College Football Playoff: Kirk Herbstreit gets emotional on ESPN after Ohio State’s win over Notre Dame
Kirk Herbstreit reached for a tissue and got emotional when talking about the Buckeyes’ win on ESPN on Monday night. (Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Kirk Herbstreit couldn’t help but get emotional in the broadcast booth on Monday night.
The longtime ESPN college football announcer, who has become one of the key voices in the sport the past few decades, had a pretty good reason. His Buckeyes had just won a national championship.
Herbstreit was talking with Davis and Scott Van Pelt after the win, and he had to pause while talking about his former team’s championship.
Kirk Herbstreit gets emotional on the postgame show.
“When I call these games I’m incredibly objective. I love all of these Ohio State teams, but this team because of what they went through to get to this point, you’re just happy.” pic.twitter.com/BylD7WBQ3N
“Oh, don’t start with me man. I’m a little emotional,” he told Van Pelt, his voice breaking up. “I’m just fired up for these guys.
“You know, when I call these games I’m incredibly objective. I love all these Ohio State teams, but this team because of what they went through to get to this point, you’re just happy, you know? You’re just happy for them.”
Van Pelt and Davis then kept going, and Herbstreit grabbed a tissue to wipe his eyes.
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Herbstreit was born in Ohio, and then spent four seasons playing for the Buckeyes as their quarterback from 1989-1992. He was the starter and team captain as a senior, too, when he threw for 1,904 yards and four touchdowns. His dad both played and coached at Ohio State, including when they won a national championship during the 1960 season, and one of his kids is a walk-on tight end with the program.
Naturally, like Van Pelt noted, the connections for Herbstreit are there.