Jon Gruden shreds the College Football Playoff for picking Group of 5 over Notre Dame, Vanderbilt

The final 2025 College Football Playoff standings were released and were not without controversy. Notre Dame and BYU were left out, and Alabama made the field. Then, under the rules in front of them, James Madison and Tulane made the College Football Playoff as the next-highest-ranked conference champions, after Duke beat Virginia in the ACC championship. The field is set and has received a lot of reactions from people around the sport.

On Monday’s episode of “Wake Up Barstool,” former NFL head coach and now analyst, Jon Gruden, ripped the College Football Selection Committee and their picks for the final rankings, which fleshed the rankings out even more. His biggest issue was that Notre Dame and Vanderbilt were left out, while James Madison and Tulane are in, both having won their conference championships.

Gruden said, “I’ve got nothing against James Madison, nothing against Tulane. But if you have any clue, you put Vanderbilt and Notre Dame in the tournament. There’s no way I want to watch Tulane, which lost 45–10 to Mississippi, play Mississippi again. Madison and Tulane both had their coaches take other jobs. I know they’re staying with their teams, but you really think they’re 100% vested? How can they be with this NIL transfer crap that’s going on?”

The debate comes down to whether to allow the “Cinderella-type” teams in the tournament, as in the NCAA basketball tournament.

Access from smaller schools is one of the things that makes college sports great because it provides the one chance a smaller school can upset a bigger one, which is worth it given that it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

However, this season we have a crowded College Football field, and that is where the questions come from. Tulane also already played Ole Miss and lost 45-10 when they met earlier in the season. They are also promoting their passing game coordinator, Will Hall, to head coach, to replace Jon Sumrall, who is leaving for Florida.

Gruden and other critics are arguing that the games would be better and more competitive this season, rather than the blowouts you expect.

Most fans would rather see Notre Dame vs. Oregon in the first round instead of James Madison vs. Oregon, talent-wise. Same with a Vanderbilt vs. Ole Miss SEC match-up or ND vs. Ole Miss and Vanderbilt vs. Oregon.

It comes down to balancing a tournament that has the best teams possible in the picture, while also allowing teams that have a chance for an upset, so it’s not fully separated as a sport.

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