Florida State reiterates it was eligible for bowl game,

Delaware State confirms it reached NCAA requirement.

Florida State has faced one problem after another since starting the season ranked No. 3.

The latest twist in a strange and disappointing season for the Seminoles came Friday when it was forced to defend its bowl eligibility after it had been called into question by fan-led investigation posted on the website Reddit.

Florida State released a statement saying Delaware State did meet NCAA requirements that allow the Seminoles to count their victory against the FCS team toward bowl eligibility.

FSU (6-6) plays Southern Mississippi in the Independence Bowl on Wednesday in Shreveport, Louisiana, extending its streak of bowl appearances to a record 36 straight seasons.

Questions about whether the Seminoles had indeed reached six countable wins were raised by Reddit users who analyzed data on Delaware State’s athletic scholarships. The analysis posted Thursday seemed to show Delaware State had failed to use 90 percent of its football scholarship funds, which is required for an FCS team to be countable toward FBS bowl eligibility.

Neither school, nor the NCAA, commented on the Reddit report for more than 24 hours until Florida State’s short response:

“Florida State has received confirmation from Delaware State that the 90-percent requirement is satisfied for the 2017 season, allowing the victory to be used in determining bowl eligibility. Media reports suggesting otherwise failed to account for a long-standing NCAA rules interpretation that permits institutions to use academic scholarships and other forms of non-athletics institutional aid received by student-athletes in the computation of this requirement. These media reports represent incomplete information, as they only reflect athletics scholarships received.”

Despite the confusion, Florida State playing in the Independence Bowl was never in doubt. It was way too late for Florida State to be removed from the game, especially over what would have amounted to an administrative error by Delaware State. Also, it has not been uncommon for the NCAA to grant waivers to allow teams to play in bowl games when standard requirements have not been met.

It is the worst season FSU has had since Hall of Fame coach Bobby Bowden went 5-6 in 1976, his first year in Tallahassee.

Appalachian State posts shutout in Dollar General Bowl: Appalachian State’s improved defense was a huge reason the program closed the regular season on a threegame winning streak and won a share of the Sun Belt Conference title.

The Mountaineers (9-4) saved the best for last in a Dollar General Bowl blowout Saturday night in Mobile, Ala.

Appalachian State’s swarming, opportunistic defense was the catalyst for an impressive 34-0 victory over Toledo. The Rockets (113) came into the game averaging nearly 40 points per game, but looked completely over-matched. They managed 146 total yards while turning the ball over four times.

“When we get a little bit of a lead, that’s when we’re really dangerous,” Appalachian State coach Scott Satterfield said. “Once we get that lead and our defense has their bearing straight, the other team starts forcing the ball down the field and that’s when we get turnovers.”

Linebacker Anthony Flory led the Mountaineers with eight tackles and intercepted a pass in the first quarter that helped shift the momentum.