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

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