The Orange Bowl, one of college football’s biggest postseason games since its inception in 1935, won’t be the same this season. Although the bowl game will feature the back-to-back national champion Georgia Bulldogs against the undefeated Florida State Seminoles, many unfamiliar faces will take the field the day before New Year’s Eve. Per national college football writer Matt Hayes, nearly 40 players between the Bulldogs and Seminoles will miss the Orange Bowl due to transferring or prepping for the NFL draft.
Nearly 40 players combined from both teams opting out or transferring.
Sounds like a lovely Orange Bowl. https://t.co/JV9ixXkJhP
— Matt Hayes (@MattHayesCFB) December 27, 2023
It has become more commonplace for players not participating in the College Football Playoff to opt out of their team’s bowl game to avoid injury. However, new rules from the NCAA regarding Name, Imagine, and Likeness (NIL) and transfer rules have led to players entering the transfer portal at unprecedented rates.
Florida State Seminoles: Down 19 Players for Orange Bowl
The Seminoles will be out 19 players for their Orange Bowl clash with the Georgia Bulldogs, per College Sports Only on Twitter (also known as X). Star quarterback Jordan Travis, who was pacing Heisman Caliber numbers before suffering a gruesome leg injury late in the season, had no chance to play in this game. However, Backup QB Tate Rodemaker entered the transfer portal earlier this week, leaving the Seminoles down their top two options.
Star running back Trey Benson, tight end Jaheim Bell, and wide receivers Keon Coleman and Johnny Wilson, among others, have opted out to partake in NFL prep. Benson posted 1,133 scrimmage yards and 15 scores in 13 games, while Wilson and Coleman were the top two receiving options for the Noles this season. Running back Rodney Hill and tight end Markeston Douglas had great opportunities to step up in the absence of Benson and Bell, but both entered the transfer portal.
Georgia Bulldogs: NFL Prep Robs Kirby Smart’s Squad of High-End Playmaker
Unlike the Seminoles, the Georgia Bulldogs will have their starting backfield in tack for the Orange Bowl. However, star tight end Brock Bowers, who led the team in receiving yards, receptions, and touchdowns, will not dress as he prepares for the NFL draft. Star offensive lineman Amarius Mims will also opt out of his team’s bowl game against the Florida State Seminoles.
The transfer portal has also taken talent from the Bulldogs, albeit mainly backup and rotation pieces. Backup quarterback Brock Vandagriff, linebackers Marvin Jones Jr., C.J. Madden, Darris Smith, Xavian Sorey Jr., and Jamon Dumas-Johnson, and defensive back Nyland Green, among others, have entered the transfer portal. Dumas-Johnson and Jones Jr. are the most significant losses, combining for 22.5 TFLs and 11.5 sacks during their time with the Bulldogs.
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