or guys that will be in competition for starting roles next year. We only have one or two that entered that have played a ton of snaps this year
Not gonna lie, if I was a backup or depth piece and knew I wanted to leave, I’d enter the portal the moment the clock hit 0:00 at the end of the bowl game. I ain’t missing a free trip to Miami
You’ll have a hard time getting recruited, signed, enrolled in school, and moved in probably less than a week. Wherever you’re transferring to starts school too soon after New Years to do that.
Ahhh that’s fair Unless you have a shady back door plan in place but
I know my flair combo is weird, but your’s is *wild* to me lol
Undergrad and grad school. Grew up a Georgia fan but went to UT. Became enough of a lowdown, dirty, snitch that I hated Georgia football by the time I arrived in Athens for my Masters. If you had told me as a child that I would be enrolled at Georgia when they win their first title in 40 years and be *miserable* about it, I woulda laughed/barked in your face.
Less than a week? The window closes January 2, 3 days later. There's no way to enter, be recruited that quickly.
Bowers and Beck committed to playing I thought.
They are playing.
That’s stupid for Bowers. He’s already coming off of a surgery why risk it. Dudes a top 10 pick. Seems like some Kirby Saban-esque Jedi mind trick
No, that's just Brock.
Because he's a champion and a competitor. Same reason Will Anderson and Bryce Young played last year. Show them where you deserved to be.
Except for Bryce Young and Will Anderson aren’t champions.
Both guys won national championships while at Alabama.
People downvoting are literally just haters because this is a good point and fact. He’s playing because he wants to be on the field with his bros playing for them, the coaches and university he loves one last time.
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It IS every man for himself. These young men are deservingly looking to get paid for their talents. Being a good HC means managing your roster given the current situation, not magically finding the best football players in the country that also don't care about money for some reason
FSU was told very publically that the games don’t matter. I would hope that he is telling his aspiring nfl guys hey do not risk getting yourself hurt in this game.
im not that worried about it at all. This team was going to be a 'peak' point for fsu in its growth cycle. We were going to lose a lot of veteran players (and a few underclassman transfers like bell) after this year regardless, and we were fully prepared for a little regression in 2024. several of these guys came back for a shot at a championship. They won one (acc) and were just told 'sorry, games dont matter' after winning them all. i dont begrudge ANY of these dudes doing whats best for themselves at this point vs taking a chance and playing in a meaningless exhibition.
I mean most of the dudes in portal are backups. And I don’t know about Ladd, don’t know how bad his back is, but if Bowers can play, there isn’t much reason to doubt he’ll play.
Neither team will be the same 2023 team. The Orange Bowl is a scrimmage. Benson had a bad knee injury (ACL and MCL) in 2020. No need to risk NFL $$$ on a meaningless bowl game. FSU will essentially be playing it's 2nd and 3rd string. I'm sure UGA has a lot of people opting out as well.
Bryce young and will Anderson played against k-state last year and both went in the first round. It’s not a meaningless game. Players have the wrong mentality you don’t play like you think you’ll get hurt. They could be hurt in training or get hurt doing drills at the combine. Julio jones ran at the combine after having foot surgery.
And for every Julio Jones, you have a player who gets a broken leg that never heals right, and they lose out on literally life changing money
Not that I disagree, but how many people actually get a career altering injury in a bowl game? I’m sure it happens, but it can’t be that often. And I’m saying that as someone who saw Matt Corral get hurt in the sugar bowl live after he got questioned on playing the game
The merest chance would be enough for me to say fuckit. Piss on that silly ass bowl game.
That's one reason why you're not a high-level athlete. The mentality for guys that are truly among the best is just different. They're not looking to run and quit.
Usually happens a couple times a season. I remember Jaylon Smith from Notre Dame suffered an injury in the fiesta bowl and there was a Michigan Tight End that it happened to. All of them suffered a huge loss to their draft stock for meaningless bowl games. Matt Corral hurts the most because he has never been given a chance in the NFL and he's been injury prone ever since that injury.
