Another quarterback entered the NCAA’s transfer portal on Christmas. Joining Jayden de Laura is Florida State quarterback Tate Rodemaker, who you might have heard of.
Bruce Feldman reported on Rodemaker’s decision to transfer.
“FSU QB Tate Rodemaker, who took over after Jordan Travis was injured and lost for the season, has told the Noles staff that he plans to enter the portal and that he will not play in the Orange Bowl vs. Georgia,” Feldman said. As he noted, Matt Zenitz was first to report the news.
Rodemaker took over for the injured Jordan Travis towards the end of FSU’s 2023 season. The Seminoles went undefeated despite that, and despite Rodemaker sustaining a concussion that kept him out of the ACC Championship Game.
Much you know the story by now. Despite a pristine 13-0 record, the College Football Playoff committee left the ‘Noles out of the playoff. Instead, Texas and Alabama, both one-loss teams, got in over FSU. The reasoning and rationale weren’t sound but mostly centered around quarterback play.
Which, of course, makes this decision loom large. The Orange Bowl doesn’t look nearly as appetizing as it would have had this not occurred. A swath of opt-outs might make the game tough to gauge and watch. That’s unfortunate, considering all the circumstances. But such is life in the new world of college football.
About Chris Novak
Chris Novak has been talking and writing about sports ever since he can remember. Previously, Novak wrote for and managed sites in the SB Nation network for nearly a decade from 2013-2022