CFP director decries threats made against committee: 'We are terribly disappointed'
HOUSTON — There is little question that this season's College Football Playoff has been the most controversial edition of the four-team tournament since its implementation back in 2014.
Though there is always some debate around which teams make it into the postseason since the current format was implemented a decade ago, the decision to leave out previously undefeated and ACC champion Florida State has produced so much backlash that the College Football Playoff itself has had to hire extra security for many involved.
Speaking a few hours ahead of the national championship game at NRG Stadium between No. 1 Michigan and fellow undefeated No. 2 Washington (7:30 p.m. ET), College Football Playoff Executive Director Bill Hancock said that threats of violence directed toward the organization, mostly from the state of Florida and Seminoles fans, had even prompted the involvement of the FBI.
"We are terribly disappointed," said Hancock. "It's ridiculous because the committee is full of highly technical people that don't react to any outside influences. It's been terribly disappointing."
Hancock confirmed that threats had been made to the offices and homes of several Selection Committee members as well as CFP leadership and their headquarters in the Dallas area.
"Some of it was really unfortunate," said Hancock. "We got a threat on my house."
In addition to personal intimidation from fans, the Playoff is also the subject of an investigation from the Florida attorney general.
"It's an honor to give something back to the game that you love," Mississippi State President Mark Keenum remarked. "(The committee) followed their process to a T, okay? And I do believe they got it right and we have the four best teams in the Playoff. We've got the two best teams playing for the national championship. Is there disappointment when your team doesn't make it? Absolutely. And I feel for them. But to criticize or threaten people that were just doing their job and doing the process, it was very unfair."
Keenum, who doubles as chair of the CFP Board of Managers, also confirmed that no decisions would be made regarding the format of next year's expanded 12-team Playoff despite nearly three hours of meetings at the Four Seasons Hotel in a rain-soaked Houston ahead of the title game.
Back in November, conference commissioners had recommended a move to having five automatic qualifiers and seven at-large teams starting in 2024 as a result of realignment and the untimely demise of the Pac-12 — changing from the previously agreed upon six and six split — but ultimately the school presidents which make up the board and needed unanimous approval to make such a change agreed to delay things further.
At the heart of the matter was Washington State and Oregon State, acting on behalf of the Pac-12 conference they now control, asking for a few weeks to sort out some potential legal matters between them and the league's 10 departing programs.
"I would be shocked if we do not have a five-seven format for this coming Playoff," Keenum made sure to say. "I just think that, out of respect for our colleagues in the Pac-12. They asked for a bit more time for us to consider it. We as a board thought that was a reasonable request regarding that."
The expectation by all involved in the decision-making process is that a final vote will take place within the next month. Many of the leaders from across college athletics in charge of the growing organization are scheduled to meet again in person in the spring but the topics of format and any potential revenue changes are likely to be decided virtually at some point in late January or early February.
The board did, however, approve a rule change that conferences must have eight football members for their conference champion to earn an automatic qualifying bid — leading to a potential bye in the process for those four teams ranked highest in the standings.
On that, it seems, there was no controversy to be had.
Bryan Fischer is a college football writer for FOX Sports. He has been covering college athletics for nearly two decades at outlets such as NBC Sports, CBS Sports, Yahoo! Sports and NFL.com among others. Follow him on Twitter at @BryanDFischer.
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