Kirk Herbstreit calls for major change after College Football Playoff bracket set

The ESPN analyst wants to see changes made to the College Football Playoff after the selection committee announced this year's bracket.

ESPN broadcaster Kirk Herbstreit believes the College Football Playoff field should be expanded from 12 to 16 teams. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The College Football Playoff Selection Committee finalized the 12-team bracket on Sunday and unveiled the Indiana Hoosiers as the No. 1 overall seed. Indiana completed a perfect 13-0 season to secure the top ranking and a first-round bye alongside the Ohio State Buckeyes, Georgia Bulldogs and Texas Tech Red Raiders.

The reveal provided significant relief for the Alabama Crimson Tide and Miami Hurricanes. Both programs earned at-large bids despite recent stumbles. Alabama remained at No. 9 following a loss in the SEC Championship Game while Miami claimed the No. 10 seed after missing the ACC title game entirely.

The final selections resulted in a difficult outcome for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The committee designated Notre Dame as the first team out, ending its national title hopes despite a 10-2 record. Two Group of 5 conference champions joined the field as the Tulane Green Wave and James Madison Dukes earned the No. 11 and No. 12 seeds respectively. Tulane will face the Ole Miss Rebels in the first round while James Madison travels to play the Oregon Ducks. The remaining opening-round matchups feature Alabama visiting the Oklahoma Sooners and Miami traveling to face the Texas A&M Aggies.

The exclusion of Notre Dame immediately sparked conversation regarding the efficacy of the current 12-team model. The Fighting Irish won 10 consecutive games to close the regular season but lacked the automatic qualifier status that protected other contenders. This scenario led to instant calls for further expansion before the inaugural 12-team tournament even commenced. Prominent analysts shifted the focus from the specific teams selected to whether the format itself requires adjustment to ensure all deserving programs have a path to the championship.

Kirk Herbstreit Endorses Sixteen Team Format

Longtime ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit advocated for a 16-team postseason field shortly after the bracket announcement on Sunday. Herbstreit also appeared on The Pat McAfee Show last week and suggested that a larger format would eliminate political posturing and allow for a pure meritocracy.

He argued that the current system attempts to appease too many different groups rather than simply identifying the best squads. Herbstreit believes moving to 16 teams is the logical next step to solve the controversies that left a 10-win Notre Dame team on the outside looking in.

"It’d be great if we had 16 teams," Herbstreit said. "Maybe that’s the next answer to get this thing up to 16 teams."

Kirk Herbstreit: “It’d be great if we had 16 teams. Maybe that’s the next answer to get this thing up to 16 teams.”

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) December 7, 2025

The analyst emphasized that fans prioritize seeing the best competition over boardroom politics. His comments reflect a growing sentiment that the 12-team model still leaves room for subjective errors.

Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua shared this stance on Friday during The Pat McAfee Show, noting that there is nearly unanimous agreement among leaders to expand the field eventually. Bevacqua highlighted that a 16-team bracket would include five automatic qualifiers and 11 at-large bids. This structure would have likely secured a spot for the Irish.

The current field features intriguing matchups despite the controversy. The Tulane Green Wave will face Ole Miss in a contest defined by coaching changes. The Rebels enter the postseason with new head coach Pete Golding following the departure of Lane Kiffin.

Jon Sumrall will lead Tulane before he leaves for the Florida Gators. Meanwhile, the James Madison Dukes completed a rapid ascent from the FCS to FBS in 2022 to now earn a playoff berth against Oregon.

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, center, and the rest of the Fighting Irish will not play in this year's College Football Playoff. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The first-round games are set to take place on campus sites. Higher seeds will host these contests before the scene shifts to traditional bowl venues for the quarterfinals. The winners of the opening round will advance to face the top four seeds who received byes. Indiana awaits the winner of Alabama and Oklahoma while Ohio State will play either Miami or Texas A&M.

The No. 12 seed James Madison Dukes will visit the No. 5 seed Oregon Ducks on Friday, Dec. 19.