Big Ten coaches accuse ESPN of bias in College Football Playoff rankings
Several Big Ten head coaches publicly accused ESPN of favoring the SEC in its College Football Playoff rankings coverage this week, according to the report. Indiana's Curt Cignetti alleged that media personalities follow direction from ESPN and that SEC teams benefit as a result in the rankings. Iowa's Kirk Ferentz similarly suggested that ESPN promotes the conferences whose games it carries, implying Big Ten teams are disadvantaged because their top games air on FOX, NBC, and CBS rather than ESPN or ABC. The first College Football Playoff rankings of the season were released on Tuesday, and coaches say they feel the Big Ten has been slighted.
We [don't play] on ESPN so we probably won't make the rankings
Why it matters
For coaches: Big Ten head coaches are openly challenging the perceived influence of media rights deals on playoff rankings, a dynamic that could affect how coaches and programs strategize their public messaging.
For media: The accusations directly implicate ESPN's editorial independence and raise questions about whether broadcast rights relationships shape college football coverage and rankings exposure.
Read the full story at Yahoo Sports college football
Sources
- Yahoo Sports college football: The Big Ten Won't Stop Firing Accusations Against ESPN