Ohio State University football coach Ryan Day talks with broadcaster Joel Klatt prior to the Michigan game Saturday, November 30, 2024 in Ohio Stadium. Credit: Doral Chenoweth/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
College FootballFoxBy Sam Neumann on

Joel Klatt didn’t need to name names — his message was crystal clear.

In the aftermath of Notre Dame’s 27-17 victory over Indiana, revisionist history was in full swing.

Kirk Herbstreit suggested that the Hoosiers didn’t belong on the field, implying that teams like Alabama, Ole Miss, South Carolina, or even Miami might have been more deserving. He cleared up his stance when, alongside Nick Saban, the two lobbied for the Canes and Heisman finalist Cam Ward while picking the winner of the Pop-Tart Bowl on ESPN’s College GameDay.

That moment came at precisely 11:48 a.m. ET, the same time Klatt took to social media to vent his frustration: “My frustration is that this is a moment to celebrate our sport and focus on these incredible players, coaches, fans, and environments…Instead, we devolve into partisan BS.”

Was Klatt referring to what he witnessed on College GameDay? Only he knows for sure, but if his social media posts are any indication, he’s already tired of a narrative forming around the inaugural College Football Playoff game, one that called it a “dud.”

That label came from Sean McDonough, who criticized Indiana and the Big Ten during ESPN’s broadcast. Klatt didn’t directly criticize McDonough, but his response clarified that he thinks those pushing such narratives don’t truly love the game.

That was in the direct aftermath of Friday night’s game.

Fast forward 12 hours later, 2 ½ hours into College GameDay, and Klatt added that there were some “incredibly disappointing takes out there.” He made sure to point out that Alabama had lost convincingly to a bad Oklahoma team, and Ole Miss had given Kentucky its only Power Four win of the season.

And finally, in his first indirect reference to GameDay, he quibbled with “these guys,” not talking about Texas’ resume, which includes two losses to Georgia (one in the regular season and one in the SEC Conference Championship game).

In a sport that thrives on passion and celebration, it’s easy to see Klatt’s frustration in seeing how the narratives are often shaped by selective outrage and “partisan bias.” And at a time when college football’s biggest cheerleaders could be elevating the game, moments like Saturday are becoming all too common.

[Joel Klatt on X]

About Sam Neumann

Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.

View all posts by Sam Neumann