Laura Rutledge’s Bold College Football Playoff Prediction Has ESPN Fans Talking

ESPN host Laura Rutledge is trending after sharing an emotional tribute to late Alabama sports reporter Christina Chambers—hours before dazzling fans with a festive red Christmas dress on social media. Rutledge, 37, wrote “Absolutely awful… Heartbroken” on X while mourning Chambers, 38, who was found dead alongside her husband in an apparent murder-suicide in Hoover, Alabama. Police say the couple’s three-year-old son was unharmed as the investigation continues. The longtime SEC Network and NFL Live anchor called Chambers “so sweet,” and colleagues across regional TV stations echoed Rutledge’s praise for the beloved sideline reporter’s work ethic and faith. The heartfelt post quickly drove searches such as “Laura Rutledge heartbroken,” “Christina Chambers murder suicide,” and “Rutledge tribute,” vaulting the ESPN personality into Google and X’s top U.S. trends on Thursday night. Fans and media outlets highlighted Rutledge’s compassion, noting that both women rose through Southern local-TV sports before landing high-profile national assignments. Within hours, Rutledge was back in the spotlight for lighter reasons: her bright-red, long-sleeved Christmas dress. The outfit debuted in an Instagram carousel recapping her whirlwind week of NFL coverage and an eight-hour road trip to Monday Night Football. Followers showered the post with compliments like “So Beautiful” and “Absolutely Gorgeous,” helping the image rack up thousands of likes and fueling keyword spikes around “Laura Rutledge Christmas dress” and “ESPN red dress”. Rutledge’s dual viral moments underscore her growing cultural pull beyond studio analysis. In 2025 she anchored SEC Nation on campus Saturdays, headlined NFL Live weekdays, and delivered field reports for ESPN’s Monday Night Football megacasts, balancing professional gravitas with relatable family snapshots of life on the road. Married to former MLB infielder Josh Rutledge and mom to two-year-old Reese, she frequently blends parenting anecdotes with football talk on air and online—an authenticity that resonates with the same demographic that once propelled Erin Andrews and Samantha Ponder to mainstream fame. What’s next? Rutledge is slated to host ESPN’s year-end college bowl preview specials before returning to NFL Live for playoff coverage. Expect continued social buzz each time she steps onscreen—or posts a behind-the-scenes look at gameday fashion. For viewers, the takeaway is clear: Laura Rutledge’s influence now spans breaking-news empathy and holiday style inspiration, making her one of sports media’s most searchable stars as 2025 turns to 2026.