PTI – "Was Notre Dame SNUBBED by the Committee?"

Hosts: Tony Kornheiser & Michael Wilbon

Date: December 8, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the controversy surrounding the College Football Playoff selection, specifically focusing on Notre Dame being left out despite their record and prior ranking. Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon dissect the playoff committee’s choices, debate the merit of head-to-head results versus season-long performance, assess NFL weekend action, and touch on major baseball and soccer developments.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The 12-Team College Football Playoff Controversy (01:00–06:12)

• Who Got In, Who Got Out

  • Miami (10–2) makes the playoff, Notre Dame (10–2) is left out, despite being ranked ahead most of the season. Alabama (10–3) also gets in despite three losses and a bad SEC Championship loss to Georgia.

• Wilbon’s Take on Head-to-Head Results

  • Wilbon asserts that Miami deserves to be in over Notre Dame because they beat Notre Dame head-to-head:

    "If you're not gonna honor Head to Head, what the hell then what are you gonna honor other than on the field competition?" (01:38)

  • Wilbon criticizes Notre Dame for their public complaints, calling them hypocritical for cozying up to the ACC when convenient but then “whining” about being left out.

    "They're lucky I'm not Jim Phillips cuz a statement I would have released would have crushed them forever." (02:33)

• Tony's Perspective on the System’s Flaws

  • Tony argues that Notre Dame got "hosed" due to their lack of conference affiliation and systemic biases:

    "The villain in the piece is Virginia... if Virginia had beaten Duke, none of this happens." (02:47)
    "Miami played a home game against Notre Dame, beat them by three points. That was in August... Since then, Notre Dame won 10 games in a row and Miami lost two games to weaker opponents." (03:51)

  • Tony is suspicious of committee decisions influenced by not wanting to embarrass the ACC and the weight given to conference championships.

• Broader Critique of the Committee

  • Both hosts note the arbitrariness of the process and Tony emphasizes the ambiguous criteria:

    "This is the same group of people who week after week after week separated Notre Dame from Miami even though it may have been wrong." (03:25)

  • Wilbon and Tony debate the timing of key games and how much weight to put on early vs. late season results.

• Personal Biases Exposed

  • Wilbon admits animosity towards Notre Dame:

    "And you loved them and you stumped for them. I admit to hate them now. I hate them today. I'm glad they're home. I'm glad they're going nowhere. No playoffs." (05:50)

2. NFL Weekend Recap: Chiefs, Ravens, Packers & More (06:15–12:42)

• AFC Landscape

  • Tony says Kansas City’s loss is the biggest story:

    "Kansas City is now out... they're not getting in the playoffs for the first time since hello, 2014... So much for your years of Dynasty of One, because they had a real dynasty." (06:40)

  • Both note the Chiefs’ issues with dropped passes and question Andy Reid’s future.
  • Discussion on Buffalo: Tony calls their win over Cincinnati possibly the most important, suggesting a possible resurgence.
  • Houston: Wilbon compares them to his old Bears teams—limited offense, but tough defense.

    "They'll hit you in the mouth." (07:51)

• Ravens and Steelers

  • Wilbon believes Baltimore is “done,” citing Lamar Jackson’s struggles, and doubts Pittsburgh’s potential too (08:38).
  • Both reflect on recent games’ controversial calls and question the quality of some teams contending for playoff spots.

• NFC Impressive Wins: Packers, Rams, Saints

  • Wilbon contends Green Bay’s win over the Bears was most impressive, describing it as:

    "A game worthy of all the hype and worthy of the oldest rivalry in the National Football League, 100 years old." (09:51)

  • Tony stresses the Packers’ dominance over the Bears:

    "You don't have to be Aaron Rodgers to own the Bears. You can be Jordan Love." (10:59)

  • Shoutout to the Saints for winning as a big underdog; Tony notes the Rams reestablish themselves as NFC #1, but discounts Arizona as a “nothing” team.
  • Both dissect the Bears’ late-game decisions and time management.

3. Mail Time: Shadour Sanders, Hall of Fame Selections (15:11–18:49)

• Shadour Sanders and the Browns’ Play-call

  • Both think Sanders should have been on the field for Cleveland’s game-tying attempt. Tony highlights his production:

    "To that point he had thrown for 364 yards and three touchdowns and he had run one in." (15:43)

  • Wilbon mocks the coaching decision:

    "If the coach has to have a clipboard to remember that his rookie quarterback has accounted for four touchdowns... he needs to be fired." (16:11)

• Baseball Hall of Fame: Jeff Kent, Bonds & Clemens

  • Tony surprised Jeff Kent was selected, but less so about Bonds and Clemens being snubbed due to PED allegations:

