The Ohio State Buckeyes are your College Football Playoff national champions. And with their big win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Monday night, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day got the proverbial monkey off his back after years of criticism from his own fanbase.

That, more anything anything, has impressed ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit.

ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit was overcome after his alma mater Ohio State won the national championship.

Ryan Day and Ohio State capped their memorable College Football Playoff run with a national crown Monday night.

ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit, whose son plays for Ohio State, became visibly emotional while discussing the Buckeyes' CFP title win over Notre Dame.

He wasn’t the only one sending a message to Ryan Day, but Kirk Herbstreit’s words echoed what many others were saying: more respect for the head coach after leading Ohio State to a National Championship.

Ohio State football's victory over Notre Dame brought the emotion out of Kirk Herbstreit. Herbstreit played for the Buckeyes.

Herbstreit — a Centerville, Ohio, native — graduated from Ohio State after playing with the Buckeyes from 1989 to 1992.

ESPN analyst and former Ohio State quarterback Kirk Herbstreit explained his display of emotions after the Buckeye's championship win.

Kirk Herbstreit wasn't able to hold back his emotions after Ohio State won the national championship and later revealed his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Look: ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit reveals why he got emotional on Sports Center following Ohio State football's national championship: