College Football Announcers: A Comprehensive Look at the Voices of the Game

The world of college football broadcasting is dynamic, with familiar voices guiding viewers through the excitement of each game. As the landscape of college football evolves, so do the broadcast teams that bring the action to life. This article delves into the various networks and their announcing teams, providing a comprehensive overview of the voices you'll hear during the college football season.

The Changing Landscape of College Football Broadcasts

The 2024-2025 college football season brings significant changes, including conference realignments and the expansion of the College Football Playoff. These changes also impact the broadcast landscape, with networks adjusting their lineups and coverage to accommodate the evolving sport.

Recognizing the voices behind the broadcasts enhances the viewing experience, connecting fans more closely to the games they love. While some announcers, like Gus Johnson, are instantly recognizable, others may be less familiar. This guide aims to provide clarity on who's calling the games on various networks.

Network Breakdown: Announcers by Channel

Here's a breakdown of the announcing teams for major college football broadcasters:

ESPN and ABC

ESPN and ABC offer a wide range of broadcast teams, ensuring comprehensive coverage of college football games. Some of the notable teams include:

Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, and Holly Rowe
Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy, and Molly McGrath
Joe Tessitore, Jesse Palmer, and Katie George
Bob Wischusen, Louis Riddick, and Kris Budden
Mark Jones, Roddy Jones, and Quint Kessenich
Dave Pasch, Dusty Dvoracek, and Taylor McGregor
Tiffany Greene and Jay Walker

ABC first began broadcasting regular season college football games in 1950 and has aired games of the now-National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) annually since 1966. Since 2006, broadcasts have been produced by ESPN and have been billed as part of ESPN College Football. Since the 2024 season, ABC has primarily broadcast Southeastern Conference (SEC) games, billed as the SEC on ABC, succeeding the conference's long-time relationship with CBS. ABC also carries games from other conferences such as the American, Atlantic Coast, and Big 12, billed as ABC College Football.

ABC also carries selected conference championships, bowl games, and College Football Playoff games.

SEC Network

The SEC Network features:

Tom Hart, Jordan Rodgers, and Cole Cubelic

ACC Network

The ACC Network's primary team includes:

Tom Luginbill, Dana Boyle, and Wes Durham

Fox Sports

Fox Sports boasts a diverse lineup of announcing teams:

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Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt, and Jenny Taft
Jason Benetti, Brock Huard, and Allison Williams
Tim Brando, Devin Gardner, and Josh Sims
Mark Helfrich and Connor Onion
Eric Collins and Spencer Tillman
Robert Smith and Alex Faust
Chris Myers and Petros Papadakis

Dan Hellie also contributes play-by-play for select games.

CBS Sports

CBS Sports offers a mix of experienced and newer voices:

Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson, and Jenny Dell
Rich Waltz, Ross Tucker, and Tiffany Blackmon
Rich Waltz, Robert Turbin, and Amanda Guerra

Luke Kuechly serves as an analyst for select games. Other CBS broadcasters include:

Play-by-play: Jordan Kent, Dave Ryan, Carter Blackburn, Chris Lewis, Alex Del Barrio, John Sadak, and Jason Knapp
Analysts: Randy Cross, Taylor McHargue, Adam Breneman, Donte Whitner, Brock Vereen, and Logan Ryan
Reporters: Tina Cervasio, Keiana Martin, Sheehan Stanwick Burch, Emily Proud, and Brandon Baylor

On Thursday, May 29, CBS disclosed select games from their upcoming 2025 college football broadcast lineup. One of the main takeaways here is the some of the intriguing early season matchups that CBS has during Weeks #1 through #4 in their traditional 3:30 PM (ET) marquee game window.

Additional schedule highlights include: Top notch Big Ten matchups every Saturday afternoon at 3:30 PM (ET), with games being determined via a six-day or 12-day selection process beginning with Week #5. Three games in the Saturday primetime window (7:30 PM ET kickoffs for each occasion): Stanford vs. Hawaii (Saturday, August 23), the in-state Apple Cup rivalry game as Washington visits Washington State (Saturday, September 20) & Washington State vs. Oregon State (Saturday, November 1).

