ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit Names Football Prorgram to Win National Championship and It’s Not Ohio State
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Kirk Herbstreit, a lifelong OSU supporter, isn’t favoring the Buckeyes to win the 2026 national title. Although Ryan Day’s Ohio State is in “attack mode” for this season’s title, entering the year as the betting co-favorite alongside Indiana, the ESPN personality is predicting an ACC program, which reached the 2025 national championship game as a no. 10 seed.
“I think Miami might be the team to win it all this year,” said Herbstreit during his Tuesday appearance onthe Pat McAfee Show. “They’re going to be loaded this year.”
Imagine a devoted son suddenly backing a rival family. That is what Herbstreit just did. After bleeding scarlet and gray his whole life, the loyal Buckeye had to put his analyst hat on. Watching Miami’s raw power on the field, he made the tough, honest call. His childhood team simply is not his top pick. Herbstreit passed on defending champion Ohio State despite the Buckeyes opening the season as a co-favorite to win it all.
Last season, the Hurricanes reached the national title game, knocking off powerhouses like OSU and Texas A&M. Miami faced OSU in the CFP Quarterfinals and, in a major upset, defeated the Buckeyes 24–14, ending Ohio State’s hopes for a repeat national title. Miami’s defensive front controlled the line of scrimmage, recording five sacks on QB Julian Sayin and limiting OSU to just 45 total rushing yards.
Meanwhile, Miami QB Carson Beck threw for 138 yards and 1 TD, and RB Mark Fletcher Jr. rushed for 90 yards and caught a TD pass in that game. But Miami’s defense ranked No. 1 nationally in sacks (46) and pressures (220) in their 2025 playoff run. This season, despite losing some players to the 2026 NFL Draft, Miami has defensive standouts like Justin Scott and Ahmad Moten.
On the offensive side, they have a rising star like WR Malachi Toney. At QB, Miami has a high-profile transfer from Duke, Darian Mensah. They even secured five-star OL Jackson Cantwell to anchor the future front.
Miami head coach Mario Cristobal stated that with returning stars like RB Mark Fletcher Jr., they chose to finish what they started: “We want to make sure we are holding up the big trophy at the end of the year,” said Cristobal. Then, highlighting their roster sustainability, he told ESPN, “I think this is sustainable and will continue to elevate year after year.”
Ohio State, however, still has a strong case of its own. Ryan Day’s team enters the season as a co-favorite, with Julian Sayin, Jeremiah Smith, and another loaded recruiting haul keeping the Buckeyes firmly in the title picture. For the 2026 season, “We’re not defending anything; We’re attacking,” said Day.
Yet, Herbstreit’s support for Miami became a headline-making story; consider the face of ESPN’s College GameDay’s connection with the Buckeyes.
Kirk Herbstreit’s deep ties with OSU
From 1989 to 1993, Kirk Herbstreit played QB for Ohio State, and in his senior season, he was a team co-captain and was voted team MVP. He followed in his father’s footsteps because his father, Jim Herbstreit, was also a captain for the Buckeyes in 1960. But in the next generation, given Kirk Herbstreit’s sons, there are divided loyalties.
While one of his sons, Zak, played as a TE for Ohio State, his youngest son, Chase, committed to play QB for its rival, Michigan. However, the ESPN personality publicly stated that he supports his son regardless of the rivalry. But that didn’t stop Kirk from supporting the Buckeyes.
After Ohio State won the national championship in 2024, he broke down in tears, citing a “perfect storm” of his emotions despite his broadcasting obligations. And now, his decision not to favor the Buckeyes for this season’s national title win could be a shock. But he mentioned it at last, subject to change.
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