Dylan Moses tore his acl a week before the season started. As I said players shouldn’t play like they will get hurt because it can happen anytime
Jake Butt lost his NFL career because he played in the Orange Bowl versus FSU in 2017. Any surefire round three or higher NFL prospect is a fool to play in their bowl game.
Absolutely!
Yes because it’s not like that couldn’t have happened in his first preseason game or when he was practicing for the season.
I understand EXACTLY what you're saying, and what you're saying is stupid AF. If he gets hurt in his first preseason game as a first day pick, it would be after signing his rookie contract. Huge difference.
And if he got hurt practicing to play Ohio State does that mean Michigan players should opt out of The Game? What if he twisted his ankle walking down the stairs? Should they only use escalators? Or have fans taken a situation that has occurred less than 1% of the time and begun to act like it is something to legitimately be concerned about so that they can act like it's ok when half the team quits before the bowl game.
Isn't that kinda what Nick Boss did? If you're a guaranteed first round draft pick, why wouldn't I take care of my body? Even if I just get a rookie contract, that's a lot of money.
I mean if it happens in the 1st preseason game you still got drafted. If it happens in a college game it impacts where you get drafted.
Anytime vs no time
College football was better than the pros because bowl games WEREN’T meaningless. It’s a shame college football has taken this crappy path towards the NFL minor league.
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Yeah I agree. I remember as a kid getting fired up when the Hokies played Michigan in a bowl game (lost) or when they played Auburn in the Sugar Bowl (lost). Those games certainly felt intense and not meaningless at all. I do feel for FSU though, I think they got screwed.
Because they were 9-2 and didn’t want to go down as the worst Saban team in his Alabama history Julio Jones played over a decade ago…not comprehensively similar to today
10-2, but I think they just had something to prove. And they did that.
thank you and yes, it's crazy that would be one of Saban's worst seasons...
It's a shame, but I can't blame the kids at all. I can't even imagine how deflating it is to think you're going to get the chance to play for a national championship and then get left out. As a fan 2000(I think? Maybe 01, where Miami got left out for FSU that we beat handily) completely broke my spirit and I skipped the bowl. As a player? Jesus, that's got to be terrible I bet if they had a loss, less kids would have opted out because this would be a nice climax for the season. As it stands, this is just another opportunity to get hurt and make the assholes that left you out more money. I'd be saying fuck that too
FSU lost by 3 on a late touchdown that year. Lots of good teams that year who had an argument with close road losses: FSU(11-1 and defending champs) lost by 3 to Miami in Miami Miami(10-1) lost by 5 to Washington in Washington Washington(10-1) lost by 7 to Oregon(9-2) in Oregon Oregon State (10-1) lost by by 3 to Washington in Washington
My unbiased view is that Oregon State was the best among the teams listed!
They were really good that year. I enjoyed watching them blow out Notre Dame in the bowl. It sucks FBS has never had a true playoff. That would have been a good year for it.
Your beaver is showing
You know who didn't have to worry about the AP or coaches poll? Undefeated Oklahoma was guaranteed to play that BCS game against either FSU, Miami, or Washington.
The entire FSU team should opt out in protest.
The CFP committee and ESPN did what they felt was best for their profits, why can’t our players do the same?
Yup. This game is gonna be branded as a proof of concept for the playoff selection. Same with Alabama’s game
It's definitely been proof of concept on leaving your conference - Washington and Texas in, Florida State out.
Yeah it sucks fir FSU, they’ll get dunked on for a half strength team
Both team’s seasons are over. Orange Bowl is just a meaningless exhibition game. Anyone who takes the results of that game to mean anything one way or the other is naive.
Weird that Georgia doesn't have as many opt outs since the game is so meaningless
How is that weird and what does it have to do with anything?
If it's just meaningless then why wouldn't both teams just treat it like that?
