Florida State to Pay Memphis $1.3 Million for Loss

Why is Florida State paying Memphis so much money?

Florida State University will pay the University of Memphis $1.3 million for its loss in Saturday's football game. The payment is part of a two-year agreement between the two schools that calls for Florida State to pay Memphis $1 million for each game played in Tallahassee and $2 million for each game played in Memphis.

The contract between Florida State and Memphis

The contract between Florida State and Memphis was signed in 2021 and runs through the 2023 season. The contract also includes a provision that allows either school to terminate the agreement with 30 days' notice.

The payment to Memphis is the largest that Florida State has ever paid to an opponent for a loss. The previous record was $1 million, which Florida State paid to Alabama in 2017.

Why is this payment so controversial?

The payment to Memphis has been criticized by some fans and media members, who argue that it is a waste of money. They argue that Florida State should not be paying so much money to a team that it defeated by 41 points.

However, Florida State athletic director David Coburn has defended the payment, saying that it is a necessary part of the school's scheduling strategy. Coburn said that Florida State needs to schedule non-conference games against quality opponents in order to prepare for the ACC schedule.

What does this mean for the future of college football scheduling?

The payment to Memphis is a sign of the changing landscape of college football scheduling. In the past, schools were reluctant to schedule games against non-conference opponents that they were not confident of beating.

However, the rise of the College Football Playoff has made it more important for schools to schedule challenging non-conference games. The CFP selection committee considers strength of schedule when selecting teams for the playoff, so schools are now more willing to schedule games against teams that they are not sure of beating.

The payment to Memphis is also a sign of the increasing financial disparity between the Power Five conferences and the Group of Five conferences. The Power Five conferences have much more money than the Group of Five conferences, and they are able to use that money to schedule more high-profile non-conference games.

The payment to Memphis is a controversial issue, but it is also a sign of the changing landscape of college football scheduling.