ESPN Bias on Display in Notre Dame's Victory Over Georgia Tech

The commentary team was strange Saturday afternoon, to say the least.

Dec 6, 2021; Orchard Park, New York, USA; ESPN analyst Louis Riddick reacts to a fans question prior to the game between the New England Patriots and the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images / Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

Notre Dame defeated Georgia Tech on Saturday afternoon handily by a score of 31-13.

In truth, it could have been more had the Irish taken advantage of great field position and took shots at the endzone, rather than kicking field goals. Either way, handling and outplaying a good Georgia Tech team that needed a garbage time touchdown to avoid a 31-7 defeat is a great thing for the Irish moving forward.

What was not great in this game, however, was the commentary team. Notre Dame fans have said for decades that ESPN has a bias against the Irish and it was shown Saturday as it usually does.

Let me preface this by saying that normally, the pairing of Bob Wischusen and Louis Riddick do a great job. They are a commentary team that does their homework and provide insight and analysis on the game that is worthwhile to listen to.

Notre Dame vs. Georgia Tech was anything but that.

From start to finish, Wischusen and Riddick insisted on talking about Notre Dame's playoff chances and how it is impacted if it had lost or won against Georgia Tech. If you want to show that graphic and touch on it two or three times throughout the game, I'm sure no one would notice.

Wischusen and Riddick, likely instructed by the ESPN hierarchy, displayed the "Playoff Percentage" graphic and talked about it nearly two dozen times throughout Notre Dame's victory over the Yellow Jackets.

ESPN has mentioned ND’s playoff chances no less than 74 times on this broadcast

— Mason (@MasonPlummer_) October 19, 2024

Whether this was genuinely informing the public about what Notre Dame needs to do to make the playoff or not - at what point is it overkill?

Not to mention the contradictions from both broadcasters. The pair agreed that the Irish needed to be aggressive and put up some 'style points' in the fourth quarter to put Georgia Tech away. Yet, when Notre Dame faked a punt and field goal, the duo came down on Marcus Freeman.

Simply bizarre, but should be expected of ESPN these days when it covers Notre Dame football games. ESPN has every reason to push the SEC towards better playoff positions and also every reason to push Notre Dame out.

It tried to do exactly thar Saturday afternoon, no matter what the Irish did on their way to a 31-13 W.

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