Michael Wilbon has made his displeasure with the newly expanded College Football Playoff format abundantly clear, and he didn’t hesitate to criticize his own network, ESPN, for its role in what he called a “greed-driven” decision.
On Friday’s episode of Pardon the Interruption, Wilbon and co-host Tony Kornheiser discussed the playoff’s expansion from four teams to 12, a move that has sparked considerable debate in the college football world. Wilbon expressed skepticism about the necessity of such a dramatic expansion and accused stakeholders, including ESPN, of prioritizing profits over the integrity of the competition.
“They’re not going to go from 12 back to eight [teams] because this is a greed play,” Wilbon said. “It’s a money play for everybody involved, including this network.”
A Flawed Format?
Wilbon’s critique centered on the structure of the new playoff format, particularly the inclusion of first-round byes for top-seeded teams like Oregon and Georgia. Both teams suffered surprising losses in the quarterfinals, and Wilbon suggested their extended time off may have worked against them.
“If you have eight [teams], you don’t have byes. You don’t need byes,” Wilbon argued. “The teams that had byes got beat, and they were rusty. You seed them one through eight … and you put those eight teams out there, and you say, ‘Let’s go.’”
The longtime sports journalist made it clear that while he has no issues with the four semifinalists—Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, and Texas—he believes the expanded format introduces unnecessary complications and dilutes the playoff’s competitive balance.
RELATED: Awkward Sugar Bowl Trophy Ceremony Steals the Spotlight After Notre Dame’s Victory
Kornheiser Takes Aim at SEC Bias
Tony Kornheiser, meanwhile, turned his attention to what he sees as persistent bias toward the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in college football coverage, particularly by ESPN analysts. He specifically called out the network’s narrative around SEC teams like Alabama, which missed out on the playoff but received significant airtime and sympathy from pundits.
Kornheiser pointed to the lackluster performances of SEC teams in the postseason as evidence that the conference’s dominance may be overstated. Alabama fell to Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl, Georgia lost to Notre Dame, and Tennessee suffered a blowout defeat against Ohio State.
“One of the things that we saw is it belies the fact that the SEC is by far the best conference. That’s not true,” Kornheiser said. “I don’t want to hear any more about how they got hosed by the committee.”
The Role of ESPN
Wilbon’s criticism of ESPN, which has heavily promoted the 12-team playoff, underscored the tension between the network’s business interests and its role as a trusted voice in sports journalism. With ESPN deeply invested in college football, including its broadcasting rights for the playoff, Wilbon’s comments reflect a broader unease about the intersection of commercial motives and the sport’s competitive integrity.
The Road Ahead
While the expanded College Football Playoff has its detractors, it has also garnered support from fans and analysts who argue it provides more opportunities for deserving teams to compete on the national stage. However, the debate over its impact on the sport, from player fatigue to the fairness of byes, is far from over.
Wilbon’s and Kornheiser’s critiques add to the growing conversation about whether the new format truly benefits college football or if it’s simply a “greed play,” as Wilbon put it, that prioritizes revenue over the game’s core values.
With Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, and Texas now vying for the national championship, the ultimate test of the format’s success may lie in how the rest of the postseason unfolds.
