Kirk Herbstreit explains his viral Iron Bowl reaction to 4th and 31

Kirk Herbstreit openly admits he’s a fan of college football. Not a specific team, but of the sport itself.

That, he said, explains his reaction to Alabama’s last-second, game-winning play on fourth-and-31 to defeat Auburn in the Iron Bowl on a play known simply as “Gravedigger.”

“You’re just a fan,” he said Wednesday. “We were actually about to do our open to start our game with Florida State and Florida in the Swamp. We’re literally 60 seconds away from going live and I was waiting. There was a timeout (in the Iron Bowl). I was like, ‘Man, hold on.’”

He and Chris Fowler were watching the end of the Iron Bowl and reacted as Jalen Milroe completed a 31-yard touchdown pass on fourth down to lead No. 8 Alabama past Auburn 27-24.

“Just watching the game,” he explained, “it had nothing to do with the fact that it was Alabama. It was more to do with a team kept their playoff hopes alive. It came down to a last-second play like that. Get set up for Alabama and Georgia in Atlanta. That game stays alive because of that play.

“Think about it. The snap over his head. The next play, he runs across the line. It was just a disaster, then to have that pulled out on the last play. It just seems like that every week, every year in this conference.”

With the SEC moving to ESPN in 2024, Herbstreit will call more of the conference’s games, and he’s here for it.

“For us to have a front-row seat to call these games is going to be quite a thrill,” he said.

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.