The College Football Playoff National Championship has plenty of fireworks—Ohio State Buckeyes’ explosive offense, Notre Dame’s resilience, and, apparently, a heated debate about Kirk Herbstreit in the booth. While the Buckeyes hold a 21-7 halftime lead, it’s not just the action on the field that has fans buzzing. ESPN’s College GameDay analyst, known for his deep ties to the Bucks, is catching some serious heat for calling this high-stakes matchup.

Social media is ablaze with a frustrated Buckeye nation on X who feel Herbstreit’s commentary leans a little too scarlet and gray as Will Howard literally performs surgery in Mercedes-Benz Stadium on the Fighting Irish defense. The tension was palpable, especially since the ESPN analyst abstained from making a pregame pick on the College GameDay.

To level the field plain, he even gave one of his RB’s a slight nudge a few weeks backs. That the 247Sports and CBS Sports analyst revived his critic, cheekily, “’They brought in a backup RB who hasn’t played a ton, he’s a good back.’” To Kirk’s shock, OSU finished their first offensive drive that began in the first quarter with a 5-yard TD run by Quinshon Judkins to tie the game. While Herbstreit’s Ohio State ties are no secret—he quarterbacked for the Buckeyes in the ’90s—this controversy has reignited calls for more neutral voices in marquee matchups.

The tension was thicker than a bowl of Ohio chili at the CFP Final. The backlash crescendo Ed when Herbstreit refused to pick a pregame winner. While his abstention might’ve been an attempt to project neutrality, it had the opposite effect. Fans called it a calculated dodge to avoid upsetting his Buckeye base.

As Notre Dame’s offense faltered after their commanding opening drive, Herbstreit’s analysis of their struggles poured more gasoline on the flames. “This team is not built to come from behind,” he stated, a sentiment that, while arguably true, only deepened suspicions of bias given the lopsided narrative.

Notre Dame’s offense sputtered, managing just 18 yards over three drives after their opening 75-yard march. Meanwhile, Ohio State’s 21-7 halftime lead had Kirk Herbstreit predicting the Irish’s demise, saying, “The worst thing that can happen is they dig themselves a hole.” Those words aged well as the Irish spiraled into a pit they couldn’t climb out of. Herbstreit’s critique was undeniably accurate, yet fans from both sides found fault—Buckeye faithful claimed it wasn’t complimentary enough, while Irish fans saw it as piling on.

Kirk Herbstreit forgot he’s an ‘analyst’ now

The fan reactions were as brutal as they were creative. One viewer jabbed, “This man Kirk Herbstreit DOES NOT stop talking lol.” It was a lighthearted poke at Herbstreit’s tendency to over-analyze, but it also carried an undertone of exhaustion. Herbstreit’s passionate play-by-play often feels like an avalanche—impossible to stop once it starts.

Others were less forgiving. “I need Kirk Herbstreit to shut the absolute hell up,” one frustrated fan vented, their sentiment echoing across the Notre Dame contingent. Herbstreit’s frequent critiques of the Irish offense during their second-quarter slump seemed to strike a nerve. The sharpest criticism targeted his impartiality—or perceived lack thereof. “Kirk Herbstreit is the last person that should be announcing for this game. So biased it isn’t even funny,” a user wrote. A long-standing debate over whether Herbstreit, as a high-profile Buckeye alum, should call Ohio State games at all.

Perhaps the most cutting remark was this: “How do they put Kirk Herbstreit as the announcer? Ruins the whole game.” This critique speaks to a broader frustration with the perception of bias in sports media. Herbstreit’s dual role as analyst and Ohio State ambassador makes him a lightning rod in moments like this, where even neutral observations can feel skewed.