Since they were left out of the College Football Playoff, Florida State has made ESPN an enemy, with many believing that the network’s influence had an impact on their exclusion.

Florida State athletic director Michael Alford said that in his estimation, the Seminoles’ fate had been decided before the official announcement of the four included teams.

When I kind of knew — when it hit me — walking to the bus out of the locker room with some players, the conversation between the two of them was one of them saying, ‘We’re not going,’ and the other one saying, ‘What are you talking about?’,” Alford said on SirusXM Radio.

“And this player, who is no longer with us, is going, ‘Follow the money. We’re not gonna be in. Alabama won. We’re not going.’”

Alford said that when he saw that ESPN’s Marty Smith was in Tuscaloosa instead of Tallahassee, it began to set in that Florida State would not be included.

Harry Lyles Jr. was covering Florida State, and Alford said that when he realized one of the top college football reporters wasn’t on their campus, it became clear.

“I did not get really worried until I saw that,” he said. “And, then I kind of knew, ‘OK, we may not be in here.’ And then, when Texas popped up, I knew for sure that it was not going to be us.”

Florida State was indeed left out of the playoff – the first undefeated Power Five champion to be left out – a decision that has influenced their desire to leave the ACC.