ESPN Reveals 2025-26 College Football Commentator Roster; Top Teams Return for Another Season

Amanda Brooks

ESPN’s industry-leading and award-winning coverage of college football will once again feature the deepest roster of on-air personalities in the sport for the 2025-26 season – a broad lineup of on-air talent, combining seasoned voices with emerging personalities.

The network will deploy more than two dozen teams of commentators, analysts and reporters to cover the season from August’s Week 0 kickoff through the College Football Playoff National Championship in Miami in January 2026. 

Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and reporter Holly Rowe will team up again to call marquee matchups on ABC and ESPN. The 2025 season marks Fowler and Herbstreit’s 12th year in the booth and their 30th season as college football teammates, beginning in 1996 on College GameDay. Fowler, a 2024 Sports Emmy nominee, and Herbstreit, the five-time Sports Emmy winner, have called all 11 College Football Playoff National Championship games together. Rowe, a 2023 Sports Emmy winner, joined the team in 2021 and is in her 30th year on the college football sidelines for ESPN and ABC.

Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy and Molly McGrath are pairing up for the third consecutive year. The Alabama National Champion quarterback enters his 10th season calling games for ESPN and ABC. One of the sport’s leading analysts, McElroy also has studio experience on ESPN and SEC Network, in addition to hosting ESPN and Omaha Productions’ Always College Football podcast. McDonough, one of the most accomplished broadcasters of his generation, returns to his regular ABC/ESPN rotation for the seventh straight year in addition to serving as ESPN’s lead NHL play-by-play voice. McGrath, a two-time Sports Emmy nominee who is fresh off her fourth consecutive College Football Playoff National Championship network assignment, is in her sixth season in this role and ninth consecutive year at ESPN.

The trio of veteran play-by-play voice Joe Tessitore, longtime ESPN analyst Jesse Palmer and intrepid sideline reporter Katie George will team together for the third straight season. Palmer enters his 18th season at ESPN, previously working in both game and studio analyst roles across ESPN networks. He’s also a consistent face on ABC as host of the popular Bachelor franchise. For the better part of two decades, Tessitore has been among the premier broadcasters for ESPN and ABC’s coverage of college football, as well as the veteran blow-by-blow ringside commentator for Top Rank Boxing on ESPN and a commentator for WWE. George, a versatile reporter who has covered multiple sports and events for ESPN and ABC – including the NBA, UFL, F1, NCAA Volleyball and more, returns for her seventh year on the sidelines across ESPN networks. She is also a recent addition to ESPN’s NFL coverage, joining Fowler, Louis Riddick, Dan Orlovsky and Peter Schrager for select Monday Night Football doubleheaders.

Dave Pasch, Dusty Dvoracek and Taylor McGregor will call games as a trio for the second year, with Pasch and Dvoracek in the booth together for the fifth consecutive season. A versatile football and basketball play-by-play voice – who also calls Arizona Cardinals NFL games, Pasch celebrated his 20th year at ESPN last season. A two-time Oklahoma Sooner captain and former NFL Draft pick, Dvoracek also contributes to College Football Live, SportsCenter and various SEC Network programming. McGregor has been part of ESPN’s college football team since 2019 and is also a commentator and host for Chicago Cubs broadcasts. She was part of ESPN’s Women’s College World Series coverage in 2025.

Mark Jones, Roddy Jones and Quint Kessenich are paired up for the second straight season. Mark Jones has served as a college football commentator and leading NBA play-by-play voice for more than three decades, celebrating his 35th year at ESPN in 2025. Roddy Jones has been with ESPN since 2017, first as a sideline reporter and then as an analyst on both ACC Network and ESPN. Veteran reporter Kessenich is one of ESPN’s top lacrosse voices as an analyst and reporter on multiple NCAA Championship events and contributes weekly to ESPN’s coverage of the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL).

Bob Wischusen, Louis Riddick and Kris Budden will once again team up on ABC and ESPN. Wischusen, a college football, basketball, golf and NHL voice for ESPN, is also the New York Jets radio voice. Riddick, who is synonymous with ESPN’s NFL game, studio and NFL Draft coverage, readies for his fifth college football campaign and will continue to call select Monday Night Football games. Budden is a regular on ABC and ESPN covering college football, basketball, and is the lead sideline reporter for the Men’s College World Series, in addition to adding grand slam tennis reporting since 2024 and the Little League Softball World Series in 2025. Budden has also called multiple College Football Playoff National Championships on ESPN Radio and is a regular voice for college sports studio programming on Sirius XM.