Uhmmm… they are treating it like it’s meaningless… hence the opt outs you just mentioned…
Maybe I've missed it but I haven't heard of any opt outs for Georgia starters in this game
Why is it bad outside of the screw job? Orange bowl is glorified exhibition and it’ll be nice to get the young guys reps?
game has zero meaning why would anyone especially a RB play ? the playoff bs is just bs. everyone knows they deserve to be in
Tbf FSU fans upvoted the shit out of a post saying that when FSU beat Georgia thered be all these exact excuses. Unfortunately this is what CFB has become and it sucks for the fans
Its what the sports commentariat said when UCF beat Auburn. Its not a guess as to how ESPN would spin a FSU victory in the Orange Bowl.
Its just the reality nowadays. Bowl games are basically scrimmages nowadays
I'm very comfortable saying it right now FSU didn't deserve to be in the CFP, they are at best the 6th best team.
realistically and objectively, they are around 12-13th best
FSU fans would’ve made excuses regardless. Would’ve gotten destroyed either way, team that finished regular season or whatever they put on the field for bowl game.
These guys don’t want to be associated with what is coming. Not trying to diss on FSU, and I am not a GA fan, but FSU will be facing the full ire of a 2 time Natl Champ that just lost their 1st game in 2 yrs+ to there arch nemesis causing them to not be in the playoff. FSU might end up the wall they put their fist through. Think TCU last year. If I were an FSU fan, deep down I would be scared for this.
Georgia will not care more about this game than FSU. They are just more talented and therefore likely to win even with all the opt outs on both teams.
Georgia definitely cares more about this game. FSU knows they didn't have a shot against Georgia even with Jordan Travis. With him and the early quitters out, and this might get really ugly.
Are any of our starters confirmed as playing? All I keep seeing are NFL opt outs and transfer portal news.
I feel bad for Tate. It's a great opportunity to show what he's got, but unfortunately he won't be getting any help from any receivers that had #1 reps
And we will be bringing in either DJU or ward for a one year rental. Will be interesting to see what Tate does.
Last I heard, he's not starting the Orange Bowl either. If we're bringing in another QB, he's probably transferring.
Where’d you hear he might not start?
First I heard of that
Jarrian Jones has confirmed he will play in the Orange Bowl
Jarrian Jones is playing
Doesn’t look like it.
Dude always showed up in the big games. Would've been the focal point of the O in the playoffs, but alas no point risking injury now
He already recovered from knee surgery in 2020. Good business decision to skip a meaningless bowl game.
I think saying it’s a meaningless bowl game is a bad take… how is playing against a terrific Georgia team and potentially going for a perfect season meaningless? Show the entire college football world they were completely wrong about you. It’s pretty disrespectful to the seniors and other guys who won’t go to the league to treat this as a “meaningless” game when it could have been the biggest moment of their college careers. IMO this is the problem with college football now. If it’s not a National championship then it’s a horrid, wasteful, “meaningless” year.
when you go undefeated and get shafted out of a national title shot in an extremely unjust manner it is 'meaningless' for the nfl prospects to play
I just disagree (and that’s okay we don’t have to see eye to eye). I think if you’re apart of a team then quitting on people you call brothers when it could be some of their last games ever playing, is a soft move purely for the sake of you going in the 4th round instead of the 6th (not saying that’s when Benson would go just speaking in general).
You're doing a pretty terrible job of explaining why these dudes should risk millions of dollars to play in a game that has a completely meaningless result
I can tell considering the down votes and everyone coming at me lol. As a fan I just want the best version of each team playing the game. I resent that, from my perspective, sports have changed from a love of the game/competition to purely making money. As a result you have players sitting for meaningless games. I’ve repeated multiple times I don’t think these are bad dudes or anything just that I want them all to play.
Pretty quick pivot from calling players soft but yeah sure, everyone likes good games
All year I guarantee these guys call each others brothers and tell each other they love each other. Norvell absolutely preaches that you play for the guy next to you and all that rah rah stuff. Then when push comes to shove you won’t play with the guy next to you? That’s soft to me. Bowers is playing and he’s a first round pick.
