The College Football Playoff's expanded format has sparked a scheduling crisis. With programs questioning the value of marquee non-conference matchups after seeing teams penalized for challenging schedules, ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit is pleading with coaches to resist the temptation of scheduling cupcake games.
The debate reached a boiling point after Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian questioned whether playing elite non-conference opponents is worth the risk of the CFP. Following his team's 9-3 season, which included an opening loss to top-ranked Ohio State, Sarkisian pointed out that teams with easier schedules and better records are positioned ahead of the Longhorns despite playing significantly weaker competition.
“We want to play these great games and it's great for TV,” Sarkisian said. “But we've gotta be mindful of the fact that we've played five top-10 ranked teams. The next-closest team ahead of us has played two, and then there's multiple teams ahead of us that have played nnot one, but yet they've got a little better record.”
This sentiment has spread throughout college football, prompting Alabama to cancel its 2026 South Florida game in favor of FCS opponent Chattanooga. Herbstreit revealed that coaches and administrators are contacting him expressing similar frustrations about scheduling risks.
In a passionate plea on his podcast, Herbstreit urged programs to resist the temptation of backing away from high-profile matchups.
“When these coaches and administrators reach out to me and say, ‘I'm canceling this game. F that I'm not playing. Why should I play that?' I mean, they are passionate about it, and I want to say, please keep playing these games, because your kids want to play in these games,” Herbstreit said on his podcast. “The college football community celebrates these games. Your players would rather play Ohio State or Alabama or Texas A&M, than play Rice, you know? Like, that's not good for the sport.”
The ESPN analyst warned that this trend will become commonplace if the selection committee continues prioritizing win-loss records over strength of schedule. With the SEC implementing a nine-game conference slate next season, programs have even less incentive to schedule challenging non-conference opponents. Herbstreit's concern is clear: college football risks losing the marquee matchups that define the sport's identity.
