College Football Playoff Announcers: A Comprehensive Guide

The College Football Playoff (CFP) is set to continue its exciting 12-team format. This expanded playoff structure means a total of 11 games, showcasing the nation's top college football programs. ESPN holds the rights to broadcast the CFP, ensuring that all games, including those in the first round airing on TNT, will be covered. In the past, ESPN utilized six broadcast teams to cover the tournament. For the upcoming season, ESPN will deploy four broadcast teams. While official announcements are currently limited to the first round and the national championship game, it is expected that each broadcast team will cover one game in each of the first two rounds.

Meet the Announcers

ESPN has announced the four commentary teams that will be covering the College Football Playoff.

Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit

The duo of Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit has been a cornerstone of the College Football Playoff since its inception. Their familiarity and expertise provide viewers with insightful commentary and analysis. They were in the booth when Ohio State clinched the first College Football Playoff national championship. In the upcoming playoff, they are slated to call games in the first round and the national championship game. They will commence their 2025 postseason coverage with the Alabama-Oklahoma game.

Sean McDonough and Greg McElroy

Sean McDonough is a versatile broadcaster with experience covering a wide range of sports, including college football and the Stanley Cup Final. He is no stranger to the College Football Playoff, bringing his seasoned play-by-play skills to the games. Greg McElroy, a longtime analyst at ESPN, brings a unique perspective to the broadcast booth. As a former starting quarterback for Alabama from 2009-10, McElroy offers valuable insights into the game. He also had a brief NFL stint with the Jets. The pair will be covering the No. 10 Miami vs. No. 7 Texas A&M game and one of the two semifinal games.

Joe Tessitore and Jesse Palmer

Joe Tessitore brings a wealth of big-game experience to the College Football Playoff, including a stint as the "Monday Night Football" play-by-play broadcaster. His dynamic style and passion for the game make him an engaging commentator. Jesse Palmer, known to many from "The Bachelor," has been an analyst at ESPN. Tessitore and Palmer will be on the call for the No. 11 Tulane vs. No. 6 Ole Miss game in the first round.

Bob Wischusen and Louis Riddick

Bob Wischusen, who joined ESPN, has been a play-by-play broadcaster for both college football and college basketball. Also the radio voice of the Jets, Wischusen will work alongside longtime ESPN analyst Louis Riddick. The duo will call the James Madison-Oregon game in the first round and will likely add a quarterfinal matchup as well.

College Football Playoff Announcing Schedule

Here's a look at the announcing schedule for the College Football Playoff:

Friday, Dec. 19:
- First Round: No. 9 Alabama at No. 8 Oklahoma - Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit
Saturday, Dec. 20:
- First Round: No 10 Miami at No. 7 Texas A&M - Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy
- First Round: No. 11 Tulane at No. 6 Ole Miss - Joe Tessitore, Jesse Palmer
- First Round: No. 12 James Madison at No. 5 Oregon - Bob Wischusen, Louis Riddick
Quarterfinals: TBD - TBD

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Semifinals: TBD - TBD
National Championship: TBD - Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit

Note: Game times are in Eastern Time (ET).

Broadcast Details

The expanded Playoff kicks off with No. 9 Alabama at No. 8 Oklahoma. First-round action will continue on Saturday, Dec. 20, as ABC and ESPN will broadcast the first game of Saturday’s CFP tripleheader featuring No. 10 Miami at No. 7 Texas A&M at noon, while TNT will present No. 11 Tulane at No. 6 Ole Miss and No. 12 James Madison at No. All games on ESPN networks will be available on the ESPN App, while the two first-round games airing on TNT will also be available on truTV and HBO Max. Following the CFP First Round, ESPN will present all four Playoff Quarterfinals, the two Playoff Semifinals and the CFP National Championship, slated for Monday, Jan.

ESPN’s top commentary team of Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Holly Rowe will call a TV game in every round of the second year of the expanded CFP, including kicking off first-round coverage on Friday night with Laura Rutledge. The trio will once again be joined by Molly McGrath for the College Football Playoff National Championship Presented by AT&T. For the first time, five different CFP games will be presented in 4K.

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Behind the Scenes

Inside the College Football Playoff returns to ESPN+ for its seventh season following the game’s top teams with an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at this year’s expanded Playoff. The five-part ESPN Original series explores how we got here and captures the moment as players become legends in pursuit of college football history. The first episode premieres on Tuesday, Dec.

A Look at the Matchups

Here’s a breakdown of some of the key matchups in the College Football Playoff:

CFP First Round: No. 9 Alabama at No. 8 Oklahoma
CFP First Round: No. 10 Miami at No. 7 Texas A&M
CFP First Round: No. 11 Tulane at No. 6 Ole Miss
CFP First Round: No. 12 James Madison at No. 5 Oregon
Playoff Quarterfinal at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic: No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 7 Texas A&M/No. 10 Miami
Playoff Quarterfinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl: No. 4 Texas Tech vs. No. 5 Oregon/No. 12 James Madison
Playoff Quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl Game Presented by Prudential: No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 8 Oklahoma/No. 9 Alabama
Playoff Quarterfinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl: No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 6 Ole Miss/No. 11 Tulane

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