Top College Football Analyst Take Subtle Shot At Clemson Tigers
Small little Clemsons” is probably not what Clemson Tigers fans were expecting from one of the game’s top college football analysts when he made an appearance on Andy and Ari, which is part of the On3 network.
Andy Staples and Ari Wasserman had ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit on their show earlier this week and much of the discussion was about the College Football Playoff, including a review of the recently concluded quarterfinals and the upcoming semifinals.
But that wasn’t all. The pair asked Herbstreit about the perception that he’s been stumping for more SEC teams in the playoff in the aftermath of a team like Alabama missing the CFP.
He said “Alabama had no shot” at making the playoff, saying the Crimson Tide’s loss to Oklahoma pretty much did them in.
He also said the semifinal teams — Texas, Ohio State, Notre Dame and Penn State — were a final four that is about as good as it gets from a ratings standpoint.
So, according to Herbstreit, ESPN is not trying to tip its finger on the scales of which teams get in the playoff.
But, he did say you could accuse ESPN of one thing — and in the process took what was probably an unintended shot at Clemson.
If you’re going to accuse us of anything, you should accuse us of wanting Ohio State, wanting Notre Dame and these big brands,” he 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 ratings are.”
Herbstreit played at Ohio State, a Big Ten school.
That’s a comment that is unlikely to make Tigers fans happy, considering they won the ACC and reached the expanded CFP in its first season of existence. Plus, Clemson is one of the most experience programs in the CFP format.
