College Football is one of one. It has carved its own, very novel lane within the sports realm. It doesn’t boast of the best players in football; that’s the NFL. Also doesn’t boast the biggest global audience; that’s the NBA. So what’s CFB’s appeal? It’s the suspension of all the superficial aspects in exchange for a sense of community. But that said, most of the same rules apply across every sport. At the crux of which is one paramount rule: Fandom is sacrilegious. Once you don the colors of a team, you’re essentially locked in for life. Switching teams is invariably considered taboo. Let alone switching allegiances for the sworn enemy. Something Chase Herbstreit, son of the polarizing Kirk Herbstreit, has done.
Whatever your opinion of him, Kirk Herbstreit is etched in the very fabric of College Football. The Ohio State alum and College GameDay panelist has been directly impacting the sport since the ‘80s. The game has given Herbstreit a lot, and he has reciprocated it with being a great ambassador for it. Or at least that was the case until very recently. See, while he’s got to keep his neutral hat on when he’s calling games, the blood coursing through Kirk Herbstreit’s veins is scarlet. His father, Jim Herbstreit, captained the Buckeyes in 1960. Kirk himself had this privilege as a player in 1982. One of his other 4 sons, Zak Herbstreit, was a part of the OSU team that just won the Natty. So much tradition, now blemished. QB Chase Herbstreit is imminently going to trudge around Ann Arbor wearing Michigan maize and blue.
Labeling this a cardinal sin wouldn’t be hyperbolic. The Ohio State-Michigan rivalry needs no introduction, nor does the animosity between the two fanbases. However, Chase Herbstreit didn’t have too much of an option. In a twistedly ironic way, Michigan was his only offer coming out of high school. In order to pursue his dream, this was by and large the only route. With him due to enroll in June, this route appeared extremely treacherous. The Wolverines have just onboarded Bryce Underwood, who’s the no.1 QB in their shared draft class. Underwood is unequivocally the future of the program. Which, by extension, really hinders Chase’s opportunities. However, there seems to be a glimmer of light at the end of the proverbial tunnel.