Kirk Herbstreit Says ESPN Doesn't Have An SEC Bias, After Weeks Of ESPN SEC Bias

The first season with an expanded College Football Playoff field has been dominated by discussion around the selection committee, the SEC Conference, and ESPN commentators taking an activist role in picking teams. 

One of the most obvious examples of this is the controversy around Kirk Herbstreit and his comments during and after the Notre Dame-Indiana first round matchup. Comments that were off-putting and inaccurate at the time, and look more absurd and unrealistic now after the SEC's woeful performance in big bowl games. 

Herbstreit said that Indiana didn't belong on the same field as Notre Dame, that winning 11 games shouldn't matter more than winning nine games against a harder schedule. He said those teams with nine wins, without mentioning names but clearly implying Alabama and South Carolina, should have been in the playoff because of their tougher road. Then Alabama and South Carolina imploded in their bowl games, Tennessee got blown out by Ohio State, and Notre Dame dominated the SEC Champion in the quarterfinal.

READ: Pro-SEC Kirk Herbstreit And ESPN Still Don't Get It

It wasn't just him; plenty of other ESPN commentators, like Paul Finebaum, Sean McDonough and Peter Burns joined in. For most objective observers, it sounded like the broadcast network that partners with the SEC was trying to promote the conference it covers. Because it was. 

Now though, Herbstreit says that ESPN bias is all just made up. Sure.

Dec 30, 2023; Pasadena, CA, USA; ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit reacts during Rose Bowl media day at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Kirk Herbstreit Still Doesn't Get ESPN's SEC Problem

In an interview with Andy Staples and Ari Wasserman on Tuesday, Herbstreit was indignant and defensive over suggestions that ESPN has an SEC bias.

"We could not have paid for a better final four with Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State and Texas," Herbstreit said. "The only one missing is Michigan…So this idea we want Alabama, Texas A&M and Auburn. Are you kidding me?" 

But that's not what ESPN's incessant discussion has been about since the start of the playoff. Of course they're happy with the final four, because those programs are all huge brands with massive followings. That's not what the complaints were though. They were about the inclusion of teams like Indiana and SMU over Alabama, South Carolina and Ole Miss.

Herbstreit himself is quite literally on camera saying Indiana didn't belong in the playoff ahead of those teams. Even though Indiana in particular had a substantially better case for inclusion than the SEC teams. ESPN's efforts were focused on creating an inaccurate narrative that SEC teams are inherently better because of their conference schedule. That narrative was summarily demolished by SEC teams going 1-7 this season against Notre Dame, USC, Ohio State and Michigan. 

Of course they wanted Alabama in the playoff over Indiana. They essentially said they did. They're just mad now that people noticed.