Kirk Herbstreit: 'Of course some players love the game the same today as ever. But some don’t.'

Joe Harrington, The Columbus Dispatch
·2 min read
ABC broadcaster Kirk Herbstreit talks to Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day prior to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2022.
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On ESPN College GameDay on Saturday, former Ohio State quarterback turned ESPN star Kirk Herbstreit criticized college football players who opt to sit out their team's bowl games.

Herbstreit made the comments from at the Rose Bowl, where his alma mater was set to play Utah in the 2022 Rose Bowl. The opt-out comments may have stung a little more for Ohio State fans who saw four Buckeyes, including star receivers Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson, choose not to play in the "Granddaddy of them All."

Herbstreit asked "why play?" and wondered if college football players today even enjoyed the game of football. His comments were backed by former Georgia All-American David Pollack who added that players "used to play for the Ohio State logo."

Herbstreit faced backlash on social media and by several online outlets and hours before he called Ohio State's Rose Bowl game, he issued an apology on Twitter.

"I’ll always love the players of this game and sorry if people thought I generalized or lumped them all into one category," he tweeted.

How Ohio State made the Rose Bowl: The 2021 schedule

  • Sept. 2: Ohio State 45, Minnesota 31

  • Sept. 11: Oregon 35, Ohio State 28

  • Sept. 18: Ohio State 41, Tulsa 20

  • Sept. 25: Ohio State 59, Akron 7

  • Oct. 2: Ohio State 52, Rutgers 13

  • Oct. 9: Ohio State 66, Maryland 17

  • Oct. 23: Ohio State 54, Indiana 7

  • Oct. 30: Ohio State 33, Penn State 24

  • Nov. 6: Ohio State 26, Nebraska 17

  • Nov. 13: Ohio State 59, Purdue 31

  • Nov. 20: Ohio State 56, Michigan State 7

  • Nov. 27: Michigan 42, Ohio State 27

  • Jan. 1: Ohio State vs. Utah, Rose Bowl

Ohio State football schedule 2022

Here is what next season looks like for the Buckeyes.

  • Ohio State vs. Notre Dame, Sept. 3 in Columbus

  • Ohio State vs. Arkansas State, Sept. 10 in Columbus

  • Ohio State vs. Toledo, Sept. 17 in Columbus

  • Michigan State vs. Ohio State, Sept. 24 in East Lansing

  • Penn State vs. Ohio State, Oct. 1 in State College, Pa.

  • Ohio State vs. Rutgers, Oct. 8 in Columbus

  • Ohio State vs. Iowa, Oct. 15 in Columbus

  • Ohio State vs. Indiana, Oct. 29 in Columbus

  • Northwestern vs. Ohio State, Nov. 5 in Evanston, Ill.

  • Ohio State vs. Wisconsin, Nov. 12 in Columbus

  • Maryland vs. Ohio State, Nov. 19 in College Park, Md.

  • Ohio State vs. Michigan, Nov. 26 in Columbus

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Kirk Herbstreit apologizes for opt out comments before OSU bowl game