FSU's Rolle choosing Rhodes interview over Maryland game

When 6-2 Florida State visits 6-2 Maryland on Nov. 22, there's a decent chance the game could decide the ACC's Atlantic Division. Unfortunately for the 'Noles, they may be without one of their top defensive players.

This may be the rare occasion where that's considered a good thing.

Florida State safety Myron Rolle, an accomplished student-athlete who is applying for the Rhodes Scholarship, the most prestigious academic honor an American undergraduate can receive. Each year, the Rhodes Trust affords 32 students from across the country the opportunity to study at England's Oxford University. It is believed that no major-level football player has won the award in more than a decade.

Upon returning home from the Seminoles' 31-28 loss at Georgia Tech last Saturday night, Rolle, a 3.75 pre-med student who finished his undergrad degree in two-and-a-half years, received an e-mail notifying him that he'd been named a Rhodes finalist.

"I was disappointed about losing the [Georgia Tech] game," said Rolle, "but the news about the Rhodes Scholarship lifted my spirits."

There's only one downside to his achievement. In the final step of what has already been an extensive application process, Rolle must appear in Birmingham, Ala., to interview before the Rhodes selection committee. Both the interview and subsequent announcement of the winners will take place on Nov. 22 -- the day of the Maryland game.

I first stumbled upon this potential conflict in July. It seemed to me a potentially crippling roadblock. After all, what major college football program would allow one of its best players to voluntarily skip a game?

Rolle, who had not yet been made aware of the conflict, said at the time: "I definitely couldn't miss that game. I wouldn't do that to my teammates."

On Wednesday, however, Rolle told me: "I'm definitely going to Birmingham.

I have grown to really want to be a Rhodes Scholar," said Rolle. "If it takes missing a game, that's what it takes."

Most refreshing of all: His coaches agree.

"We couldn't be more proud of this happening for one of our players," FSU coach Bobby Bowden said Wednesday. "It's a once-in-a-lifetime chance and you wouldn't dare deny him that. I just hope he wins it."

Upon first hearing the news Monday, FSU athletic director Randy Spetman immediately began looking into the logistics of whether Rolle could possibly attend both the interview and the game.

ESPN will not decide until Sunday at the earliest whether the game will be played during the afternoon or in prime time. If it's an afternoon kickoff, Rolle can't make the game. The Rhodes Scholar interviews don't conclude until about 5 p.m. central time.

In the event of a night game, however, Spetman will ask the ACC to petition the NCAA for a waiver that would allow the school to fly Rolle to Maryland, either by charter or via a booster's private plane. With an estimated two-hour flight time, he could theoretically make it by halftime.