Emotions were high for everyone their team played in College football The national championship is Monday night, even on the ESPN broadcast team.
Kirk Herbstreit, who played college football at Ohio State as a quarterback from 1989 to 1993, couldn't contain his emotions after watching Box for him Winning the school's ninth national title, this time over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
The Buckeyes' 34-23 victory got Herbstreit thinking about this resilient group that had a dominant playoff run after a tough loss to their rival Michigan Wolverines.
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Kirk Herbstreit speaks to the media during the 2025 CFP National Championship Media Day at the Georgia World Congress Center, Building A. (Photos by Kirby Lee-Imagine)
As Herbstreit explained how to overcome adversity next to teammate Chris Fowler, his eyes began to fill with tears, and he could not hold them back.
“Oh, don't start with me, man,” Herbstreit, who grew up about an hour away from Ohio State in Centerville, told ESPN teammate Scott Van Pelt during the postgame show. “I'm a little emotional. I'm excited for these guys.
“When I call these games, I'm incredibly objective. You know, I love all the Ohio State teams, but this team because of what they went through to get to this point, you're just happy.”
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When the cameras returned to the broadcast booth, Herbstreit was seen grabbing a tissue from the camera to wipe away his tears as Fowler continued speaking.
Fans know all too well how they feel when their favorite teams win championships, and tears sometimes flow as a result. The same applies to graduates in schools.
Herbstreit played football for the Buckeyes after being the school's first player to commit after John Cooper was hired as head coach in 1988. Herbstreit was Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year As a senior at Centerville High School.
Analyst Kirk Herbstreit throws a football with fans on the set of ESPN's College Game Day at the University of Texas before the Longhorns' game against the Georgia Bulldogs in Austin, Texas, on October 19, 2024. (Sarah Diggins/American Statesman/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
He didn't get real action until his junior season, when he was used sparingly over 11 games. However, Herbstreit was the starter throughout his senior season, when he threw for 1,904 yards with four touchdowns and six interceptions over 11 games.
Additionally, while Herbstreit discussed the adversity this team has been through this season, he also faced some personal adversity through a major loss in his life.
Herbstreit's beloved golden retriever, Ben, a constant presence on ESPN's “College GameDay,” was put down after his battle with cancer.
“It's really hard for me to write this but so many of you loved and cared for Ben so much that I wanted to let you know. We found out today that the cancer had spread throughout Ben's organs and there was nothing left we could do – we had to let him go,” Herbstreit wrote back in November.
On the first “College Gameday” after the difficult decision to drop Ben, Herbstreit couldn't even speak as emotions flooded over him as he discussed his beloved comrade.
Ben's brother, Peter, was with Herbstreit as he continued to travel across the country with one of his dogs by his side.
ESPN commentator Kirk Herbstreit before the CFP National Championship College Football Playoff game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Ohio State Buckeyes at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. (Photos by Kirby Lee-Imagine)
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There have been highs and lows for Herbstreit this college football season, and it ends with tears of joy.
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