The 2025 College Football Selection Day saw the likes of Indiana, Ohio State, Georgia, Texas Tech, Oregon, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Alabama, Miami, Tulane, and James Madison be a part of the playoffs, occupying the top 12 spots, respectively.
However, the inclusion of Alabama despite its overall 10-3 record and a massive loss to the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC championship game over teams like Notre Dame and BYU saw a lot of analysts express their frustration over the CFP committee’s selection.
Some analysts were also upset over Miami’s inclusion instead of Notre Dame, whilst some thought that teams like Tulane and JMU did not deserve playoff berths.
Let’s take a look at 10 such analyst reactions over the latest College Football Playoff Rankings:
Top 10 Analyst Reactions Over CFP Rankings
1. Jason Whitlock
Media personality and sports analyst Jason Whitlock, whilst reacting to the college football playoff rankings, attributed inclusivity as a factor that is destroying America and college football. Whitlock opined that teams like JMU and Tulane are in the playoffs instead of some better teams, claiming both programs did not earn a playoff spot.
INCLUSIVITY has destroyed America. You can see it with this college football playoff. Instead of the best teams, we get Tulane and JMU, teams that absolutely do not belong.
Tulane/JMU = Ketanji Brown Jackson.
DEI. Didn’t. Earn. It.
— Jason Whitlock (@WhitlockJason) December 7, 2025
2. Robert Griffin III
Baltimore Ravens quarterback and CFB analyst Robert Griffin III did not hold back as he reacted to the CFB playoff rankings, calling the entire selection process “a joke.” He also highlighted the stark difference in ranking metrics, with BYU being affected by their Big 12 loss to Texas Tech, while Alabama, despite its loss to the Bulldogs, occupies a playoff berth.
The CFP selection process is a joke.
Punish BYU for losing the conference championship game, but don’t punish Alabama and you leave out Notre Dame. The bias has never been more clear. https://t.co/3pai2QGJ8W— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) December 7, 2025
3. Nicole Aeurbach
NBC Sports’ college football insider Nicole Auerbach could not believe that Alabama, despite their lopsided 7-28 loss to the Bulldogs in the SEC championship game, did not experience a single dip in its rankings.
This is the worst selection committee we’ve ever had.
Cannot believe Alabama didn’t even drop one spot after the SEC title game blowout. Cannot believe they waited until the final reveal to flip Miami-ND. Could have done it at ANY point.
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) December 7, 2025
She also stated how BYU was snubbed of a playoff berth after the championship game loss, but the same yardstick wasn’t applied to Alabama.
4. Dick Vitale
ESPN analyst Dick Vitale called Notre Dame’s exclusion from the playoffs an absolute joke after how the Irish dominated their season with 10 wins in a row, asking how the committee decides on the teams.
Absolutely a JOKE that @NDFootball is not part of the college football playoff/ the Irish have dominated 10 in a row after a heartbreaking 1 point loss to @AggieFootball What football is the committee watching, somebody tell me please.
— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) December 7, 2025
5. Danny Kanell
Former Denver Broncos quarterback and host of the Cover 3 college football podcast, Danny Kanell, opined that Miami’s inclusion was well deserved, and instead of comparing Notre Dame’s snub to Miami’s spot, he stated that the Irish should have been in the playoffs instead of Alabama.
Miami deserved to be in….glad they get the chance.
But now Notre Dame got screwed. They should have been in over Alabama.
— Danny Kanell (@dannykanell) December 7, 2025
6. Talia Baia
ABC 57 News’ sports reporter Talia Baia expressed her disappointment in Notre Dame losing out on a playoff berth despite being ranked ahead of Miami for five weeks, which included the Irish’s 10-game winning streak.
After five weeks of being ranked ahead of Miami plus a ten game winning streak, Notre Dame has been left out of the 12-team CFP field. Regardless of a three-loss SEC team getting blown out yesterday with negative rushing yards…
It’s time that ND joins a conference pic.twitter.com/cDoKVLUA6Q
— Talia Baia (@talia_baia) December 7, 2025
She also took a jab at the Crimson Tide, stating how a “three-loss SEC team,” despite their blowout loss against the Bulldogs, is in the playoffs.
7. Seth Davis
Seth Davis, the co-founder of Hoops HQ, reacted to Notre Dame’s exclusion from the playoffs as a “joke,” while asking the committee to stop putting out weekly rankings, considering how the Irish were ahead of Miami just a week ago.
One week ago Notre Dame was ahead of Miami. Now they’re behind. Neither played.
Joke.
Stop the weekly rankings once and for all.
— Seth Davis (@SethDavisHoops) December 7, 2025
8. Jordan Schultz
NFL Insider and host of the Schultz Report, Jordan Schultz in a heartfelt post on X, wrote how shocked he was upon finding out about Notre Dame’s playoff snub, insinuating that there is a bias towards conference teams.
He also highlighted how Marcus Freeman’s team has won 10 games straight, with their only two defeats amounting to a combined loss margin of just four points.
I’m shocked: A very telling decision for the committee to keep Notre Dame out of the College Football Playoff — and a clear message that belonging to a conference matters to them.
Marcus Freeman’s Irish have rattled off won 10 straight — losing only to Miami and Texas A&M by a… pic.twitter.com/by4xVWkxtx
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) December 7, 2025
9. Clay Travis
Clay Travis, the founder of Outkick, suggested that teams like Tulane and James Madison have no business being in the top 12, whilst advocating for Notre Dame and BYU to be in the playoffs.
Tulane and James Madison have no business in the 12 team playoff. Notre Dame and BYU should be in the playoff.
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) December 7, 2025
10. Josh Wolfe
West Virginia Mountaineers’ insider Josh Wolfe shared the sentiment of a lot of analysts as he reacted to the playoff rankings.
Week 1 mattered to Notre Dame and Miami.
It didn’t matter to Alabama.CCG mattered to drop BYU.
It didn’t matter to Alabama.You don’t hate ESPN and the CFP committee enough.
— Josh Wolfe (@Jwolfe4250) December 7, 2025
What got to Wolfe’s nerves the most was the fact that there is no uniformity in decision-making as far as the playoff rankings are concerned, stating how the Alabama Crimson Tide were agnostic to weekly rankings and championship losses, which resulted in the exclusion of teams like Notre Dame and BYU.
Read More:
- College Football Playoff Bracketology: Insider Skips Out On SEC Hype As Duke Grabs 12th Seed In Bold Rankings
- “Deserved” “ACC Doesn’t Deserve A Spot”: Fans Divided As Miami Shocks Notre Dame With Ultimate Selection Sunday Twist
- College Football Bowl Game Rejections: Full List Of Teams That Have Turned Down Post-Season Matchups Ft. Iowa State
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