TALLAHASSEE, Florida — Florida’s attorney general is launching an antitrust investigation into the decision to leave Florida State University out of the upcoming College Football Playoff, marking an escalation of the still-raging controversy over FSU’s snubbing.

Attorney General Ashley Moody sent on Tuesday a civil investigative demand letter to the College Football Playoff, the organization that administers the playoffs and ultimately determined that FSU couldn’t compete in it despite an undefeated regular season. Moody’s office wants a long list of documents and information, including all communications with the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Southeastern Conference and sports media outlet ESPN.....

Moody, who is the state’s top legal official, has the authority to launch antitrust investigations and the power to take legal action against companies, organizations and individuals alleged to have committed state or federal antitrust actions. She said the investigation would examine if the selection committee was involved in “any anticompetitive conduct.”

“As it stands, the committee’s decision reeks of partiality, so we are demanding answers — not only for FSU, but for all schools, teams and fans of college football,” Moody said. “In Florida, merit matters. If it’s attention they were looking for, the committee certainly has our attention now.”

The letter sent to the committee says the investigation will look at “possible contracts, combinations or conspiracies in restraint of trade, or monopolization, attempted monopolization or commerce, relating to anticompetitive effects of the College Football playoffs on the Group of Five Conferences and Power Five Conferences.” There are 10 primary conferences at the top level of college football, including conferences such as the ACC and SEC that are part of the “Power 5.”