During the national championship game between Ohio State and Notre Dame, The Pat McAfee Show brought some lighthearted fun to the sidelines with a memorable impersonation of legendary coach Lou Holtz.
Co-host Ty Schmit fully embraced his role as "Fake Lou Holtz," sporting the signature look and voice of the former Notre Dame coach while providing commentary on ESPN2’s Field Pass broadcast.
The comedic moment reached another level when the cameras panned to the real Lou Holtz sitting in the stands, leading to a hilarious side-by-side comparison.
Notre Dame royalty is here
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 21, 2025
Coach Lou Holtz & Coach Ty Lou Holtz 😂😂#PMSCFPNATTYESPN2 pic.twitter.com/rk6TZ7azE4
Holtz, who has been a vocal presence in the Notre Dame-Ohio State rivalry, was at the center of attention once again. After Ohio State's 17-14 victory over the Irish in 2023, Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day famously fired back at Holtz’s pregame criticisms, saying,
“I'd like to know where Lou Holtz is right now. What he said about our team, I cannot believe. This team is tough, this team is physical.” The rivalry between Day and Holtz has simmered ever since, adding intrigue to the championship showdown.
Holtz didn’t hold back ahead of this year’s game either, quipping that if Notre Dame lost, the program might want to "preserve" Day’s job. The remark, while playful, added another layer to the ongoing back-and-forth between the former coach and the Buckeyes.
Despite the off-field banter, Day maintained a level of respect for Notre Dame and its head coach Marcus Freeman, stating, “I have a tremendous amount of respect for Notre Dame, and certainly what Marcus has done there. They’re a gritty group, they’re a tough group.”
As far as the national championship game goes, it's been all Ohio State. Even though Notre Dame opened up the scoring first with a drive that took nearly 10 minutes, Ohio State's offense was nearly unstoppable, scoring four unanswered touchdowns and then tacking on a field goal to take a 31-7 lead midway through the third quarter. Notre Dame finally answered back to make it 31-15 with a little over three minutes left in the third quarter.