College Football Playoff: Kirk Herbstreit gets emotional on ESPN after Ohio State’s win over Notre Dame

On By Littum

Kirk Herbstreit reached for a tissue and became emotional as he talked about the Buckeyes' win on ESPN Monday night.

Kirk Herbstreit reached for a tissue and became emotional as he talked about the Buckeyes’ win on ESPN Monday night. (Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Kirk Herbstreit couldn’t help but get emotional in the broadcast booth Monday night.

The longtime ESPN college football announcer, who has become one of the most important voices in the sport over the past few decades, had a pretty good reason. His Buckeyes had just won a national championship.

Herbstreit was on the phone with Rece Davis for Ohio State’s 34-23 win over Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff championship game Monday night. The Buckeyes rolled over the Fighting Irish early at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, then held off a final push to secure their first title since 2014.

Herbstreit spoke with Davis and Scott Van Pelt after the win and had to pause while talking about his former team’s championship.

“Oh, don’t get me started, man. I’m a little emotional,” he told Van Pelt, his voice breaking. “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 continued, and Herbstreit grabbed a tissue to wipe his eyes.

Born in Ohio, Herbstreit then spent four seasons playing for the Buckeyes as their quarterback from 1989-1992. He was also a starter and team captain as a senior as he threw for 1,904 yards and four touchdowns. His father both played and coached at Ohio State, including when they won a national championship in the 1960 season, and one of his children is a walk-on tight end with the program.

Of course, as Van Pelt noted, the connections to Herbstreit are there.

With his longtime ties to the program — and after seeing how Ohio State rallied after losing to Michigan at the end of the regular season, keeping them out of the Big Ten championship game — it’s hard to blame Herbstreit for to become emotional.

“We’re all from somewhere,” Van Pelt told him. “There are no excuses (necessary) to explain the feelings.”