Disgruntled Alabama Fan Dials Into Inauguration Coverage to Complain About CFP Snub

The CFP national championship game between Notre Dame and Ohio State happens to fall on the same day as Donald Trump’s inauguration as the 47th president of the United States for his second non-consecutive term in office.

A solemn time for many, one caller phoned into C-SPAN’s inauguration coverage in Washington D.C. on Monday with a rather specific gripe about the state of the nation.

Graham in Jersey City, New Jersey expressed his distaste for Trump’s re-election before issuing a complaint to the College Football Playoff selection committee for leaving Alabama out of the playoff field:

“A bit disappointed with how the election turned out, I think it would have been great to see a female president inaugurated today,” Graham said. “While I’m disappointed in the American people and their desire to see another four years of Trump, I’m a bit more disappointed in the selection committee for not picking Alabama for the College Football Playoff finals and instead picking inferior teams like SMU and Indiana. Truly dark times in America—”

Graham was then hastily cut off.

Caller phones into C-Span's inauguration coverage to complain about the CFP selection committee leaving Alabama out of the playoff. pic.twitter.com/GxfXgL5xx1
— Bryan Armen Graham (@BryanAGraham) January 20, 2025

Fans couldn’t believe what they were hearing, with some playfully theorizing that Kirk Herbstreit or Paul Finebaum was on the other side of the line:

CSPAN is great.

Caller just called into the inauguration coverage to complain about the CFP committee leaving Alabama out of the playoff
— Stephen Neukam (@stephen_neukam) January 20, 2025

Watching inauguration coverage on CSPAN and they are taking calls from people around the country. One guy called in specifically to say it was a crime that Alabama was not picked for the college football playoff. Dude, give it up already. Alabama was not good this year.
— Ashley Davis (@AshleyDavis32) January 20, 2025