Dave Flemming, Brock Osweiler and Stormy Buonantony link up for the second consecutive year. Flemming, who celebrates his 15th year at ESPN in 2025, brings more than a decade of experience calling college football, basketball, Major League Baseball, and golf. Osweiler, a former NFL quarterback and Super Bowl 50 champion with the Denver Broncos, joined ESPN in 2022 following his seven-year professional career and record-setting tenure at Arizona State. Buonantony enters her fourth season with ESPN and has added UFL and NHL responsibilities to her repertoire. An Emmy Award-winning journalist whose career spans roles with the Vegas Golden Knights, Carolina Panthers, and VSIN, The Sports Betting Network, the San Diego State alumna resides in her native Las Vegas, Nev.

Lead College Networks and HBCU Commentating Crews:

Additional Game Crews on ESPN Networks:

Additional ESPN college football commentators returning this fall include rules analysts Bill LeMonnier and Matt Austin, as well as dozens of other play-by-play commentators, analysts and reporters who will make contributions over the course of the 1,000+ games on ESPN networks.

ESPN Re-Signs College Football Commentators to New Contracts
ESPN strengthened its college football roster by signing multiple on-air personalities to new or extended contracts during the offseason. ESPN re-signed the following commentators with regular game assignments to new contracts (in alphabetical order): Sam Acho, Steve Addazio, Jay Alter, Matt Austin, Stormy Buonantony, Mike Couzens, Cole Cubelic, Taylor Davis, Wes Durham, Dustin Fox, Tiffany Greene, Rene Ingoglia, Roddy Jones, Quint Kessenich, Alyssa Lang, Tom Luginbill, Courtney Lyle, Clay Matvick, Taylor McGregor, Kirk Morrison, Brock Osweiler, Roy Philpott, Jordan Rodgers, Max Starks, Matt Stinchcomb, Morgan Uber, Jay Walker, Andre Ware, Fozzy Whittaker and Bob Wischusen.

Newcomers Set for Commentary Roles Across ESPN Networks
ESPN has signed six additional commentators to new contracts for the 2025-26 season, including:

ESPN Radio
Marc Kestecher, the lead voice for the NBA on ESPN Radio, continues as the top college football play-by-play commentator this season, joined by veterans Kelly Stouffer (analyst), the former NFL and Colorado State quarterback, and Ian Fitzsimmons (reporter). Longtime ESPN play-by-play commentator Mike Couzens – ESPN Radio’s top college basketball voice – will continue to call games with Florida alum and two-time Super Bowl champion Max Starks and former North Carolina Central standout Jordan Reid, who is a college football and NFL Draft analyst for ESPN.

ESPN Deportes
The top Spanish language booth of play-by-play commentator Eduardo Varela, analyst Pablo Viruega and reporters Ciro Procuna and Carlos Nava return to ESPN Deportes for the 2025-26 season. All four have had numerous college football seasons under their belts, including multiple bowl games and College Football Playoff assignments.

ESPN remains the home of college football with an unparalleled portfolio of marquee rivalries, non-conference showcases, conference championship contests and comprehensive postseason coverage in 2025-26. For updates to programming schedules, game assignments and more, please visit ESPNPressRoom.com.