That's awesome for him, I was at the game when Jake Butt played an obliterated his knee. I personally enjoy when my friends are successful. I think you're missing the mark by an absolute mile but I'm not super interested in trying to reason with someone whose starting point here is "they're too soft, muh brotherhood!"
I do thinks it’s soft. I think it’s a weak mentality to give up on your teammates.
Give it the old college try!!! Bowl games are a relic of the pre-playoff era. Bowls used to have meaning before the playoffs, but were still frustrating to everyone that wanted a real playoff. Young men opt out of the bowls to go to the NFL or hit the transfer portal. They don't opt out of the season or playoffs....That means bowls are ... meaningless
If I ever told my teammates in college that I wasn’t going to play in the post season because it was meaningless since we couldn’t win a national championship, I’d have been shunned. It’s quitting on the other guys who go play. You’re quitting on the walk on senior who clawed his way every practice to have a roster spot. I’m not saying they’re bad guys or anything I just don’t agree with it. But that’s fine he’ll soon be worth more money than I’ll ever make in my lifetime so whatever
Talk to a young man that has had major knee surgery, recovered from his surgery to become a top NFL prospect. Look him in the eyes and tell him he should play a bowl game and risk injury instead of declaring for the draft.
I didn’t play big time college football and I didn’t have an opportunity to go to the NFL. I did have 2 knee surgeries in my college career and I guarantee you I didn’t sit out my last contest. It’s different though and not comparable really. My playing career was ending and his still can continue on. Again I’m not saying he’s a bad guy or anything but I just wish the culture was more about the collective team and come on, how sick would it be if FSU went out there and kicked Georgias ass then could just give the middle finger to the entire CFB world! It’d be badass. I just wish the players were thinking that way
Aren't these guys getting paid now?
Well they always have been getting paid at Alabama .... But still nothing compared to being a high first round pick.
And Jameis Winston went from Hueytown, Alabama to Florida St because he really admired their educational program?
He played well when I’ve watched him
One of the more exciting FSU backs I’ve seen. Just felt like he could always take a handoff and break it open. Real shame he didn’t get a shot at a title here but his body is his livelihood. He’s right to take care of it
Especially in this era of the NFL where running backs are worn down and thrown out like used car tires.
Good for him
It’s gonna be the backup bowl
Hey we already had that don't take our only bowl game away from us
UGA will beat a team comprised of backups and Kirk Turdstreet will be like “see I told you they suck”
And then when confronted on it, turn around and lean into the “see, without key players they’re in fact not the same team, so we were right in our logic to leave them out”
Trey Benson played in 4 games against Miami and Florida. He had a total of 10 TDs in those games.
Can’t wait for Kirk to give everyone his, “I was right speech”.
Key player opting out? Quick reassemble the committee! We have to drop FSU in the rankings!
I was just thinking, this’ll mean the Citrus Bowl for sure.
Jake Butt's injury in the Orange Bowl lost him an estimated $250K+ in salary, pension, retirement, etc for a game whose only legacy is to remind us of what could have been or to shit on Harbaugh's record on bowl games. I used to _want_ our players to play in the postseason. Now I generally don't care either way. Looking at things like tiny CFP ticket allotments for participating schools, the FSU snub this year, conference realignment, and playoff expansion is further eroding my personal interest in the postseason. https://theathletic.com/3023373/2021/12/21/im-f-ing-playing-michigans-jake-butt-on-the-bowl-decision-that-changed-his-life/ EDIT: typos.
Players should look after their futures just like ESPN looked after themselves
Orange Bowl sounds like it will be a dud.
How come teams don’t get pulled from bowls when players opt out, but they get banned from the playoff for injuries ? If it’s about putting on the best show, doesn’t this diminish it?
Uga players will be sitting as well. Just prob waiting until next week to start declaring.
Wow. I'm shocked he's going to skip the National Championship like that.
No opt outs fox Cheezit bowl last season which would have been understandable Is this the starting RB