Perhaps the only place that Tua Tagovailoa is more popular than the state of Florida is sweet, home Alabama.
On Monday night, the Manning Brothers had the Crimson Tide’s most popular active NFL player weigh in on the biggest sports story in both states — and seemed to suggest that Florida State was unfairly excluded from the College Football Playoff.
Baited into discussing the controversy by Eli Manning during his appearance on the ESPN2 broadcast of Monday night’s game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Jacksonville Jaguars, the Miami Dolphins’ QB1 gave a fascinating answer, given his college allegiances.
Former Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa Expresses Sympathy for Florida State
“Do I think it’s fair? I don’t think it’s fair,” Tagovailoa said of Florida State’s snub. “But do I think it’s right? That too, I don’t know. It’s one of those deals where you got to leave it up to the committee’s decision and allow them to make that decision.”
The backstory for those just getting off a wifi-less cruiseship: The CFP selection committee put one-loss Alabama into the playoff field over the Seminoles, who won the ACC with an undefeated record.
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Part of the rationale for making FSU the first undefeated Power 5 team ever to be left out of the playoff? The Noles were a diminished team with Jordan Travis’ season-ending injury.
That unprecedented decision triggered a furious response in Florida — with elected officials joining FSU officials in condemning the committee.
Tagovailoa is a big part of the College Football Playoff’s young history, and his overtime touchdown pass to Devonta Smith to win the 2017-’18 title might be the tournament’s signature moment.
Nick Saban replaced an ineffective Jalen Hurts with Tagovailoa a halftime of that game, arguably the boldest moment in Saban’s storied career.
Tua was the starter when Bama returned to college football’s championship game the next year, which they lost to Clemson.
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