ESPN NETWORKS COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE – WEEK 1

Date Time (ET) Game/Commentators Network
Thu, Aug 28 5:30 p.m. No. 25 Boise State at South Florida
Matt Barrie, Tom Luginbill, Harry Lyles Jr.		 ESPN
6 p.m. Lafayette at Bowling Green
Evan Stockton, Marcus Ray		 ESPN+
  6 p.m. Mercyhurst at Youngstown State ESPN+
  7 p.m. Towson at Norfolk State
Tiffany Greene, Jay Walker		 ESPNU
7 p.m. East Carolina at NC State
Wes Durham, Steve Addazio, Dana Boyle		 ACC Network
7 p.m. Jacksonville State at UCF
AJ Ricketts, Rene Ingoglia		 ESPN+
7 p.m. Wyoming at Akron
Michael Reghi, Ryan Cavanaugh		 ESPN+
  7 p.m. St. Francis at UL Monroe ESPN+
  7 p.m. Delaware State at Delaware ESPN+
  7 p.m. Dayton at Eastern Illinois ESPN+
  7 p.m. Arkansas Baptist at Houston Christian ESPN+
  7 p.m. McKendree at Indiana State ESPN+
7:30 p.m. Central Arkansas at Missouri
Lowell Galindo, Aaron Murray, Lauren Sisler		 SEC Network
7:30 p.m. Elon at Duke
Matt Schick, Forrest Conoly, Michella Chester		 ESPN+/ACCNX
7:30 p.m. UT Martin at Oklahoma State
James Westling, Leger Douzable		 ESPN+
  7:30 p.m. Upper Iowa at Drake ESPN+
  7:30 p.m. West Georgia at Samford ESPN+
8 p.m. Stephen F. Austin at Houston
Pete Sousa, Taylor McHargue		 ESPN+
  8 p.m. Alcorn State at Northwestern State ESPN+
8:30 p.m. Alabama State at UAB
Doug Sherman, Dave Steckel		 ESPN+
9 p.m. Nebraska vs. Cincinnati (Kansas City, Mo.)*
Mark Jones, Roddy Jones, Quint Kessenich		 ESPN
Fri, Aug 29 7 p.m. Duke’s Mayo Classic: App State vs. Charlotte (Charlotte, N.C.)
Courtney Lyle, Rene Ingoglia		 ESPNU
7 p.m. Kennesaw State at Wake Forest
Chuckie Kempf, Darius Walker, Ashley Stroehlein		 ACC Network
  7 p.m. Bethune-Cookman at Florida International ESPN+
  7 p.m. Monmouth at Colgate ESPN+
  7 p.m. New Haven at Marist ESPN+
7:30 p.m. Wagner at Kansas
Mark Neely, Todd Doxzon		 ESPN+
8 p.m. Georgia Tech at Colorado*
Dave Pasch, Dusty Dvoracek, Taylor McGregor		 ESPN
Sat, Aug 30 Noon Aflac Kickoff: Syracuse vs. No. 24 Tennessee
(Atlanta, Ga.)*
TV: Bob Wischusen, Louis Riddick, Kris Budden
Radio: Marc Kestecher, Kelly Stouffer, Ian Fitzsimmons		 ABC/ESPN Radio
Noon Mississippi State at Southern Miss
Roy Philpott, Sam Acho, Taylor Davis		 ESPN
Noon Northwestern at Tulane
Matt Schumacker, Dustin Fox		 ESPNU
Noon Duquesne at Pittsburgh
Clay Matvick, Chase Daniel, Marilyn Payne		 ACC Network
Noon Merrimack at Kent State
Anthony Lima, Jerod Cherry		 ESPN+
  Noon Richmond at Lehigh ESPN+
  Noon North Dakota State at The Citadel ESPN+
  Noon Kieser (Fla.) at Indiana Wesleyan ESPN+
12:45 p.m. Toledo at Kentucky
Taylor Zarzour, Matt Stinchcomb, Alyssa Lang		 SEC Network
  1 p.m. Georgetown at Davidson ESPN+
  1 p.m. Cumberland at Tennessee Tech ESPN+
2 p.m. Fordham at Boston College
Kevin Connors, Craig Haubert		 ESPN+/ACCNX
2 p.m. Robert Morris at West Virginia
Brian Custer, Max Starks		 ESPN+
  2 p.m. Virginia Lynchburg at Valparaiso ESPN+
  2 p.m. William & Mary at Furman ESPN+
  2 p.m. Stonehill at Sacred Heart ESPN+
  2 p.m. Butler at Northern Iowa ESPN+
3 p.m. Eastern Kentucky at Louisville
Jorge Sedano, Rodney McLeod, Victoria Arlen		 ACC Network
  3 p.m. Chadron State at Northern Colorado ESPN+
3:30 p.m. No. 8 Alabama at Florida State*
Joe Tessitore, Jesse Palmer, Katie George		 ABC
3:30 p.m. Marshall at No. 5 Georgia
Mike Monaco, Kirk Morrison, Dawn Davenport		 ESPN
3:30 p.m. Holy Cross at Northern Illinois
Kelsie Kasper, Ryan Cavanaugh		 ESPN+
3:30 p.m. Temple at Massachusetts
Robert Lee, Patrick Murray		 ESPN+
4 p.m. Invesco QQQ Orange Blossom Classic: Howard
vs. Florida A&M (Miami, Gardens, Fla)
Tiffany Greene, Jay Walker		 ESPNU
  4 p.m. Maine at Liberty ESPN+
  4 p.m. Morehouse at Johnson C. Smith ESPN+
4:15 p.m. Alabama A&M at Arkansas
Dave Neal, Fozzy Whittaker, Morgan Uber		 SEC Network
4:30 p.m. Chattanooga at Memphis
Chris Carlin, Jay Sonnhalter		 ESPN+
  4:30 p.m. North Carolina A&T at Tennessee State ESPN+
