College Football HQ

Kirk Herbstreit reacts to ESPN College GameDay’s historic reveal

Rowan Fisher Shotton|
Kirk Herbstreit speaks on the set of ESPN College GameDay prior to the NCAA football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Texas Longhorns at Ohio Stadium.
Kirk Herbstreit speaks on the set of ESPN College GameDay prior to the NCAA football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Texas Longhorns at Ohio Stadium. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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College GameDay’s trip to Ann Arbor for Ohio State-Michigan delivered one of the show’s biggest audiences ever, reinforcing a season-long ratings surge and setting a high bar as ESPN heads into a marquee SEC Championship weekend in Atlanta.

ESPN PR reported Thursday that the Week-14 College GameDay broadcast from the University of Michigan averaged 3.1 million viewers, peaked at 4.5 million, and posted a 3.9 million average in its final hour, figures the network says make the episode the second-most-watched regular-season edition in the program’s history.

ESPN added the full telecast outpaced immediate competition by 31% and the season overall is on pace for its best audience ever, up roughly 23% year-over-year, with about 1.0 million viewers reached via X/social streams attached to the show.

Kirk Herbstreit, the show’s long-time analyst, posted on X after the numbers were public, thanking fans and hyping the next GameDay stop: Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, where ESPN will preview the SEC Championship meeting between Georgia and Alabama.

Herbstreit is the show’s longest-running analyst (on GameDay since 1996, lead game analyst for ESPN/ABC since 2006), a multi-Emmy winner and one of the most recognizable voices in college football.

His on-air presence and credibility help GameDay maintain a newsroom-style authority that attracts casual viewers and hardcore fans alike.

Signage is seen during College GameDay.
Signage is seen during College GameDay before a Big 12 Conference football game at Jones AT&T Stadium. | Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The 2025 season has produced multiple top-tier GameDay audiences and steady growth across key demos. 

Season averages in recent press releases have the show at roughly 2.7-2.8 million viewers, and they repeatedly report its best season metrics, growth among women and viewers under 25, and multiple top-six episodes in the show’s history.

After years of fragmented viewing habits and the rise of Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff, GameDay’s steady lift during marquee weeks shows ESPN’s pregame formula still resonates with both diehard fans and casual viewers when big games arrive.

GameDay's next chance to build on these record highs will be for the SEC Championship on Saturday between the No. 3 Bulldogs and No. 9 Crimson Tide.

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Rowan Fisher
ROWAN FISHER SHOTTON

Rowan Fisher-Shotton is a versatile journalist known for sharp analysis, player-driven storytelling, and quick-turn coverage across CFB, CBB, the NBA, WNBA, and NFL. A Wilfrid Laurier alum and lifelong athlete, he’s written for FanSided, Pro Football Network, Athlon Sports, and Newsweek, tackling every beat with both a reporter’s edge and a player’s eye.

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