Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti criticizes ESPN’s coverage and the initial College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings, saying the SEC receives “a lot of love” from the broadcaster. The comments follow the release of the first CFP rankings, in which Indiana is placed near the top.
Different outlets frame the remarks around specific CFP ranking details. Newsweek highlights that Indiana opens at No. 4 and links the criticism directly to ESPN’s treatment of the SEC. Yahoo Sports and The Athletic both report Cignetti’s broader claim that SEC teams get preferential attention, placing the criticism in the context of the number of teams from each conference included in the opening rankings. The Athletic adds that six Big Ten teams make the initial cut, while the SEC has 10.
Across coverage, the central focus remains Cignetti’s reaction—his contention about SEC favoritism and the role ESPN plays—while outlets vary in how much ranking breakdown information they include.
