ESPN unveiled its college football commentary lineup for 2026-27 this week. The slate runs from Week 0 through the CFP National Championship in Las Vegas.
What We Know: Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Holly Rowe return as the lead ABC/ESPN team for a 13th season together. Steve Shaw joins as a rules analyst after a long career in officiating, including NCAA and SEC roles. Both ACC Network and SEC Network debut new primetime trios this fall. Three new sideline reporters — Michella Chester, Madison Fitzpatrick and Madison Hock — also join the network.
Who To Watch: (via ESPN PR)
| Broadcast Team | Play-by-Play | Analyst | Sideline Reporter(s) | Rules Analyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team 1 | Chris Fowler | Kirk Herbstreit | Holly Rowe | Steve Shaw |
| Team 2 | Sean McDonough | Greg McElroy | Katie George | — |
| Team 3 | Joe Tessitore | Jesse Palmer | Kris Budden | — |
| Team 4 | Dave Pasch | Dusty Dvoracek | Taylor McGregor | — |
| Team 5 | Tom Hart | Roddy Jones | Quint Kessenich | — |
| Team 6 | Bob Wischusen | Louis Riddick | Stormy Buonantony | — |
| Team 7 | Roy Philpott | Brock Osweiler | Sherree Burruss | — |
| Team 8 | Mike Monaco | Jordan Rodgers | Dana Boyle | — |
| Team 9 | Wes Durham | Max Browne | Madison Fitzpatrick | — |
| Team 10 | Matt Schumacker | Aaron Murray | Taylor Davis | — |
| Team 11 | Tiffany Greene | Jay Walker | — | — |
| Team 12 | Matt Barrie | Chase Daniel | Paul Carcaterra | — |
| Team 13 | Courtney Lyle | Rene Ingolia | — | — |
| Team 14 | Jason Ross Jr. | Tyoka Jackson | — | — |
| Team 15 | Eric Frede | Jack Ford | — | — |
| Team 16 | Jay Alter | Tom Luginbill | Lauren Sisler | — |
| Team 17 | Lowell Galindo | Kirk Morrison | Dawn Davenport | — |
| Team 18 | Anish Shroff | Andre Ware | Morgan Uber | — |
| Team 19 | Taylor Zarzour | Matt Stinchcomb | Michella Chester | — |
| Team 20 | Dave Neal | Cole Cubelic | Tori Petry | — |
| Team 21 | Jorge Sedano | Rodney McLeod | Kendra Douglas | — |
| Team 22 | Roxy Bernstein | Dave Clawson | Madison Hock | — |
| Team 23 | Clay Matvick | Rocky Boiman | — | — |
| Team 24 | Chuckie Kempf | Dustin Fox | — | — |
| Team 25 | Ted Emrich | Fozzy Whittaker | — | — |
What Remains Unclear: ESPN hasn’t detailed specific game assignments for each crew yet.
What It Means: This roster signals continued investment in college football as a ratings driver for ESPN. Consequently, ESPN is blending proven chemistry with fresh talent across its networks. The expanded CFP format ahead likely factored into these depth-focused staffing decisions. Ultimately, viewers can expect familiar voices alongside new faces throughout the season.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.