Football’s Top Commentators to Work ESPN’s Bowl Game Coverage
ESPN’s extensive college football coverage will continue with 33 bowl games, highlighted by all five of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) matchups, including the Allstate BCS National Championship on Monday, Jan. 9, at 8:30 p.m. ET. It will mark the second straight year the entire BCS will be available on ESPN, ESPN3 and ESPN Radio.
ESPN 3D, the first 3D network to launch in the industry, will continue its extensive schedule of college football with exclusive 3D coverage of six bowl games, concluding with the Allstate BCS National Championship. The network televised the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl and Tostitos BCS National Championship last year.
Overall, ESPN will utilize a minimum of 64 on-air commentators to provide play-by-play, analysis and sideline reports for the network’s exclusive multiplatform coverage of the 33 bowl games. Highlights:
- The Allstate BCS National Championship (Jan. 9 at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, ESPN3, ESPN 3D and ESPN Radio): For the second consecutive year Brent Musburger, Kirk Herbstreit, Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi will call ESPN’s telecast. ESPN’s Monday Night Football signal caller Mike Tirico will work ESPN Radio’s broadcast with ESPN college football analyst Todd Blackledge and reporter Holly Rowe.
It will mark Musburger’s and Herbstreit’s fifth consecutive BCS National Championship, the first two on ESPN Radio, followed by the BCS National Championship Game from the Rose Bowl on ABC two years ago and last season’s Championship from Glendale, Ariz. on ESPN.
- Sean McDonough, Matt Millen and Heather Cox will work BCS bowls on consecutive days, calling the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl on ESPN on Monday, Jan. 2, at 8:30 p.m. and ESPN Radio’s broadcast of the Allstate Sugar Bowl Tuesday, Jan. 3, at 8:30 p.m. They will also work the Insight Bowl on Friday, Dec. 30, at 10 p.m. on ESPN.
- Musburger, Herbstreit and Andrews – the ESPN on ABC Saturday Night Football Presented by Southwest Airlines announcers – will also call the Rose Bowl Game Presented by Vizio on ESPN on Monday, Jan. 2, at 5 p.m.
- Tirico will be joined by Monday Night Football analysts Jon Gruden and Ron Jaworski on ESPN’s telecast of the Discover Orange Bowl with reporter Lisa Salters on Wednesday, Jan. 4, at 8:30 p.m. Tirico, Gruden and Salters will also work the Outback Bowl on ABC, Monday, Jan. 2, at 1 p.m. on ABC.
- In addition to the Allstate BCS National Championship, Blackledge and Rowe will work ESPN’s coverage of the Allstate Sugar Bowl with their regular-season play-by-play partner Brad Nessler on Tuesday, Jan. 3, at 8:30 p.m.
- Joe Tessitore and Rod Gilmore, ESPN’s regular Friday night game announcers, will call ESPN Radio’s broadcast of the Discover Orange Bowl on Wednesday, Jan. 4, at 8:30 p.m.; ESPN’s telecast of the Capital One Bowl Monday, Jan. 2, at 1 p.m.; and ESPN’s coverage of the Champs Sports Bowl on Thursday, Dec. 29, at 5:30 p.m.
Bowl Championship Series
Mon, Jan 2 | 5 p.m. | Rose Bowl Game Presented by Vizio ESPN: Brent Musburger, Kirk Herbstreit & Erin Andrews ESPN Radio: Dave Pasch, Chris Spielman & Tom Rinaldi |
ESPN / ESPN3 / ESPN Radio |
8:30 p.m. | Tostitos Fiesta Bowl ESPN: Sean McDonough, Matt Millen & Heather Cox ESPN Radio: Bill Rosinski, David Norrie & Joe Schad |
ESPN / ESPN3 / ESPN Radio | |
Tue, Jan 3 | 8:30 p.m. | Allstate Sugar Bowl ESPN: Brad Nessler, Todd Blackledge & Holly Rowe ESPN Radio: Sean McDonough, Matt Millen & Heather Cox |
ESPN / ESPN3 / ESPN Radio |
Wed, Jan 4 | 8:30 p.m. | Discover Orange Bowl ESPN: Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden, Ron Jaworski & Lisa Salters ESPN Radio: Joe Tessitore, Rod Gilmore & Quint Kessenich |
ESPN / ESPN3 / ESPN Radio |
