As the final year of the four-team College Football Playoff approaches, ESPN will bring viewers a variety of alternate broadcast presentations of the Rose Bowl Game Presented by Prudential and Allstate Sugar Bowl. These pivotal matchups, both of which take place on New Year’s Day, will determine the matchup for the College Football Playoff National Championship Game on Monday, Jan. 8.
The main telecast of the Rose Bowl Game Presented by Prudential between No. 1 Michigan and No. 4 Alabama will feature the lead ESPN Saturday Night Football broadcast team of play-by-play announcer Chris Fowler, color commentator Kirk Herbstreit and reporter Holly Rowe. Host of NFL Live and SEC Nation Laura Rutledge will also join the broadcast, continuing her year of serving as a reporter for both college and NFL games. Fans can also listen to the action on ESPN Radio with Joe Tessitore, Dusty Dvoracek and Quint Kessenich on the call. The local radio broadcast for both teams will also be available to sync with the ESPN broadcast through partnerships with college radio networks.
Pat McAfee will be on hand for the Field Pass with The Pat McAfee Show broadcast on ESPN2, which will feature the rest of the program’s cast along with other ESPN analysts, personalities and celebrities. The Rose Bowl Game, which takes place from Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, Calif., kicks off at approximately 5 p.m. EST/2 p.m. PST on Monday, Jan. 1.
Later in the day, No. 2 Washington takes on No. 3 Texas in the Allstate Sugar Bowl from Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, La. The television broadcast for that game will feature play-by-play announcer Sean McDonough, color commentator Greg McElroy and reporters Molly McGrath and Katie George. ESPN Radio will have Marc Kestecher, Kelly Stouffer and Ian Fitzsimmons on its call of the game. Akin to the Rose Bowl, fans will be able to synchronize the audio from local radio broadcasts to the ESPN presentation. Field Pass will be on-site for this game featuring ESPN personalities Cole Cubelic, Harry Douglas and Sam Acho, along with former Texas Longhorns quarterback Colt McCoy. The matchup will kick off on Monday, Jan. 1 at 8:45 p.m. EST/5:45 p.m. PST.
Although the specific configurations for each CFP Semifinal game remain unknown, both will equip innovative and powerful technology to enhance the game experience. Cameras will be installed inside all eight end zone pylons, along with on both sidelines at the first-down line. Referees will don cameras within their hats, while operators will utilize a wireless handheld camera to capture on-field celebrations. Moreover, there will also be goal post cams and goal line robotic cams, providing viewers with unique perspectives and vantage points. Fans can watch four different vantage points at once using the Command Center presentation on ESPNU, which will also implement real-time player and team statistics.
ESPNEWS will feature the SkyCast presentation, granting viewers the ability to watch the game above the action behind the offense. Replays from the main telecast will be included on this angle as well. The All-22 presentation will be available on the ESPN App, keeping all 22 players in the field of view at all times and synchronized to the ESPN Radio broadcast. ESPN App users will also be able to watch the pregame and halftime marching band performances through this presentation as well. Command Center and SkyCast presentations will also be available for the entire New Year’s Six slate of bowl games.
The Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Capital One Orange Bowl and Vrbo Fiesta Bowl will all be broadcast by ESPN. Additionally, fans can watch the entire slate of New Year’s Six bowl games at select U.S. movie theaters through the partnership between ESPN and the Theatre Sports Network.
Surrounding the College Football Playoff will be an exclusive series showcasing behind-the-scenes looks at the teams as they prepare to garner the championship prize. Inside the College Football Playoff makes its return on ESPN+ beginning on Friday, Dec. 22, with additional episodes available on the three Fridays thereafter previewing and recapping all of the action.
