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Kirk Herbstreit's dog Ben receives emotional honor on “College GameDay”

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ESPN football analyst Kirk Herbstreit announced the death of his golden retriever, Ben, earlier this week.

The dog was popular at college football stadiums and became a celebrity, with Herbstreit visiting as part of ESPN's “College GameDay.” On Saturday, before the LSU-Alabama matchup from Baton Rouge, Louisana, ESPN honored Ben on commentary with a dark and emotional fall contest. Herbstreit collapsed on the “College GameDay” set in advance of the tribute:

“Dogs are considered man’s best friends. But what do you call a dog that becomes a nation’s best friend?” asked Herbstreit in the tribute video. “You call him 'Ben.' I have to be honest: When I started taking Ben on the road, I needed a travel companion who sometimes seemed like islands of solitude. Travel feels less like hiking and more like belonging.

“When I was working on the 'College GameDay' set in a hotel room or in a broadcast booth, I felt like I was at home when I reached down and felt the fur on my feet.”

Herbstreit then talked about how Ben went from a travel helper to a national celebrity celebrating the country.

“Ben wasn't here to become a social media star, but he became one by just being himself,” Herbstreit added. “The Rose Bowl named him its Chief Happiness Officer.” And that's exactly what he did. He made everyone happy. He did it without even trying. He would just wag his tail or snuggle up to strangers like they were family. And that's it they were.

“On planes, in hotel lobbies, on the beach or in the mountains, it didn’t matter whether you were a college student, a movie star, a national championship quarterback or even a state governor. Ben didn't care who you were.” Everyone deserved his love. I think we can all learn from this. At a time when everything aims to divide us, our love for football unites us every weekend.

“What I experienced with Ben was that and much more. A dog's only flaw as a species is that it doesn't live long enough. But the warmth they give us never goes away. Ben won't do it either. “This man’s best friend.” who became America’s best friend.”

Herbstreit announced Ben's death Thursday after a battle with cancer. His last stadium appearance was on October 26 at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas, at the Texas A&M-LSU game.

“This is really hard to write, but so many of you loved and cared about Ben that I wanted to let you know. We found out today that the cancer had spread to Ben's organs and there was nothing we could do – we had to let it happen.” “He's leaving,” Herbstreit announced on social media.

Ben received support from people and dogs alike, including Washington's Dubs and Texas A&M's Reveille. There were also several signs in the “College GameDay” crowd.

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