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All three Commander-in-Chief's Trophy games: Air Force vs. Navy (Saturday, October 4 - 12:00 PM ET), Army vs. Air Force (Saturday, November 1 - 12:00 PM ET) & the 126th Army-Navy Game (Saturday, December 13 - 3:00 PM ET). A rare CBS College Football tripleheader on Saturday, November 1: Army-Air Force (12:00 PM ET, as previously mentioned), TBA Big Ten on CBS game (3:30 PM ET) & Washington State-Oregon State (7:30 PM ET, as previously mentioned). A Black Friday doubleheader on Friday, November 28: Iowa vs. Nebraska at 12:00 PM ET & Boise State vs. Utah State at 4:00 PM (ET). The 92nd edition of Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl, kicks off at 2:00 PM (ET) on Wednesday, December 31.

Gary Danielson, the longtime college football analyst for ABC/ESPN (1990-2005) and later CBS (2006-25), is retiring following the 2025 season and will be replaced by Charles Davis. Danielson's final broadcast of the 2025 Sun Bowl between Arizona State and Duke on Wednesday, December 31. Gary had spent nearly 40 years calling college football games.

The confirmed 2025 College Football on CBS schedule can be found below. Additional matchups will be added as the season progresses.

College Football on CBS: 2025 Regular Season & Bowl Broadcast Schedule (All Times ET and Subject to Change)

Week 0 - Saturday, August 23. Stanford at Hawaii - CBS, 7:30 PM (ET) - Rich Waltz, Logan Ryan, Tiffany Blackmon
Week 1 - Saturday, August 30. Nevada at Penn State - CBS, 3:30 PM (ET) - Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson, Jenny Dell
Week 2 - Saturday, September 6. Oklahoma State at Oregon - CBS, 3:30 PM (ET) - Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson, Jenny Dell
Week 3 - Saturday, September 13. USC at Purdue - CBS, 6:45 PM (ET) (delayed from 3:30 PM ET) - Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson, Jenny Dell- Game delayed due to rain/lightning
Week 4 - Saturday, September 20 (Doubleheader). Michigan at Nebraska - CBS, 3:30 PM (ET) - Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson, Jenny Dell. Washington at Washington State - CBS, 7:30 PM (ET) - Rich Waltz, Logan Ryan, Tiffany Blackmon
Week 5 - Saturday, September 27. Ohio State at Washington - CBS, 3:30 PM (ET) - Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson, Jenny Dell
Week 6 - Saturday, October 4 (Doubleheader). Air Force at Navy - CBS, 12:00 PM (ET) - Rich Waltz, Ross Tucker, Tiffany Blackmon. Penn State at UCLA - CBS, 3:30 PM (ET) - Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson, Jenny Dell
Week 7 - Saturday, October 11. Indiana at Oregon - CBS, 3:30 PM (ET) - Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson, Jenny Dell
Week 8 - Saturday, October 18. Ohio State at Wisconsin - CBS, 3:30 PM (ET) - Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson, Jenny Dell
Week 9 - Saturday, October 25. Minnesota at Iowa - CBS, 3:30 PM (ET) - Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson, Jenny Dell
Week 10 - Saturday, November 1 (Tripleheader). Army at Air Force - CBS, 12:00 PM (ET) - Rich Waltz, Ross Tucker, Tiffany Blackmon. Indiana at Maryland - CBS, 3:30 PM (ET) - Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson, Jenny Dell. Washington State at Oregon State - CBS, 7:30 PM (ET) - Chris Lewis, Logan Ryan, Brandon Baylor
Week 11 - Saturday, November 8. Oregon at Iowa - CBS, 3:30 PM (ET) - Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson, Jenny Dell
Week 12 - Saturday, November 15. Penn State at Michigan State - CBS, 3:30 PM (ET) - Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson, Jenny Dell
Week 13 - Saturday, November 22. USC at Oregon - CBS, 3:30 PM (ET) - Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson, Jenny Dell
Week 14 - Friday, November 28 (Black Friday) (Doubleheader). Iowa at Nebraska - CBS, 12:00 PM (ET) - Rich Waltz, Ross Tucker, Tiffany Blackmon. Boise State at Utah State - CBS, 4:00 PM (ET) - Chris Lewis, Logan Ryan, Brandon Baylor
Week 14 - Saturday, November 29. Oregon at Washington - CBS, 3:30 PM (ET) - Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson, Jenny Dell
Week 16 - Saturday, December 13 (Army vs. Navy Game). Army vs. Navy (M&T Bank Stadium) - CBS, 3:00 PM (ET) - Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson, Jenny Dell- 2025 Army-Navy Game (M&T Bank Stadium - Baltimore, Maryland)
Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl - Wednesday, December 31 (New Year's Eve). Arizona State vs.

