Quarterback DJ Uiagalelei transferring to Florida State, to play for 3rd college team

The Florida State Seminoles may have been snubbed by the College Football Playoff committee, but they landed their quarterback for 2024 on Monday. 

DJ Uiagalelei told ESPN he committed to Florida State from Oregon State, the third team for Uiagalelei in his college career. 

“That’s where I wanted to go the whole time,” Uiagalelei told ESPN. “I didn’t talk to many other programs. For the most part, I was locked in at Florida State. I appreciated them throughout the whole process. I wanted to be a Seminole. I wanted to be part of the program. I’m just blessed that Coach [Mike] Norvell wanted to take me. I can’t wait to get there and get to work.”

GEORGIA’S KIRBY SMART TAKES ISSUE WITH FLORIDA STATE OPT-OUTS AFTER 60-POINT WIN: ‘IT NEEDS TO BE FIXED’

Uiagalelei also considered entering the 2024 NFL Draft and did not visit any other schools besides Florida State.

The quarterback situation at FSU has become a mess over the last several weeks following the season-ending injury to Jordan Travis. 

Travis suffered a leg injury against North Alabama in the second-to-last game of the regular season. Backup quarterback Tate Rodemaker started against Florida to end the regular season but was forced to miss the ACC Championship Game against Louisville with a concussion.

True freshman Brock Glenn got the start against Louisville, a game the Seminoles won, 16-6.

Due to the quarterback situation, the CFP committee left Florida State out of the playoff despite the Seminoles going 13-0 and winning the ACC. Florida State became the first undefeated Power 5 conference champion to not make the CFP.

“Florida State is a different team without Jordan Travis,” CFP selection committee chair Boo Corrigan said. “One of the things we do consider is player availability, and our job is to rank the best teams, and in the final decision looking at that, it was Alabama at 4 and Florida State at 5.”

Rodemaker entered the transfer portal days before Florida State was blown out by Georgia in the Orange Bowl.

Uiagalelei began his college career at Clemson before transferring to Oregon State after his junior year.

In his lone year in Corvallis, Uiagalelei threw for 2,638 yards, 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions while adding six touchdowns on the ground.