In the Cotton Bowl, the Hurricanes took control of the game early and never let the Buckeyes back, riding a 14–0 first-half lead to a tough 24–14 win. Miami legend Michael Irvin stood on the sidelines, soaking in every moment as if it were personal, watching his program flourish once more. And that energy found a target in Ohio State fans and, indirectly, Kirk Herbstreit, once again.

On December 19, Irvin took to social media and aimed straight at Herbstreit, accusing the longtime analyst of butchering one of Miami’s most iconic sayings.

“Hey @KirkHerbstreit you just messed up my saying,” Irvin wrote, reminding everyone that the quote lives forever in The U documentary. The message was pretty straightforward. Get the words right. Respect the legacy. And if not? “Big time players… Make big-time plays in back-time games!…We will show you next week anyways!!!!!”

Two weeks later, Irvin quote-tweeted his own X post. However, this time, the target expanded to include Ohio State fans as well.

“Hey all of you @OhioStateFB fans I warned you,” Irvin added. “I warned you when I told @KirkHerbstreit about my messing up my quote. Mike was RIGHT AGAIN!!!”

If you’ve followed Irvin’s career and the extent of his fandom for Miami, none of it is surprising. Before they played Ohio State, Miami was being considered a heavy underdog by everyone. Ohio State fans were supremely confident that the defending champions will outlast the Canes. It didn’t pan out that way, and Irvin was right there on the sidelines to see it all.

The Hall of Famer even unleashed what he proudly dubbed “belt to a–,” giving a WWE-style promo; one unlucky Ohio State-branded water cooler suffered collateral damage. “Didn’t I tell y’all not to come to this stadium?” Irvin screamed, whipping the cooler as Miami fans roared behind him.

With Ray Lewis and other Hurricane legends there and the team now traveling to the Fiesta Bowl in Phoenix, Irvin’s message is that Miami is back on the big stage, and this time they’re making sure everyone hears it precisely the way it’s supposed to be. That edge carried straight into one of the latest flashbacks of Irvin calling out Herbstreit.

Old wounds reopened

Nothing in the College Football Playoff race has sparked louder arguments this season than the Miami vs. Notre Dame debate, and once again, Michael Irvin found himself right in the middle of it. Irvin watched ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit and Joey Galloway analyze the committee’s decision to rank the Irish over the Hurricanes despite Miami’s head-to-head victory, and his frustration flared immediately.

“I am shocked at Kirk Herbstreit and Joey Galloway… Are you going to tell me these two Ohio State jokers are not letting their personal get in the way?” Irvin said.

To Irvin, this was Miami being asked, once again, to ignore what happened on the field in favor of a narrative that felt suspiciously familiar. Herbstreit’s comment on when head-to-head results should stop being considered was what really offended Irvin. The Hall of Famer saw the argument go beyond analysis to excuse-making, especially since it came from people who were so closely tied to Ohio State.

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“Kirk Herbstreit was trying to discount the head-to-head matchup. He said, ‘At what point do head-to-head matchups stop counting?’ F—— never. They never stop counting.

You don’t think Ohio State has cheated Miami out of enough championships? You did it when y’all cheated after we whooped your a–, and now you want to try to get on this panel and cheat again,” Irvin said.

That’s why the latest eruption didn’t come out of nowhere. It felt like the continuation of an ongoing clash between Irvin and Herbstreit, rooted in respect and perception.