    "So you are going to never have a seven-time Cy Young winner and the home run king of all time... that's because this drug stuff is serious." (17:39)

  • Wilbon questions the Hall’s meaning if all-time greats are excluded:

    "Clemens and Bonds are clearly two of the best players of all time and arguably the best players of their time, and they're not in and how long do you go? How punitive do you get?" (18:15)

4. Rapid Fire & Happy Time (21:17–25:25)

• Memorable Moments & Anniversaries

  • Andy Pahes’ World Series catch saves Game 7 for the Dodgers—Tony and Wilbon laud both Pahes and manager Dave Roberts’ timely substitutions (21:17).
  • Baker Mayfield’s remarkable comeback debut with the Rams (22:29). Wilbon shifts his view on Mayfield:

    "I love him. Yeah, he's talented, he's tough, he's charismatic." (23:14)

  • Lionel Messi’s legendary MLS playoff run and continued brilliance—Wilbon jokes about his own Messi/Ronaldo debates (23:27–23:59).

• NBA & College Basketball

  • Thunder’s blowout wins over Mavs and Jazz prompt Wilbon to ask when the league will start taking OKC seriously (24:24).
  • Dolphins trounce the Jets; Tony reaffirms the “Jets stink.”
  • Brief college hoops—Gonzaga routs Kentucky; Boogie Cousins’ critique of Kentucky; coaching carousel in NCAA football (24:40–25:10).

• Monday Night Football Preview

  • Wilbon and Tony expect the Eagles to beat an injury-depleted Chargers squad (25:14).

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Wilbon on Head-to-Head:

  "If you're not gonna honor Head to Head, what the hell then what are you gonna honor other than on the field competition?" — Wilbon (01:38)

• Tony on Notre Dame’s Exclusion:

  "I honestly think that Notre Dame got hosed because they're not in a conference. Really. They play footsie with a conference, they cozy up." — Tony (04:20)

• Wilbon on Notre Dame Complaints:

  "...they want to whine to the ACC. They're lucky I'm not Jim Phillips cuz a statement I would have released would have crushed them forever." — Wilbon (02:33)

• Tony on Kansas City’s “Dynasty” Ending:

  "So much for your years of Dynasty of One, because they had a real dynasty. They had a great run, they had a real dynasty." — Tony (06:40)

• Wilbon, Channeling Fan Emotion:

  "I admit to hate them now. I hate them today. I'm glad they're home. I'm glad they're going nowhere. No playoffs." — Wilbon (05:50)

• Wilbon on the Importance of Play Counts and Mistakes:

  "Drop after drop, 22 drops. It seems more like that this season than me." — Wilbon (07:04)

• On Coaching and Player Decisions:

  "If the coach has to have a clipboard to remember that his rookie quarterback has accounted for four touchdowns... he needs to be fired." — Wilbon (16:11)

• On Hall of Fame Exclusions:

  "You're going to never have a seven time Cy Young winner and the home run king of all time. You're not gonna have him... because this drug stuff is serious." — Tony (17:39)

Important Timestamps

| Segment | Time | |--------------------------------------------------------|---------| | Main College Football Playoff discussion | 01:00–06:12 | | NFL AFC analysis | 06:15–09:23 | | NFC key games | 09:23–12:42 | | Mailbag: Shadour Sanders, Hall of Fame | 15:11–18:49 | | Happy Time: Pahes, Mayfield, Messi, Quick hits | 21:17–25:25 |

Memorable Moments

• Wilbon and Tony’s playful, passionate exchange about Notre Dame and the playoff snub, layered with personal biases and deep college football knowledge (01:38–06:12)
• Tony’s detailed breakdown of the playoff committee’s possible motivations and back-room logic (02:46–04:20)
• Wilbon’s open, half-joking declaration of Notre Dame hatred, closing the segment in classic PTI fashion (05:50)
• Quick, energetic “Mail Time” segment with sharp takes on coaching and Hall voting (15:11–18:49)
• Vivid storytelling of Andy Pahes’ World Series catch, Mayfield’s unlikely triumph, and Messi's ongoing legacy (21:17–23:59)

Tone & Style

The episode features the familiar, spirited PTI banter: direct, sharp, and rich in both expertise and humor. Both hosts haggle, tease, and passionately defend their stances, stakes always feeling personal, and their knowledge encyclopedic.

Summary

This episode of PTI is a tour de force in sports talk, dissecting the College Football Playoff's snub of Notre Dame with wit and passion. Tony and Wilbon blend analysis with personality, critiquing committee logic, exposing their own biases, and covering the full football landscape. They carry the same critical eye to NFL surprises, Hall of Fame controversies, and standout moments in baseball and soccer, making this a can't-miss recap of the sports weekend for any fan.