Kirk Herbstreit’s been navigating some seriously choppy waters lately. The past few months haven’t been easy. November brought the heartbreak of losing his furry best friend. Then came December and January, with some spicy college football playoff takes that ruffled feathers. And let’s not forget the SEC favoritism accusations. To top it all off, the awkward moment of an Ohio State diehard rocking Michigan colors? Yeah, Kirk’s been weathering quite the storm.

Adding fuel to the fire, his social media presence has been a rollercoaster of confusion. One minute, he’s off the platform; the next, he’s back, responding to fans. So, what’s the latest drama surrounding the iconic voice of college football?

Kirk’s Social Media Confusion: On or Off?

Just a month after declaring he was off social media, Kirk Herbstreit has now confirmed he’s running his X account again. Before the College Football Playoff semifinals, Herbstreit told On3’s Andy Staples and Ari Wasserman that he lets others post on his behalf. He insisted there was “no chance” he’d personally engage with the increasingly toxic platform.

Well, that didn’t age well.

Not long after, Herbstreit was spotted replying to a post from his official account, clarifying, “Not at all. Just took a break from it during the season. I think Twitter is great and enjoy the back-and-forth with fans. Sorry for any confusion.” But that wasn’t enough to silence the critics.

A user fired back, “We saw the interview where you said differently.” They were referring to a clip where Herbstreit had firmly stated, “I deleted Twitter a long time ago.” “I don’t have it. I just have my son tweet stuff out. I don’t [have it]. It’s ridiculous. I don’t read anything. I don’t see anything. Nothing… I don’t pay attention. I don’t look at it.”

Naturally, this contradiction didn’t sit well with fans. Many accused Herbstreit of lying, using this back-and-forth as further proof of his inconsistency. However, given the chaos that social media has become, it’s not shocking that Herbstreit wanted some space.

Attempting to clear the air, he posted, “Had a lot going on with my family and found it best for my own mental health to avoid the trolls and people with bad intentions. So just decided to avoid the noise during that period. My son posted a few things for me once in a while. Did that interview with Andy and Ari when I stepped away from it back in December. I get on periodically now but not a big fan of the negativity.”

Kirk Herbstreit’s been going through an incredibly tough time. Losing his dog, Ben, was heartbreaking, and then came the news that his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. It’s been an immensely difficult stretch for his family. And as if that wasn’t enough, he’s also had to deal with social media drama and trolls over some comments he made. But now, Herbstreit didn’t just address the social media firestorm—he also tackled the long-standing criticism about SEC favoritism.

Kirk Herbstreit clears air on SEC bias allegations

Critics have long accused ESPN of being biased toward the SEC, favoring powerhouse programs like Alabama, Georgia, and LSU while overlooking schools from other conferences. The issue escalated when Herbstreit suggested that Ole Miss, Alabama, and South Carolina should have been given more credit over programs like SMU.

His words? “You’re gonna accuse us of wanting Ohio State, wanting Notre Dame, and these big brands? If you knew anything about ratings, that’s who you want. You don’t want these small little Clemson small little Southern schools when it comes to cheering for ratings.” That statement backfired—badly.

While the College Football Playoff final between Ohio State and Notre Dame was a major event, the ratings didn’t exactly reflect the dominance Herbstreit hinted at. The game pulled in a solid 22.1 million viewers, a huge number by any standard. But compared to past years, it marked a notable dip. As backlash mounted, Herbstreit finally issued a response. “We love stories, not conferences. If I’ve added to the perception of SEC favoritism, I apologize. That’s not my intention at all.”

And as if Herbstreit’s troubles weren’t enough, another controversy had Buckeye fans fuming: the sight of him in Michigan colors. When his son Chase enrolled at Michigan, Herbstreit, an Ohio State alum and former quarterback, proudly sported the maize and blue in support. And Ohio State fans? Let’s just say they weren’t thrilled.

For context, Kirk’s ties to Ohio State run deep. His father, Jim Herbstreit, captained the Buckeyes in 1960. Kirk himself had the honor of leading the team as quarterback in 1989. His other son, Zak Herbstreit, was part of the Buckeyes’ national championship-winning roster. So, when he was seen celebrating Michigan, it felt like a betrayal to many Buckeye diehards. And while Kirk might argue that family comes before football rivalries, college football fans aren’t known for being the most forgiving bunch.

After weathering yet another wave of controversy, Herbstreit seems determined to step away from the noise. He has pledged to avoid engaging in “unwelcome conversations” and is prioritizing his mental health and well-being. But let’s be real—this is college football. And drama is inevitable.