"Mute Button": Notre Dame Reporter Angry After ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit & Holly Rowe Decision
!["Mute Button": Notre Dame Reporter Angry After ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit & Holly Rowe Decision](https://i3.wp.com/media.zenfs.com/en/essentiallysports_articles_591/f37aa0db9a8736efa0c39aa22e33cf16.jpg?ssl=1 ""Mute Button": Notre Dame Reporter Angry After ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit & Holly Rowe Decision")
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Broadcast crew for Notre Dame’s game with BYU has drawn a sharp reaction from a local sports reporter. With the Fighting Irish preparing for a top-10 road game, the network’s decision to send ESPN’s Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Holly Rowe to Provo has become another talking point surrounding its college football coverage.
Bruce Straughan, a Notre Dame reporter, expressed his frustration on X after the broadcast crew was announced. His response was blunt, and the timing comes after several recent controversies involving Herbstreit and Rowe.
“ESPN’s Broadcast crew for the BYU-Notre Dame Game: Chris Fowler: Play by Play, Kirk Herbstreit: Color Commentator, Holly Rowe: Sideline Reporter,” Straughan posted on X. “I mean seriously, was no one else available? I see the mute button will be utilized heavily in my household on Saturday Night!!”
The game is scheduled for Saturday, October 17, at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah.
Straughan’s post makes it clear he isn’t happy with the crew. In what we have here, though, he doesn’t specify why. His reaction comes at a time when a few ESPN voices have been in the spotlight for unrelated reasons. That adds some context.
During ESPN’s North Carolina and TCU game, a hot-mic clip made people think Herbstreit had called North Carolina “bad.” He pushed back on X and said he was talking to his spotter, Deron, and told him, “YOU’RE bad.” He wasn’t criticizing the Tar Heels.
This wasn’t the only incident. During the Texas and Tennessee game in late September, Herbstreit’s audio reportedly kept turning staticky. Fowler later apologized to viewers for the problems.
Rowe has been in the news too, but for different reasons. On September 12, Texas came back from 20 points down in the fourth quarter to beat Ohio State 24-23. Afterward, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian declined the interview with Rowe due to technical delays. However, an AI-generated video circulated online, which falsely depicted Sarkisian slapping Rowe.
Texas quarterback Arch Manning got criticism after he called the fake clip “hilarious” during a Monday presser. On September 15, he apologized publicly to Rowe, calling his comment insensitive. She accepted the apology after talking to Manning personally.
Rowe also took heat from some fans after a postgame interview with Miami quarterback Darian Mensah and Miami receiver Malachi Toney. While they were talking, Toney was seen giving Clemson coach Dabo Swinney a quick hug. Rowe remarked with a smile, “Oh, he’s talking to Dabo, mid-interview.” The comment spread online fast, and many didn’t appreciate her remark.
These incidents have placed individual moments from ESPN’s coverage under the social media microscope.
The BYU-Notre Dame game itself provides plenty of reasons for the broadcast to attract attention. Notre Dame is entering the matchup with a 6-0 record, while BYU is 5-0. Both teams are looking to strengthen their College Football Playoff credentials after missing the postseason field last year.
These two teams last played in 2022, and Notre Dame won 28-20 in Las Vegas. The Fighting Irish lead the all-time series 7-2. Saturday’s game starts a two-year home-and-home series.
Obviously, this is a solid game between two unbeaten teams and a well-known broadcast crew. Though, the same crew has been in the spotlight recently for all the wrong reasons. And reporter Straughan made his frustation with the crew selection clear. Though the broadcast airs on ABC, ESPN’s decision to have Herbstreit and Rowe remains unchanged.
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