Kirk Herbstreit, for nearly three decades, has been the voice of the sport for many fans. But lately, the fan-favorite is seeing its hold over the sport evaporate. According to a new poll that was shared by Nicole Auerbach on January 12, Herbstreit is still the nation’s favorite TV analyst, pulling 24.2% of the vote, but the shadow of Nick Saban is coming to bite.

In just his second season as a media personality, Saban managed to get 13.1% of the vote. Sure, Herbstreit still holds the top spot, but given Saban is closing the gap between them at an alarming rate, what says a takeover is not on the cards?

The stats are telling, because back in 2023, The Athletic named Herbstreit the top college football analyst by a wide margin. He received 35.1% of the vote, more than double Joel Klatt’s 14.8%. Then, in 2024, even after Saban entered the picture, Herbstreit actually grew stronger, earning 36%, comfortably ahead of Saban (12.9%) and Klatt (10.6%). Fast forward to now, and that number has dropped to around 24%. So what changed?

A big reason is the growing perception of SEC bias. The backlash picked up after the 2023 College Football Playoff debate, when Herbstreit argued against undefeated Florida State making the field. Many fans thought that he was favouring Alabama. That narrative has followed him through the 2024 and 2025 seasons. He’s also rubbed fan bases the wrong way with some of his blunt takes. After Tennessee’s loss to Oklahoma in November 2025, Herbstreit called out Vols fans for demanding Josh Heupel be fired. He labelled the reaction “nonsense” and reminded them where the program used to be.

Similar frustration came after Ohio State’s fourth straight loss to Michigan in 2024. It’s when Herbstreit suggested the Buckeyes’ own crowd could hurt them in a CFP matchup due to negativity around Ryan Day. On top of that, comments questioning teams like Indiana belonging in the CFP, only for them to perform well, fueled criticism.

It sounded as if Herbstreit pushes pre-set narratives rather than pure analysis. And finally, there’s the obvious factor: Nick Saban’s arrival. Adding a coaching legend to the analyst pool was always going to split votes and take a bite out of Herbstreit’s share.

Kirk Herbstreit’s college football takes can be controversial at times, but it’s hard to argue that he’s often wrong. That consistency is exactly why the 56-year-old has held the top spot in the space for the past three years.

Another hot take from Kirk Herbstreit 

When Kirk Herbstreit thought of giving a reality check to the NFL-bound QB that it’s still not their time to play with the pros, it carried some true weight. Herbstreit believes Dante Moore and Ty Simpson simply don’t have enough experience to make the jump to the NFL right now. His main argument is straightforward. Both quarterbacks need another year in college to get more “seasoning” to fully develop.

Simpson has just 15 career starts, most of them coming in 2025. He put up solid numbers with a 64.5% completion rate, 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns, and only five interceptions. Still, he trails peers like Fernando Mendoza in draft projections. Moore, on the other hand, looks elite on paper. Across 20 starts (15 at Oregon and five at UCLA), he posted a 72.9% completion rate and a 166.7 passer rating. Even so, Herbstreit sees similar readiness concerns with him.

The logic is simple: more starts usually mean better preparation. Quarterbacks who’ve played a ton of college football are more comfortable reading complex defenses, handling pressure, and staying durable. NFL teams value these traits just as much as arm talent. History backs that up, too. Most quarterbacks drafted with fewer than 20 college starts struggle to stick in the league. Sure, there are rare exceptions like Cam Newton, who proved it can be done. But those cases are few and far between.

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So the big question remains: can Moore or Simpson be that exception, or would another year in college make them safer?