Sports

Orange Bowl Cancels Media Event After Coaches Looked Miserable In Intro Presser Fanning Boycott Conspiracy Flames

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An Orange Bowl logo on a trophy plaque.

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More news has come out of the Orange Bowl causing boycott rumors to run wild. A media event involving the head coaches of both teams was canceled.

It comes following an introductory press conference in which Mike Norvell and Kirby Smart looked absolutely miserable.

Both of these teams entered the final week of the season with national championship aspirations. Both would end up on the outside looking in when all was said and done.

Georgia was upset by Alabama in the SEC Championship, halting a 29-game winning streak. The Bulldogs won’t be able to defend their crown after winning the last two college football titles.

Florida State, on the other hand, was able to cap a 13-0 season with an ACC Championship win over Louisville. In an unprecedented decision, however, the Seminoles were left out of the CFP field.

Alabama got the nod due to that previously mentioned upset, making the Seminoles the first undefeated Power Five conference champ to be held out of the playoff.

After combining to go 25-1, both head coaches were visibly deflated with the Orange Bowl invite. Neither looked like they wanted to be in attendance while speaking at the introductory press conference.

The ‘Noles had the biggest gripe after that perfect season, believing the committee had a vendetta against the program. In the end, it picked who they believed to be the four best teams at this point in the year, deeming an injury to starting quarterback Jordan Travis enough for the FSU absence.

Now, some ‘Noles fans dug up receipts suggesting that a narrative to omit Florida State was formed prior to that injury, but as it stands, they landed at No. 5 in the CFP rankings.

Outraged Seminole supporters immediately called for a boycott of the Orange Bowl, and the recent press conference cancellation has only fanned the flames.

Orange Bowl cancellation sparks boycott conspiracies

Social media erupted to the news, with many believing it showed Florida State’s lack of motivation to play in the contest.

“FSU is doing everything possible NOT to play this game.”

“Have two teams ever not wanted to play in a bowl game as much as this one?”

“I heard today that FSU is considering a last-minute boycott. Wouldn’t blame them.”

“It would not shock me if the players voted to skip the Orange Bowl.”

While those conspiracies are entertaining to delve into, this is likely just a scheduling conflict. With the transfer portal opening up on Monday, coaches must recruit both their own players and those looking to find a new home in 2024.

There’s been no report on either team looking to back out of the bowl game to this point. We’ll see if that changes before December 30th.