Miami, Florida - Since their College Football Playoff (CFP) snub, Florida State has been on a downward spiral.

Following ACC championship weekend, where undefeated Florida State emerged as the team to beat, the College Football Playoff committee's controversial decision to rank them behind Alabama stirred up trouble for the Seminoles. There's since been a series of challenges for Florida State, both on and off the field.

In the wake of the CFP committee's decision, the Seminoles took legal action by filing lawsuits against both the committee and, subsequently, the ACC, aiming for an early departure from the conference.

The turmoil extended beyond legal matters, with a noticeable exodus of players leaving the program. Among them is starting quarterback Tate Rodemaker, who entered the transfer portal. His departure leaves Florida State relying on their third-string passer, Brock Glenn.

What adds a twist to Rodemaker's transfer is the involvement of Head Coach Mike Norvell. It appears Norvell may have actively encouraged Rodemaker to explore the transfer portal, suggesting Florida's starting quarterback position would have been filled by a recruit from the portal regardless - even if Rodemaker had stayed.

As the drama unfolds, Florida State finds itself navigating challenges both in player retention and coaching decisions, setting the stage for an uncertain future for the promising team.

Heading into this Saturday's Orange Bowl clash against the two-time defending national champions Georgia, the Seminoles were already dealing with a shortage of players.

Florida State will be missing key athletes like top receivers Johnny Wilson and Keon Coleman, running back Trey Benson, and edge rusher Jared Verse, who decided to skip the Orange Bowl to focus on preparing for the NFL draft.

The Seminoles have also lost linebacker DJ Lundy and quarterback AJ Duffy to the transfer portal.

When it comes to Rodemaker deciding to leave the Seminoles, fans seem to fully support the redshirt Junior's choice.

Coach Norvell has made it clear Rodemaker wasn't seen as the future leader of the team. This became more evident as Norvell actively recruited veteran quarterbacks, such as Cam Ward and DJ Uiagalelei, both of whom recently visited the Florida State campus.

Instead of nurturing Rodemaker, who led Florida State to the ACC championships after starter Jordan Travis's season-ending injury in week 12, Norvell and the coaching staff subtly indicated Rodemaker should explore his development elsewhere. It looks like they're searching for an experienced quarterback to lead the team in the upcoming season and ditching Rodemaker, who stayed loyal to the program for years.

In the past, players have often faced scrutiny for transferring when faced with challenges. Coach Norvell, however, could be seen as a prime example of a coach basically doing something similar.

The 2023 Orange Bowl is going down December 30 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida at 4 PM EST on ESPN.