Amid the Florida State Seminoles getting ousted from the College Football Playoff, ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit favored them being omitted, drawing ire from their fans, and now, he's clapping back.
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Herbstreit was against Florida State getting into the playoff because of the injury to starting quarterback Jordan Travis. Of course, the one-loss Alabama Crimson Tide got the fourth spot in the College Football Playoff. At the same time, Florida State was 13-0 and the ACC Champion.
"I didn't know I voted. I had an opinion. Everybody has an opinion. It's subjective. ...A lot of people don't understand the cluster. All these people that are upset, did they ever break down when they get to a cluster of teams, this is what the committee is asked to follow? Have you ever heard that? When they b*tch and complain. They don't like facts. They don't like information. They like conspiracy theories," Herbstreit said last Friday on The Pat McAfee Show.
He added, "people that are radical and upset and throwing conspiracy theories out there that aren't true.".
You've been taking it on the shins for this committee @KirkHerbstreit #PMSLive https://t.co/MWWMKKEX6v pic.twitter.com/j784dk1pg4
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) December 8, 2023
There's been a swirl of theories surrounding ESPN and the College Football Playoff, including links to the head of the playoff committee and an executive at ESPN being siblings. Back in November, Herbstreit laid out his stance on Pardon My Take.
Kirk Herbstreit goes OFF on the CFP committee about who to put in the playoff 😳
🎥 via: @PardonMyTake pic.twitter.com/srlCyBXj0O
— Touchdown Alabama (@TDAlabamaMag) November 30, 2023
Florida State not being included has even prompted stances from Florida-based politicians to speak up, such as Governor Ron DeSantis.
"My first grader, my fifth grader and my preschooler ... they are all 'noles and they are big-time fans and they do the tomahawk chop and they were not happy," DeSantis said, according to The Associated Press. "We are going to set aside $1 million and let the chips fall where they may."
Now, we look ahead. Alabama will take on Michigan in the first round of the College Football Playoff while Florida State, with Tate Rodemaker under center, will take on the Georgia Bulldogs in the Orange Bowl on December 30 at 4:00 PM EST.
