Rod Gilmore joined ESPN in August 1996 as a college football analyst. He works on a ESPN/ABC Saturday telecast every week throughout the season, and also contributes to studio shows including College Football Live and SportsCenter. He previously served as an ESPN studio analyst and a contributor to ESPN.com and ESPN The Magazine.

Prior to joining ESPN, Gilmore worked as an analyst with Prime Sports Network in California (1993-95), covering Pac-10 football, along with SportsChannel Bay Area from 1991-93 and the Pacific Sports Network in 1990. He was nominated for an Emmy Award in 1994 for live sports coverage of Pac-10 football.

A 1982 Stanford graduate with a degree in English, Gilmore was a three-year starter at defensive back under coaches Bill Walsh, Rod Dowhwer and Paul Wiggin, and also played baseball for the Cardinal. Following graduation, he earned his law degree from the University of California at Berkeley Law School in 1986, and was admitted to the California State Bar the same year. Currently, he is with the business law firm of Doty, Barlow, Britt & Thieman in Palo Alto, Calif.

Gilmore is a longtime volunteer to Stanford. He previously served as an officer of two entities sponsored by the Stanford Alumni Association, as well as chairman of the Stanford Athletic Board and member of the Board of Directors of the Stanford Alumni Association. He is also an active member of several Bar Associations and several local community organizations.

In 2016, Gilmore was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation.

An Oakland, Calif. native, Gilmore is a member of the Oakland Babe Ruth Baseball Hall of Fame.