For college football fans, seeing Kirk Herbstreit in town often means ESPN’s “College GameDay” is highlighting the biggest matchup of the week. But lately, it also signals an appearance by his golden retriever, Ben, who has become a fan favorite. On Friday, Herbstreit and Ben stopped by a Raising Cane’s restaurant near the Texas campus to discuss Saturday’s highly anticipated clash between No. 5 Georgia and No. 1 Texas, while also filming a commercial.
Herbstreit, known for avoiding game predictions when he’s calling a matchup, spoke about the keys to Saturday’s game. “When you look at these high-profile SEC matchups, it’s clear—whoever wins the line of scrimmage typically wins the game,” he said. “Texas has been building toward games like this for three years under Sark [Steve Sarkisian], and they’ve passed every test so far. This will be a different challenge, and the battle in the trenches will be crucial. It’s hard to predict the outcome, but the run game will likely decide who comes out on top.”
When asked which quarterback he’d pick first in the draft, Herbstreit leaned slightly toward Texas’ Quinn Ewers over Georgia’s Carson Beck. The game, with Texas as five-point favorites, is shaping up to be one of the biggest in Royal-Memorial Stadium history. Herbstreit will also be at his usual spot on the “GameDay” set, located on the South Lawn under the UT Tower.
During their visit, Herbstreit and Ben were joined by Raising Cane’s founder Todd Graves and his yellow lab, Cane III, the mascot for the restaurant chain. Ben’s absence from recent travels was noticed by fans, and Herbstreit revealed why: his beloved dog has been battling three types of cancer since March, including leukemia. After initial home treatments, Ben’s condition required more intensive chemotherapy, which led to a brief hiatus from the road. Fortunately, his recent numbers improved significantly, allowing him to join Herbstreit once more.
“Ben’s been on three different chemo treatments,” Herbstreit shared. “His numbers were elevated recently, which kept him home last week. But after a week of injections, his condition improved dramatically. So, he’s back out on the road, loving every minute of it.”
Ben’s presence on the road has brought joy to fans, with people stopping for photos and even jumping out of their cars to meet the famous dog. For Herbstreit, Ben is more than just a travel companion; he’s family. “He’s a family member,” Herbstreit said. “When someone you love, whether it’s a person or a pet, is going through a tough time, you want to keep them happy and cherish every day.”
Herbstreit added that having Ben on the road lifts both of their spirits. “Every day I wake up and see him with his tail wagging, I’m just thankful for another day. Being part of the excitement, the atmosphere—it’s good for him, and it’s good for me too. We’re taking it one day at a time, but he’s loving being back in the mix.”
As for Saturday’s showdown, Herbstreit’s insights indicate it could come down to which team controls the line of scrimmage, setting the stage for a classic SEC rivalry game.
