‘Better Check on Miami,’ ‘Please Don’t Lecture Us’ — CFB Fans Push Back as Kirk Herbstreit Calls Notre Dame’s Schedule an ‘Embarrassment’

‘Better Check on Miami,’ ‘Please Don’t Lecture Us’ — CFB Fans Push Back as Kirk Herbstreit Calls Notre Dame’s Schedule an ‘Embarrassment’

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‘Better Check on Miami,’ ‘Please Don’t Lecture Us’ — CFB Fans Push Back as Kirk Herbstreit Calls Notre Dame’s Schedule an ‘Embarrassment’
‘Better Check on Miami,’ ‘Please Don’t Lecture Us’ — CFB Fans Push Back as Kirk Herbstreit Calls Notre Dame’s Schedule an ‘Embarrassment’
‘Better Check on Miami,’ ‘Please Don’t Lecture Us’ — CFB Fans Push Back as Kirk Herbstreit Calls Notre Dame’s Schedule an ‘Embarrassment’

Notre Dame missed the College Football Playoff last season, but Marcus Freeman’s program is going very strong in the 2026 season. The Fighting Irish enter their Saturday game against BYU with an unbeaten 6-0 record.

Amid the Irish’s unbeaten start, ESPN’s lead college football analyst, Kirk Herbstreit, took a blowtorch to Notre Dame’s regular-season schedule, sparking reactions from fans.

CFB Fans Fire Back at Kirk Herbstreit Over Notre Dame’s Schedule Criticism

Notre Dame has beaten Wisconsin, Rice, Michigan State, Purdue, North Carolina, and Stanford so far this season. The Irish have only three currently ranked teams left on their schedule: No. 8 BYU, No. 3 Miami, and No. 24 SMU.

Herbstreit questioned the strength of that remaining schedule.

“Notre Dame plays two games where they’re going to be challenged,” Herbstreit said during his appearance on ESPN’s “Get Up” on Friday, pointing to Saturday’s trip to BYU and the Irish’s home game against Miami.

“Think about what Alabama and Georgia and Ohio State and these teams with what they’re dealing with. That cannot continue. That’s an embarrassment and incredibly unfair.”

Herbstreit’s comment came as the panel discussed reports of a potential expansion of the College Football Playoff to 24 teams next season.

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However, his criticism did not sit well with several college football fans.

“Please don’t lecture us this supposed gauntlet in the SEC or BIG18. That’s just nonsense,” a fan wrote.

“As dumb a take as anything. Herbie usually better than this. Only 1 team plays more top-10 games than ND or OSU. SAF vid,” another fan wrote.

Notre Dame’s Playoff Snub Keeps Schedule Debate Alive

Notre Dame’s schedule has been a recurring subject of debate, especially after the program was controversially left out of last year’s CFP in favor of national championship runner-up Miami. The Fighting Irish had already signed a memorandum of understanding the previous spring that guarantees them a playoff spot, starting this season, if they finish among the top 12 teams.

Herbstreit believes Notre Dame’s relatively manageable schedule raises questions about whether it deserves the same consideration as teams navigating more demanding slates.

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The numbers also offer some support for the criticism, as Notre Dame ranks 60th nationally in strength of schedule, placing it just ahead of Miami and SMU. That comparison prompted additional questions about why Herbstreit was singling out Notre Dame.

“Hey Kirk, before you start crying over ND schedule you better check on Miami’s schedule. Are they being unfair to college football too???? Grow the hell up!” one fan wrote.

“But will he say that Miami’s schedule is hot trash?” the Fighting Irish Faithful podcast wrote.

“What does he think of Indiana and Miami’s schedule?” another fan wrote.

For now, Notre Dame will turn its attention to BYU, with its playoff hopes still looking promising. According to Pro Football Network’s College Football Playoff Meter, the Irish have a 95.4% chance of reaching the playoff.

This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.

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