"Uncanny impersonation": CFB world in splits over ND royalty Lou Holtz' doppelganger catching spotlight in Atlanta

College football fans were left in stitches when a Lou Holtz doppelganger made an appearance at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium during the 2025 CFP National Championship showdown between Notre Dame and Ohio State on Monday.

Holtz was the last Notre Dame head coach to lead the team to a national championship. Despite his rivalry with Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, he decided to witness the Fighting Irish's championship bid in person in Atlanta.

During the game, Pat McAfee spotted and interviewed Holtz's lookalike, Ty Lou Holtz, on the sidelines. The uncanny resemblance between the two had college football fans buzzing with amusement.

One fan commented that the fake Holtz did an excellent impersonation of the iconic Notre Dame head coach:

"Uncanny impersonation"

Another joked that the real Lou Holtz and his doppelganger should meet for a one-on-one chat:

"They should have a friendly chat"

This fan said the impersonation was one of the best parts of the 2025 CFP natty game:

"One of the funniest things Ever!"

Another expressed admiration for Lou Holtz, calling him one of the living legends of the Notre Dame football program:

"Oh wow that is the biggest names in Notre Dame history"

This fan humorously noted that jokes about the 88-year-old’s double were starting to feel overplayed:

"This was funny like maybe the first 2 times but that's it"

One creative fan shared a Spider-Man meme to illustrate the resemblance between Holtz and his lookalike at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium:

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How did Lou Holtz and Ryan Day's rivalry begin?

The feud between Lou Holtz and Ryan Day dates back to the 2023 season when the Ohio State Buckeyes defeated Notre Dame in September. Before the game, Holtz criticized Day's coaching style, particularly Ohio State's perceived lack of a physical presence on the field.

"You look at Coach Day, and I coached at Ohio State under Woody Hayes," Holtz said during an ESPN interview. "We won a national championship when I was there. I'm proud of that. However, he has lost to Alabama, Georgia, Clemson, Michigan twice. And everybody beats him, does so because they are more physcial than Ohio State. I think Notre Dame will take the same approach."

After the Buckeyes won 17-14, Day fired back at Holtz with pointed comments during the post-game press conference.

"I'd like to know where Lou Holtz is right now," Day said. "What he said about our team, I cannot believe. This is a tough team right here. We're proud to be from Ohio. It's always been Ohio against the world, and it will continue to be Ohio against the world. But I tell you what, I love these kids. We've got a tough team."

Ryan Day once again proved his point in the 2025 CFP national championship game as the Buckeyes secured a decisive 34-23 victory over Notre Dame. The win marked Ohio State’s first national championship title since 2014.