  5:30 p.m. Murray State at East Tennessee State ESPN+
6 p.m. Coastal Carolina at Virginia
Chris Cotter, Max Browne, Kendra Douglas		 ACC Network
6 p.m. Illinois State at No. 18 Oklahoma
Richard Cross, Tyoka Jackson		 ESPN+/SECN+
  6 p.m. Weber State at James Madison ESPN+
  6 p.m. Edward Waters at Savannah State ESPN+
  6 p.m. Webber at Stetson ESPN+
  6 p.m. Presbyterian at Mercer ESPN+
  6 p.m. Gardner-Webb at Western Carolina ESPN+
  6 p.m. Allen at Morehead State ESPN+
  6 p.m. New Hampshire at North Carolina Central ESPN+
  6 p.m. Wofford at South Carolina State ESPN+
7 p.m. UTSA at No. 19 Texas A&M
Anish Shroff, Andre Ware, Paul Carcaterra		 ESPN
7 p.m. Long Island University at No. 15 Florida
Jay Alter, Rocky Boiman, Stephanie Otey		 ESPN+/SECN+
7 p.m. Charleston Southern at Vanderbilt
Kevin Fitzgerald, Charles Arbuckle		 ESPN+/SECN+
7 p.m. North Dakota at Kansas State
Shawn Kenney, Barrett Brooks		 ESPN+
  7 p.m. Austin Peay at Middle Tennessee ESPN+
  7 p.m. North Alabama at Western Kentucky ESPN+
  7 p.m. Southeast Missouri State at Arkansas State ESPN+
  7 p.m. Morgan State at South Alabama ESPN+
  7 p.m. Nicholls at Troy ESPN+
  7 p.m. Eastern Washington at Incarnate Word ESPN+
  7 p.m. Louisiana Christian at McNeese ESPN+
  7 p.m. Sacramento State at South Dakota State ESPN+
  7 p.m. Thomas More at Southern Illinois ESPN+
7:30 p.m. No. 9 LSU at No. 4 Clemson**
Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Holly Rowe. Molly McGrath		 ABC
7:30 p.m. Arkansas-Pine Bluff vs. No. 23 Texas Tech
Ted Emrich, Jeff Woody		 ESPN+
  7:30 p.m. SE Louisiana at Louisiana Tech ESPN+
7:45 p.m. Georgia State at No. 21 Ole Miss
Tom Hart, Jordan Rodgers, Cole Cubelic		 SEC Network
8 p.m. Portland State at BYU
Mike Corey, Brad Hopkins		 ESPN+
8 p.m. Lamar at North Texas
Justin Kutcher, LaDarrin McLane		 ESPN+
8 p.m. Abilene Christian at Tulsa
James Westling, Leger Douzable		 ESPN+
  8 p.m. Rice at Louisiana ESPN+
  8 p.m. Eastern Michigan at Texas State ESPN+
  8 p.m. Sul Ross State at UT Rio Grande Valley ESPN+
  8:30 p.m. Idaho State at Southern Utah ESPN+
9 p.m. East Texas A&M at No. 16 SMU
Wes Durham, Steve Addazio, Dana Boyle		 ACC Network
  9 p.m. Bryant at New Mexico State ESPN+
10 p.m. Northern Arizona at No. 11 Arizona State
Roxy Bernstein, Michael Bumpus, Tori Petry		 ESPN+
  10 p.m. UC Davis at Utah Tech ESPN+
10:30 p.m. California at Oregon State
Dave Flemming, Brock Osweiler, Stormy Buonantony		 ESPN
Sun, Aug 31 3 p.m. Aflac Kickoff: Virginia Tech vs. No. 13 South Carolina (Atlanta, Ga.)*
TV: Bob Wischusen, Louis Riddick, Kris Budden
Radio: Marc Kestecher, Kelly Stouffer, Ian Fitzsimmons		 ESPN/ESPN Radio
7 p.m. Red Tails Classic: Winston Salem State
vs. Tuskegee (Montgomery, Ala.)
James Hadnot, Marcus Ray		 ESPNU
7:30 p.m. No. 6 Notre Dame at No. 10 Miami*^
Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy, Molly McGrath. Taylor McGregor		 ABC
Mon, Sep 1 8 p.m. TCU at North Carolina**
Rece Davis, Kirk Herbstreit, Holly Rowe		 ESPN

*Skycast on ESPN App
**Skycast on ESPNU and ESPN App
^4K Game of the Week

All of ESPN. All in One Place. Now Available!
For the first time ever, ESPN offers its full suite of 12 networks and services directly to fans within an enhanced ESPN App that integrates game stats, ESPN BET information, ESPN Fantasy sports, commerce, multiview options, a synchronized two-screen experience, a vertical video feature called Verts and a personalized SportsCenter For You. Designed to give fans more choice, flexibility and access to all of ESPN, these new features and functionality are available to all fans who watch on the ESPN App on mobile and connected TV devices, whether they subscribe directly or through a traditional pay TV package. Bundling options available for fans include a special offer at launch for the ESPN DTC Unlimited plan with Disney+ and Hulu for $29.99/month for the first 12 months. For more visit the ESPN DTC Press Kit.

Related Articles
↑
Exit mobile version