Kirk Herbstreit wasted no time taking a playful jab at Florida State fans following the Seminoles’ shocking upset loss to Georgia Tech on Saturday.
Florida State, ranked No. 10 in the preseason Top 25, suffered a stunning 24-21 defeat at the hands of unranked Georgia Tech in Week 0. The game, held in Dublin, Ireland, ended dramatically with the Yellow Jackets nailing a game-winning field goal as time expired. It was a gut-wrenching start to the season for FSU, especially after they narrowly missed the College Football Playoff in 2023 despite an undefeated regular season.
Herbstreit, a prominent ESPN college football analyst and a figure not particularly beloved by the FSU fanbase, was quick to troll the Seminoles on social media after the loss.
“Man, tough loss for the Noles over in Ireland to a good GT team. The great news is with the new 12-team playoff, there’s still plenty of opportunities to climb back into the bracket. Regroup and keep battlin’!” Herbstreit tweeted, referencing the expanded playoff format set to debut in 2024.
Herbstreit’s post-game message quickly went viral, racking up over 20,000 likes and more than two million views. The tweet was a clear reminder that, while the loss was disappointing, Florida State still has a chance to recover and make a run in the new, more forgiving playoff structure.
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Herbstreit’s history with the Florida State fanbase is well-documented. He was one of the most vocal critics advocating for FSU to be excluded from the College Football Playoff last season after the team lost its star quarterback, Jordan Travis, to injury. This stance made Herbstreit public enemy number one among Seminole supporters, who greeted him with boos during his appearance in Dublin.
Given the flak Herbstreit has received from FSU fans over the past year, it’s no surprise that he seized the opportunity to clap back in a sarcastic fashion after Saturday’s upset. His tweet, while poking fun at the situation, also highlighted the new reality of college football—a single loss, even early in the season, doesn’t necessarily spell the end for a team’s playoff hopes.
Florida State will now aim to regroup and rebound as they head into Week 1, where they face Boston College. The Seminoles will need to put the loss behind them quickly and focus on the long season ahead, especially with the expanded playoff giving them more chances to prove themselves.
