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Cam Newton criticized Boise State, Arizona State, SMU, Indiana on the December 6 edition of ESPN's First Take, arguing that these non-traditional powerhouses were overachieving and didn’t merit a spot in the College Football Playoff field.
“Understand your weight class,” said the former NFL star.
The final 2024-2025 College Football Playoff bracket will be announced on Sunday, December 8, following a full day of conference championship games on Saturday.
With so much on the line and numerous teams competing for a spot, Cam Newton expressed his frustration with the new playoff format.
Cam Newton blasting 12-Team College Football Playoff
“I’m going to say it. A lot of people are thinking it, and I’m going to say it. Nobody wants to see SMU, nobody wants to see Arizona St, nobody wants to see Indiana, nobody wants to see Boise St.,” he continued.
Newton made the harsh remarks while criticizing the new format and the teams expected to be included.
“Straight up, when I’m seeing this I’m saying how do you play before a team, Ole Miss, that has lost to Florida, Kentucky, and UGA. Even Miami for that matter, lost to a Georgia Tech team that went 8 overtimes with UGA, that’s a considering factor. I think we just really need to consider teams strength of schedule when you’re talking about the National Championship. Have you really earned the right to say that playing the tier of talent that you’ve played,” Newton continued.
Newton targetting Boise State
Newton went on to target Boise State specifically, questioning their deservingness of a spot in the playoff.
“Boise without being Jeanty I don’t want to see Boise St. And if Boise St. were to play Georgia would Jeanty really get off? I’m going to be the person that’s going to be looking at the TV and I don’t want to see what happened to TCU and Georgia for the National Championship,” said Newton.
The former NFL star Cam Newton expressed his doubts about Boise State, particularly questioning whether star running back Ashton Jeanty could replicate his success against a powerhouse program like Georgia.
With 12 teams making the playoff, the field has sparked controversy from top to bottom. Boise State looks likely to earn an auto-bid over the Big 12 champion.
Meanwhile, the lower end of the bracket has raised questions about seeding, with Alabama—currently the last team in—holding three losses. Teams from the Power 4, such as Miami, are frustrated that an SEC school with a worse record is even in the conversation.
In 2024, the landscape of college football is dominated by the SEC and Big Ten, which wield significant power and might even consider splitting from the NCAA, relegating other conferences to a secondary status.
