ESPN has unveiled its commentator pairings for the expanded 2025–26 College Football Playoff, outlining a broadcast plan that spans four networks and features many of the company’s most prominent voices. The announcement comes on the heels of Sunday’s reveal of the 12 teams advancing into the second year of the new CFP format.
The Playoff begins Friday, December 19, when No. 9 Alabama visits No. 8 Oklahoma at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN. First-round action continues Saturday, December 20, with a tripleheader across multiple platforms. ABC and ESPN will open the day at noon with No. 10 Miami traveling to No. 7 Texas A&M.
Meanwhile, TNT Sports will carry two games as No. 11 Tulane faces No. 6 Ole Miss at 3:30 p.m. and No. 12 James Madison meets No. 5 Oregon at 7:30 p.m. Viewers will also be able to stream ESPN’s coverage on the ESPN App, while TNT’s matchups will simulcast on truTV and HBO Max. Despite the involvement of outside partners, ESPN will supply commentary crews for every game of the postseason.
After the first round, ESPN networks will air all four Quarterfinals, both Semifinals and the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship. This season’s title game is set for Monday, January 19, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Holly Rowe will anchor ESPN’s lead team, calling one television broadcast in each round. Their coverage begins Friday night in Norman alongside Laura Rutledge. Additionally, Molly McGrath will rejoin the trio for the national championship broadcast presented by AT&T. The Miami title game will mark the 12th CFP championship assignment for Fowler and Herbstreit, who have been the voice of the event since its debut in 2015.
Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy and McGrath will handle Saturday’s noon broadcast featuring Miami and Texas A&M. Taylor McGregor will join the crew on the sidelines. The trio is also slated to work one Quarterfinal and one Semifinal, giving ESPN a steady second team throughout the Playoff.
TNT’s first-round telecasts will also feature familiar ESPN voices.
Joe Tessitore, Jesse Palmer and Katie George — joined by reporter Quint Kessenich — will call one matchup. Bob Wischusen, Louis Riddick and Kris Budden will handle the other, with Stormy Buonantony contributing on the sidelines. ESPN’s presence on the TNT games underscores the network’s commitment to maintaining consistent production quality across the expanded field.
Looking ahead to the Quarterfinals, Tessitore, Palmer and George will return to call one of the matchups. Dave Pasch, Dusty Dvoracek and McGregor will work the other, rounding out a deep roster of broadcast teams assigned to navigate the largest Playoff field in college football history.
As the college football playoff begins, ESPN’s talent lineup reflects both continuity and scale. The network is betting that familiar voices paired with broader distribution will help deliver the most ambitious College Football Playoff to date.
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