College Football Playoff: ESPN announces broadcast teams for first round, CFP quarterfinals
After the 12-team College Football Playoff bracket was announced Sunday, ESPN announced the broadcast teams for the first round and quarterfinals. This year will mark the first time the network won’t carry every CFP game, although it will still have the announcers.
ABC and ESPN will simulcast two first-round College Football Playoff games, which will take place at campus sites. TNT and Max will have the others as part of a five-year deal with ESPN to sublicense first-round games. ESPN will still produce the games and have its broadcasters in the booths.
ESPN will then carry each CFP game from the quarterfinals through the national championship. The network announced its broadcast teams for the quarterfinals, but didn’t say who would be calling the semifinals. The national championship booth is in place as the lead team of Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Holly Rowe and Molly McGrath will have the call.
After the first round, the rest of the CFP will take place at bowl sites. Those locations were determined based on the higher-seeded team’s bowl affiliation.
The CFP officially kicks off Dec. 20 with one game on the schedule. Here are the broadcast teams for the first-round games and quarterfinals.
First-round games (campus sites)
No. 10 seed Indiana at No. 7 seed Notre Dame
Date/Time: Dec. 20, 8 p.m. ET
Channel: ABC/ESPN
Broadcast Team: Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy, Molly McGrath
An in-state showdown awaits in the first round of the College Football Playoff as Indiana heads to Notre Dame. ABC and ESPN will carry the game, which kicks off Dec. 20 at 8 p.m. ET.
No. 11 seed SMU at No. 6 seed Penn State
Date/Time: Dec. 21, Noon ET
Channel: TNT/Max
Broadcast Team: Mark Jones, Roddy Jones, Quint Kessenich
SMU stayed in the College Football Playoff bracket despite falling in the ACC Championship and will head to Happy Valley to take on Penn State. That matchup will mark the first-ever CFP game on TNT as Mark Jones, Roddy Jones and Quint Kessenich head to the White Out atmosphere.
No. 12 seed Clemson at No. 5 seed Texas
Date/Time: Dec. 21, 4 p.m. ET
Channel: TNT/Max
Broadcast Team: Dave Pasch, Dusty Dvoracek, Taylor McGregor
The ACC champion, Clemson stole a bid in the College Football Playoff and will head to Austin to take on Texas as part of TNT’s doubleheader on Dec. 21. That matchup will kickoff Dec. 21 at 4 p.m. ET.
No. 9 seed Tennessee at No. 8 seed Ohio State
Date/Time: Dec. 21, 8 p.m. ET
Channel: ABC/ESPN
Broadcast Team: Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Holly Rowe
An intriguing matchup awaits in Columbus on Dec. 21 to close out the first round when Tennessee takes on Ohio State. It will cap off the day of games with ESPN’s top booth on the call.
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Quarterfinals
Fiesta Bowl: No. 3 seed Boise State vs. SMU/Penn State
Date/Time: Dec. 31, 7:30 p.m. ET
Channel: ESPN
Broadcast Team: Bob Wischusen, Louis Riddick, Kris Budden
One of the stories of the college football season, Boise State came in as the No. 3 seed after winning the Mountain West, and they’ll await the winner of SMU vs. Penn State. The New Year’s Eve matchup will have Bob Wischusen, Louis RIddick and Kris Budden on the call.
Peach Bowl: No. 4 seed Arizona State vs. Clemson/Texas
Date/Time: Jan. 1, 1 p.m. ET
Channel: ESPN
Broadcast Team: Joe Tessitore, Jesse Palmer, Katie George
In the Peach Bowl, a surging Arizona State team will await the winner of Clemson vs. Texas. One of ESPN’s top SEC broadcast will have the game as Joe Tessitore, Jesse Palmer and Katie George make up the booth.
Rose Bowl: No. 1 seed Oregon vs. Tennessee/Ohio State
Date/Time: Jan. 1, 5 p.m. ET
Channel: ESPN
Broadcast Team: Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Holly Rowe
In the Rose Bowl Game, top-seeded Oregon will get ready to get its College Football Playoff run started. The Ducks will take on either Tennessee or Ohio State in the game, and the top booth will be on hand to call it for ESPN.
Sugar Bowl: No. 2 seed Georgia vs. Indiana/Notre Dame
Date/Time: Jan. 1, 8:45 p.m. ET
Channel: ESPN
Broadcast Team: Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy, Molly McGrath
Closing out the New Year’s Day slate, Georgia will play its first CFP game and take on the winner of Indiana vs. Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl. Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy and Molly McGrath will be on hand.
At long last, the 12-team College Football Playoff bracket is set. There’s now a 12-day layoff before the first round games get underway and the race toward the national championship officially begins.