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Kirk Herbstreit says he did not view Alabama as CFP team, questions criticism
By Andrew Olson
Published:
Kirk Herbstreit says he did not think Alabama should have made the College Football Playoff, pushing back on a narrative he has faced from critics.
The topic came up when Herbstreit appeared with On3’s Andy Staples and Ari Wasserman.
“Alabama had no shot,” Herbstreit said on Andy & Ari. “I don’t know how people thought I thought Alabama (was in), I was very clear leading up to (Selection Sunday), how can you put Alabama in when they went and lost – not only lost but got embarrassed by a 6-6 Oklahoma team – so they really weren’t in it.
“South Carolina lost to Alabama and Ole Miss. There wasn’t like another team anybody was hitting the desk for like, ‘This team has to be in.’ I didn’t say that.”
This isn’t the first time Herbstreit has pushed back on being associated with Alabama as a 2024 Playoff team, but Tuesday is the most he has said.
Herbstreit had his son post congratulations to Michigan for beating Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl. A commenter replied, “You wanted Alabama in the Playoff.”
The Herbstreit account countered that it was a false narrative.
Keep believing the false narratives clown. https://t.co/R59k3rad37
— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) December 31, 2024
The quote post, however, received a community note linking to comments Herbstreit made on College GameDay.
The atmosphere was historic. The game was not,” Herbstreit said the morning following Indiana’s first-round loss to Notre Dame. “I’m not going to sit here and say, ‘Why was Indiana in?” Indiana, with what you guys like to talk about, they have 11 wins, they’ve got to be one of the best teams. Indiana was outclassed in that game. They were not a team that should have been on that field when you consider other teams that could have been there.
“It’s no knock on Indiana, they had a great year, but we’ve got to move forward with the Playoff and hope that the committee does a better job of weighing who the best 12 are versus who’s the most deserving because by golly they got 11 wins. They didn’t beat anybody, but they got 11 wins. That’s a bunch of BS. We need to find the best teams. Last night it was incredibly evident standing on that field and watching the game the way it played out.
Herbstreit’s comments calling for the “12 best teams” while dismissing Indiana’s 11 wins were widely interpreted as suggesting Alabama should have made the field over IU. In the final CFP selection committee rankings, UA was the first team out of the 12-team field.
Based on Tuesday’s comments, it appears Herbstreit may have been thinking about South Carolina when he took aim at Indiana.
“South Carolina would’ve been the only team that you could’ve said, ‘Let’s look at this team,’ just because of the way they’ve kind of righted the ship, they got healthy and they were playing good football near the end and beat Clemson at the end (of the regular season),” Herbstreit said Tuesday. You could at least have a discussion about them. Was there anybody out of the Big 12 or the ACC? There really wasn’t.”
Herbstreit’s critics are unlikely to be moved by Tuesday’s comments.
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
