Kirk Herbstreit Wants No Part of College Football Playoff Debate After FSU Debacle

Herbstreit agreed with the committee's decision to leave out undefeated Florida State last year.

Kirk Herbstreit and Mike Greenberg discuss the College Football Playoff field on ESPN. | Screengrab via ESPN

Kirk Herbstreit is out on analyzing which teams should be in or out of the College Football Playoff field.

Last year, he shared his agreement with the committee to leave Florida State out of the four-team field after a season-ending injury to star quarterback Jordan Travis.

"It's just a reality," Herbstreit said on ESPN after last year's CFP bracket was revealed. "You're comparing Alabama to Florida State, you got to give Alabama the nod."

He received backlash from FSU fans for his stance, which agreed with the committee's decision to leave out the undefeated Seminoles.

Now, with the inaugural 12-team CFP field announced, Herbstreit joked that he's retired on sharing who he thinks should be in and out after the online criticism he got just a season ago.

Kirk Herbstreit on the CFP:

"After last year, I have learned, I have no opinions about anything. I think everybody gets a trophy. Everybody gets in. I want no death threats, I want no punishment for 8 months from #FSUTwitter. So I have no opinion on anything. I love everybody." pic.twitter.com/gyqEZtx8U6

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 8, 2024

"After last year, I have learned, I have no opinions about anything," Herbstreit said Sunday on ESPN when Mike Greenberg asked whether the committee should penalize a team for losing its conference championship game. "I think everybody gets a trophy. Everybody gets in. I want no death threats, I want no punishment for eight months from hashtag FSU Twitter. So I have no opinion on anything. I love everybody."

The committee decided to award the last spot in the 12-team field to SMU over Alabama on Sunday, which Herbstreit said was a difficult decision. If one thing's for certain, he's done picking sides.

"It's an SMU, Alabama discussion for the most part."@KirkHerbstreit ahead of the first ever 12-team CFP reveal at 12 PM ET on ESPN 😤 pic.twitter.com/VXMzqrYxgu

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) December 8, 2024

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