Kirk Herbstreit Has Blunt Message For Everyone About ESPN's 'SEC Bias'
The College Football Playoff is set to resume this week with the national semifinal matchups, and fans will see four of the nation's best teams battle for a spot in the national championship game.
Ohio State is set to take on Texas in the Cotton Bowl, while Notre Dame and Penn State will meet in the Orange Bowl. There's only one SEC team remaining in the playoff, a somewhat unexpected result after the conference put three teams in the 12-team field.
With Texas being the only team left from the "best conference in college football," one ESPN analyst addressed the apparent bias the network shows to the SEC.
"We could not have paid for a better final four with Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, and Texas. The only one missing is Michigan," said Kirk Herbstreit during an appearance on On3's "Andy and Ari."
"So this idea we want Alabama, Texas A&M, and Auburn. Are you kidding me? You're asking us who we want? We'll take Ohio State every year, Notre Dame - this is a ratings bonanza. If you're going to accuse us of anything, accuse us of wanting Ohio State, Notre Dame, these big brands."
Herbstreit went on to say that the big names from the Big Ten - and Notre Dame - are what drive ratings, not the "smaller southern schools" like Clemson from the ACC.
"If we get Ohio State and Notre Dame in the championship game, you think we're gonna be like 'doggone it! If only we could have gotten a couple of good brands in the championship this year'?" Herbstreit asked, sarcastically.
GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 31: The CFP Playoff Quarterfinal logo on the field before the Penn State Nittany Lions versus Boise State Broncos College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on December 31,2024, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ. (Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff has already been a massive success in terms of ratings, and the national semifinals should also do well with the four teams that are participating.
Ohio State and Texas are looking for their first championships in over a decade, while Penn State and Notre Dame are facing droughts that extend back to the 1980s.
After the college football landscape dominated by one conference for so many years, the new playoff system has provided fans with some level of parity. The SEC can still claim another national championship if Texas wins it all, but they will certainly have earned it after beating multiple top teams from around the country.
We'll see how things turn out when the College Football Playoff gets underway again on Thursday evening with the Orange Bowl between Notre Dame and Penn State.
