STATELINE — Joe Theismann criticized the College Football Playoff committee's final 2025 selections, arguing that Notre Dame was wrongly excluded while Alabama and Miami received unwarranted favor.

Theismann, a former Notre Dame quarterback and College Football Hall of Famer, said Alabama should not have made the playoff because it had three losses and did not look like a team deserving of inclusion based on its performance. He also criticized the committee for elevating Miami in the final rankings despite neither Miami nor Notre Dame having played in the week before the selection, a decision he called inconsistent.

"Notre Dame earned the right to be included," he said. "Alabama should not have made the College Football Playoff because it had three losses."

Theismann observed that television broadcasters appeared to advocate for Alabama’s inclusion, saying he sensed their preferred outcome through their commentary. He expressed frustration that the committee’s decision overlooked Notre Dame’s body of work while rewarding teams with more losses or less recent activity.

In addition to his critique of the selection process, Theismann voiced broader concerns about the state of college football. He said the rising trend of player transfers is unhealthy because athletes increasingly choose to leave programs rather than compete for playing time. He also emphasized that team success in college football centers on the athletes a program has, particularly the quarterback. He made these remarks during a podcast interview.

Theismann praised Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman, calling him committed to the university and commending the culture he has built. "Marcus Freeman is committed to the University of Notre Dame and that the university is committed to him," he said. He added that he was thrilled Freeman had early in the coaching cycle affirmed his intention to remain at Notre Dame, and he lauded the way Freeman’s players conduct themselves, practice, and play.