NBC Sports and Peacock

NBC Sports and Peacock offer a growing lineup of college football coverage:

Noah Eagle, Todd Blackledge, and Kathryn Tappen
Dan Hicks, Jason Garrett, and Zora Stephenson (Notre Dame games)
Paul Burmeister, Colt McCoy, and Kathryn Tappen
Jac Collinsworth and Andrew Siciliano
Brendan Burke, Kyle Rudolph, and Caroline Pineda

NBC Sports, which will present more than 30 Big Ten and Notre Dame Football games this season across NBC and Peacock, including 10 Peacock exclusive games, named its 2024 college football announce teams.

Big Ten Network

The Big Ten Network provides extensive coverage of the conference:

Play-by-play: Jeff Levering, Guy Haberman, Mark Followill, Lisa Byington, Jason Ross Jr., Jason Horowitz, Pat Boylan, and Joe Beninati
Analysts: Jake Butt, Yogi Roth, Anthony Herron, Lincoln Kennedy, Matt Millen, and J Leman
Reporters: Brooke Fletcher, Rhett Lewis, Melanie Ricks, Taryn Hatcher, and Kylen Mills

The CW

The CW is also entering the college football broadcasting arena:

Thom Brennaman, Max Browne, and Treavor Scales
Ted Robinson, Chase Daniel, and Nigel Burton
J.B. Long, Ryan Leaf, and Amanda Guerra

Notable Changes and Additions

Several changes and additions have been made to the broadcasting teams for the upcoming season:

Leigh Diffey: Named CBS Sportsâ NASCAR Cup Series Lead Play-By-Play Commentator.
Colt McCoy: Joining NBC Sportsâ Big Ten Football Coverage as an analyst.
Gary Neville: Joining NBC Sportsâ Premier League Coverage as Special Contributor Throughout 2024-25 Season.
Nicole Auerbach: Expanding Role With NBC Sports as Lead College Football and College Basketball Insider.
Pamela Maldonado: ESPN Signs Sports Betting Analyst.

A Look Back at ABC's College Football History

ABC's involvement with college football dates back to 1950, with regular-season games becoming a staple since 1966. The network's coverage evolved over the years, navigating NCAA restrictions and landmark court decisions.

In the early years, the NCAA attempted to control television broadcasts to protect game attendance. However, legal challenges led to changes, allowing individual colleges to make their own TV deals. ABC played a significant role in this evolution, securing contracts and expanding its coverage.

Throughout the years, ABC featured iconic announcers like Chris Schenkel, Keith Jackson, and Frank Broyles. These voices became synonymous with college football, guiding viewers through memorable games and moments.

The SEC on CBS: A Storied Partnership

CBS has a long history of televising college football games, dating back to the launch of its sports division. After a period of reduced coverage due to NCAA restrictions, CBS returned to regular-season collegiate football in 1982.

The SEC on CBS has become a prominent part of the college football landscape, showcasing top matchups and rivalries. The network's coverage has evolved over the years, with iconic announcing teams like Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson becoming synonymous with SEC football.

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