Jordan Travis says his FSU career is over after leg injury: What it means for Seminoles’ CFP hopes

Quarterback Jordan Travis’ Florida State career is over following the gruesome left leg injury he sustained Saturday against North Alabama, he announced on social media Monday.

“I truly cannot thank everyone enough for the many thoughts, prayers and messages that have been sent my way,” Travis said in a statement. “Although the injury I sustained on November 18, 2023, marks the end of my Seminoles playing career, the great memories created here at FSU will never fade. Being the quarterback here at Florida State University has been a dream come true.”

💛 @jordantrav13 #NoleFamily | #FinishFor13
— FSU Football (@FSUFootball) November 20, 2023

Travis exited Saturday’s game after getting injured on a run late in the first quarter. When crossing midfield, his left leg bent at an awkward angle under him when he was tackled. Travis stayed down on the field and his teammates took a knee as the medical staff rushed to the quarterback’s aid.

Travis left the field on a cart with an air cast on his leg as fans chanted “Jordan Travis.” The medical staff immediately loaded him onto an ambulance and took him to a hospital.

Florida State went on to beat North Alabama 58-13.

Travis finished his season with 2,756 yards, 20 touchdowns and two interceptions while leading the Seminoles to an 11-0 record.

After starting his collegiate career at Lousiville in 2018, Travis transferred to Florida State and played five seasons in Tallahassee. He recorded 8,644 yards, 65 touchdowns and 19 interceptions during his Seminoles career.

What is Travis’ legacy at FSU?

He won’t go down as one of the all-time greats because Florida State has three Heisman trophy winners in Jameis Winston (2013), Chris Weinke (2000) and Charlie Ward (1993), and 11 former passers who were drafted, including first-rounders Christian Ponder (2011) and EJ Manuel (2013). But Travis does leave as the school’s No. 2 all-time leader in passing yards, No. 3 in rushing touchdowns (31) and No. 1 in rushing yards by a quarterback (1,910).

He was 28-10 as a starter, including 21-3 over his final two seasons. More importantly, his emergence was the key to FSU’s turnaround under coach Mike Norvell over the last two seasons. And if Florida State maintains its return to prominence over the next few years under Norvell, Travis’ legacy will only grow. — Manny Navarro, college football staff writer

CFP implications

The College Football Playoff selection committee will have to discuss the impact of Travis’ injury, but the group does have two games coming up to get the full picture. The committee can already begin by evaluating FSU’s response, led by quarterback Tate Rodemaker, in the game against North Alabama. But committee members will learn much more next week against Florida and then against Louisville in the ACC title game.

If FSU wins with a backup quarterback, this team will be in the CFP. If there’s a drop-off in offensive production without Travis, that should affect seeding but not selection. The precedent here is 2014, when Ohio State, led by third-string quarterback Cardale Jones, trounced Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game and proved to the committee that it was deserving of a top-four spot even without its previous starter. And the committee put them in at No. 4 … and we know what happened next. But that means this year’s committee will closely watch how Travis’ successor performs compared to how the team played with him at the helm. — Nicole Auerbach, college football senior writer