ESPN is adamant that it doesn’t put its thumb on the scale when it comes to who gets College Football Playoff picks and who doesn’t.
We’ll take them at their word, but little things like this don’t do them any favors.
During a conversation about the teams that could potentially get bids in the 2025 College Football Playoff, a chyron on Thursday’s episode of ESPN’s Get Up read: “Could BYU steal CFP berth from Notre Dame or Miami?”
BYU Athletics didn’t appreciate the framing of the debate, which posits them as a spoiler who could take a bid away from “more worthy” teams like Notre Dame and Miami. So they made sure to share a graphic explaining their consternation.
“Stealing” https://t.co/XTkZo9fUuH pic.twitter.com/IKRZZTPV7P
— BYU Cougars (@BYUCougars) December 4, 2025
The graphic, also from ESPN, shows that BYU not only has a better record than Notre Dame and Miami but also has a stronger Strength of Record and Strength of Schedule.
In the most recent CFP rankings, Notre Dame is 10th, BYU is 11th, and Miami is 12th. BYU has a chance to cement its spot in the CFP by winning the Big 12 Championship Game on Saturday against Texas Tech. If they lose, however, they might find themselves in a direct dogfight against the Fighting Irish and Canes. Playing the Red Raiders will only improve their SOS, so even with the same number of losses as ND and UM, the Cougars will still have a compelling case to get in.
“And THAT is why BYU isn’t in” pic.twitter.com/rPT8ZaIvsj
— BYU Cougars (@BYUCougars) December 4, 2025
ESPN may claim they have no sway over the CFP, but it’ll be interesting to see how their analysts and shows frame BYU as we wait for the final rankings to be revealed.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.