Does ESPN have an SEC bias? Kirk Herbstreit fires back

Long-time ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit shot down any idea that the network has an SEC bias in its reporting.

Kirk Herbstreit doesn't believe ESPN has an SEC football bias. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

A vocal segment of college football fans are of the opinion that ESPN and analyst Kirk Herbstreit, in particular, have a strong bias towards preferring SEC teams in its coverage.

But that’s an idea Herbstreit takes particular offense to.

“Let me straighten the record on one last thing,” Herbstreit said to On3 Sports. 

“You know, ESPN loves the SEC so much that we could not have paid for a better final four. Notre Dame and Ohio State and Penn State and Texas. The only one missing is Michigan, if you could somehow wedge Michigan in.

“So, like, this idea that we want Alabama and Texas A&M and Auburn, are you kidding me? Like, if you’re asking us who we would want, we’ll take Ohio State every year, Notre Dame. This is a ratings bonanza.”

Herbstreit was on the receiving end of some criticism from fans airing their grievances on X and other social platforms after the analysts’ earlier comments during the College Football Playoff.

He suggested that some other team may have been more deserving of a place in the final 12 after Indiana was dominated by Notre Dame in the first round of the playoff.

But just because Herbstreit believes strength of schedule should be considered more when picking playoff teams doesn’t mean he harbors a secret bias for the SEC.

“If you’re going to accuse us of anything, you should accuse us of wanting Ohio State, wanting Notre Dame, and these big brands,” Herbstreit said.

“If you knew anything about ratings, that’s who you want. You don’t want these small little Clemsons and small little Southern schools when it comes to cheering for ratings.

“Ratings are big, massive, Big Ten brands. That’s where the ratings are.”

The best ratings possibility for ESPN in Herbstreit’s view?

“If you get Ohio State [and] Notre Dame in the national championship, you think we’re going to be like, ‘Doggone it. If we could’ve only gotten a couple of good brands in the championship. Just didn’t work out this year.’”

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