Florida State has so many players who will not play in the Orange Bowl

Florida State University football coach Mike Norvell speaks during a collegiate athletics roundtable held by Gov. Ron DeSantis at the Albert J. Dunlap Athletic Training Facility on the FSU campus on Aug. 11 in Tallahassee. Photo Credit: Tori Lynn Schneider/Tallahassee Democrat via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Saturday’s Orange Bowl game between Florida State and Georgia is going to be a joke as far as the Seminoles are concerned.

Florida State was placed in the game after being denied a spot in the College Football Playoff despite going 13-0 and winning the ACC. Since they got rejected by the CFP, the Noles have experienced a series of opt-outs or players transferring ahead of the Orange Bowl.

On Monday, we learned that backup quarterback Tate Rodemaker would not be playing in the game. Rodemaker had taken over as the team’s starting quarterback following the season-ending leg injury to Jordan Travis.

Florida State QB Tate Rodemaker, who took over as FSU’s starter after Jordan Travis' injury, has informed the FSU staff that he plans to enter the transfer portal, a source tells @247sports.

He won't be playing in the Orange Bowl matchup vs. Georgia.https://t.co/cr6Tn2UxwK pic.twitter.com/tejI78vnpr

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) December 25, 2023

Between players choosing not to play in the bowl game and those leaving via the transfer portal, FSU will be without more than 20 players for the Orange Bowl. They’ll be down to their No. 3 QB Brock Glenn as their starter.

#FSU QB Brock Glenn on the opportunity to play on Saturday against Georgia.

“When I first started, if you ever told me this would happen, this story, I wouldn’t believe you. It’s God’s plan and his process and I trust the process and I’m excited for the opportunity.” #Noles pic.twitter.com/06NKIlYVbP

— Logan B. Robinson (@LogansTwitty) December 27, 2023

The Noles will be without their top two wide receivers, top tight end, two of their running backs, and several players from their defense. They will look like a shell of the team we saw fight to achieve an undefeated record.

Make that

QB1
QB2
WR1
WR2
RB1
RB2
RB3
TE1
TE3
OL2

DE1
DT1
DB1a
DB1b
LB2
S1

The backup QB is a walk on that I’ve never heard of.

The backup RB is a WR

Really not sure why we’re even playing this game. I guess $ is $ and we have to though. https://t.co/3cTCQehC5Z

— Matt Smith (@SamENole) December 26, 2023

A matchup between the No. 5-ranked team and No. 6-ranked team would ordinarily be a great one, but in this case, we could be looking at a very forgettable game.