ESPN is doubling down on choice and immersion as it prepares to present more than two dozen viewing and listening options for the College Football Playoff quarterfinals, continuing its expansive MegaCast approach during the second year of the expanded CFP.
The four quarterfinal games air Wednesday, December 31, and Thursday, January 1. ESPN will serve as the home of the primary telecast for each matchup. Additional presentations will air across several ESPN platforms. They include ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, SEC Network, ACC Network, ESPN Radio, ESPN Deportes, and the ESPN App. This gives fans multiple ways to experience each game.
A centerpiece of ESPN’s MegaCast strategy once again is Field Pass with The Pat McAfee Show, which returns for a fourth consecutive season. McAfee will provide his signature free-flowing, conversational style while roaming the sidelines for two quarterfinals. On New Year’s Eve, Field Pass will cover the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic between No. 10 Miami and No. 2 Ohio State on ESPN2. The following day, McAfee and crew will shift to Pasadena for the Rose Bowl Game Presented by Prudential, featuring top-seeded Indiana against No. 9 Alabama.
McAfee will be joined by his regular show contributors. They include AJ Hawk, Darius Butler, Connor Campbell, Ty Schmit, and Tone Digs. A rotating group of ESPN analysts, personalities, and celebrity guests will also appear. They will participate throughout both games.
The Cotton Bowl will also feature a second Field Pass presentation, as ACC Network offers Field Pass with ACC Huddle. Taylor Tannebaum, Eric Mac Lain, Eddie Royal, Dave Clawson and Georgia Tech head coach Brent Key will provide commentary live from the sidelines at AT&T Stadium.
Beyond Field Pass, ESPN will offer several alternate viewing experiences through the ESPN App. These include SkyCast, which delivers an overhead angle from the SkyCam. They also include Command Center, a multi-screen presentation with multiple camera angles and real-time statistics. The Rose Bowl quarterfinal will also be available in 4K.
ESPN’s main telecast teams will rotate across the four games. Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Holly Rowe, and Kris Budden will call the Rose Bowl. Dave Pasch, Dusty Dvoracek, Taylor McGregor, and Quint Kessenich will handle the Cotton Bowl. Joe Tessitore’s crew will work the Orange Bowl. Sean McDonough’s team will close the quarterfinal round at the Sugar Bowl.
Radio coverage will be carried nationally on more than 400 ESPN Radio affiliates and digital platforms, with team-specific hometown audio options available on select MegaCast presentations. Spanish-language broadcasts for all four games will air on ESPN Deportes and the ESPN App.
Studio programming will also be extensive. College GameDay Built by The Home Depot will originate from Pasadena on New Year’s Day. SEC Network and ACC Network will provide on-site coverage throughout the quarterfinal round. That coverage will include pregame, halftime, and postgame shows.
With its MegaCast offerings continuing to expand, ESPN is once again positioning the CFP as a fully customizable viewing experience — one designed to meet fans wherever and however they choose to watch.
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