The college football world rips into ESPN after idiotic 2026 CFP projected bracket

Apparently, ESPN needs a reminder of the team that held the No. 1 ranking for a majority of the 2024 season, has been crowned the National Champion by multiple Major Selectors, and has one of the top-five recruiting classes joining its ranks ahead of the upcoming season.

ESPN released its first projection for the upcoming 2026 College Football Playoffs and it included a lot of the usual suspects: Georgia, Alabama, Michigan, Ohio State, etc. However, ESPN left out none other than the Oregon Ducks – an absolutely idiotic move by the sports network.

The Utah Utes finished last season 7-5 overall but are apparently expected to earn the No. 3 seed in the next CFPs? Louisville, who barely made a bowl game and is losing its starting quarterback to the NFL is apparently going to win the ACC Championship game?

UNC, who will be under Bill Belichick, sure, but is going through a complete rebuilding stage will get in over Clemson or Oregon or South Carolina or Tennessee? It's downright absurd.

ESPN loves to ruffle feathers but this may have been a step too far. Maybe when thegraphic team used the Louisville Cardinals logo they simply picked the wrong bird and meant to choose the Oregon Ducks instead?

Football fans across the nation started ripping into ESPN for its various decisions within the bracket. From the UNC choice to Utah earning a first-round bye, people were extremely unhappy with the first projection of the Playoffs and the season was still seven months away.

The Ducks are set to kick off their 2025 campaign on Aug. 30 against the Montana State Bobcats. While Oregon will have to face tough conference opponents like Penn State and Iowa on the road, the Ducks will host seven home games throughout the year, giving them a huge leg up.

Oregon will be back in the College Football Playoffs, ESPN may just be too SEC-biased or delusional to admit it.

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