Florida's Attorney General wants more details on how the College Football Playoff committee decided to exclude unbeaten Florida State University (FSU) from its postseason tourney.
"The NCAA, the conferences and the College Football Playoff selection committee are subject to antitrust laws. We are launching an investigation to examine if the committee was involved in anti-competitive conduct in its unprecedented decision as it stands," Ashley Moody said in a video filmed on FSU's Tallahassee campus.
Moody's Civil Investigation Demand seeks a voluminous amount of information about the selection process, including "communications relating to deliberations to or from the SEC, ACC, NCAA, ESPN, Group of Five conferences, Power Five conferences or any other person relating to the deliberations."
Additionally, Moody's office wants "all documents relating to public statements relating to the deliberations, including media talking points and interview notes," and documents "relating to restrictions of the Conferences against having alternate playoff schedules" along with documents "showing compensation of members in 2023."
"We are also seeking information about software or programs used to record or tally votes," Moody said, noting that none of this will restore FSU to playoff status this year.
"This process won't be quick, and unfortunately, we don't expect it will change this season's playoffs. But every college football program including the 13 Division I schools in Florida deserves to know if the committee is stacking the deck. I have faith in our antitrust division to get to the bottom of the matter and take appropriate action if warranted."
Gov. Ron DeSantis has already pledged $1 million from the new state budget to sue the College Football Playoff committee, assuming that grounds for a legal challenge actually exist.
"If you think about the damages, being in that College Football Playoff versus being in the Orange Bowl is a big, big difference," DeSantis said in Iowa last week.
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