Mon, Jan 9 | 8:30 p.m. | Allstate BCS National Championship ESPN: Brent Musburger, Kirk Herbstreit, Erin Andrews & Tom Rinaldi ESPN Radio: Mike Tirico, Todd Blackledge & Holly Rowe |
ESPN / ESPN3 / ESPN 3D / ESPN Radio |
Additional Postseason Bowl Games
Date | Time (ET) | Game | Network |
Sat, Dec 17 | 2 p.m. | Gildan New Mexico Bowl ESPN: Clay Matvick, Brian Griese & Jessica Mendoza ESPN Radio: TBA, David Diaz-Infante & TBA |
ESPN / ESPN3 / ESPN Radio |
5:30 p.m. | Famous Idaho Potato Bowl ESPN: Dave Flemming, Mike Bellotti & Heather Cox ESPN Radio: Bill Rosinski, David Norrie & Joe Schad |
ESPN / ESPN3 / ESPN Radio | |
9 p.m. | R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl ESPN: Carter Blackburn, Brock Huard & Shelley Smith ESPN Radio: Adam Amin, Jay Walker & Ian Fitzsimmons |
ESPN / ESPN3 / ESPN 3D/ ESPN Radio | |
Tue, Dec 20 | 8 p.m. | Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl St. Petersburg ESPN: Mike Patrick, Craig James & Jeannine Edwards ESPN Radio: Rob Stone, Danny Kanell & TBA |
ESPN / ESPN3 / ESPN 3D / ESPN Radio |
Wed, Dec 21 | 8 p.m. | San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl ESPN: Joe Tessitore, Lou Holtz, Mark May & TBA ESPN Radio: Bill Rosinski, David Norrie & Joe Schad |
ESPN / ESPN3 / ESPN Radio |
Thu, Dec 22 | 8 p.m. | MAACO Bowl Las Vegas Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit & Tom Rinaldi |
ESPN / ESPN3 |
Sat, Dec 24 | 8 p.m. | Sheraton Hawaii Bowl ESPN: Mark Jones, Ed Cunningham & Jessica Mendoza ESPN Radio: Marc Kestecher & Trevor Matich |
ESPN / ESPN3 / ESPN Radio |
Mon, Dec 26 | 5 p.m. | AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl Rob Stone, Danny Kanell & Allison Williams |
ESPN2 / ESPN3 |
Tue, Dec 27 | 4:30 p.m. | Little Caesars Bowl Beth Mowins, Mike Bellotti & Eamon McAnaney |
ESPN / ESPN3 |
8 p.m. | Belk Bowl Bob Wischusen, Brian Griese & Shannon Spake |
ESPN / ESPN3 | |
Wed, Dec 28 | 4:30 p.m. | Military Bowl Presented by Northrop Grumman Pam Ward, Dan Hawkins & Jeannine Edwards |
ESPN / ESPN3 |
8 p.m. | Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl ESPN: Rece Davis, Craig James, Jesse Palmer & Jenn Brown ESPN Radio: Bill Rosinski, David Norrie & Joe Schad |
ESPN / ESPN3 / ESPN Radio | |
Thu, Dec 29 | 5:30 p.m. | Champs Sports Bowl ESPN: Joe Tessitore, Rod Gilmore & Holly Rowe ESPN Radio: Mike Gleason, John Congemi & TBA |
ESPN / ESPN3 / ESPN 3D / ESPN Radio |
9 p.m. | Valero Alamo Bowl ESPN: Dave Pasch, Chris Spielman & Quint Kessenich ESPN Radio: Carter Blackburn, Brock Huard & Eamon McAnaney |
ESPN / ESPN3 / ESPN Radio | |
Fri, Dec 30 | Noon | Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl ESPN: Dave Neal, Andre Ware & Cara Capuano ESPN Radio: Adam Amin, Tim Brown & Ian Fitzsimmons |
ESPN / ESPN3 / ESPN Radio |
3:20 p.m. | New Era Pinstripe Bowl ESPN: Chris Fowler, Jesse Palmer & Tom Rinaldi ESPN Radio: TBA |
ESPN / ESPN3 / ESPN Radio | |
6:40 p.m. | Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl Mark Jones, Ed Cunningham & Jeannine Edwards |
ESPN / ESPN3 | |
10 p.m. | Insight Bowl ESPN: Sean McDonough, Matt Millen & Heather Cox ESPN Radio: Bill Rosinski, David Norrie & Joe Schad |
ESPN / ESPN3 / ESPN Radio | |
Sat, Dec 31 | Noon | Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas ESPN: Bob Wischusen, Brian Griese & Eamon McAnaney ESPN Radio: Beth Mowins, Mike Bellotti & TBA |
ESPN / ESPN3 / ESPN Radio |
3:30 p.m. | AutoZone Liberty Bowl ABC: Dave Lamont, Ray Bentley & Quint Kessenich ESPN Radio: Pam Ward, Dan Hawkins & TBA |
ABC / ESPN3 / ESPN Radio | |
3:30 p.m. | Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl Carter Blackburn, Brock Huard & Shelley Smith |
ESPN / ESPN3 | |
7:30 p.m. | Chick-fil-A Bowl ESPN: Brad Nessler, Todd Blackledge & Holly Rowe ESPN Radio: Dave Neal, David Diaz-Infante & Cara Capuano |
ESPN / ESPN3 / ESPN 3D / ESPN Radio | |
Mon, Jan 2 | Noon | TicketCity Bowl Clay Matvick, Danny Kanell & Allison Williams |
ESPNU / ESPN3 |
1 p.m. | Outback Bowl ABC: Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden & Lisa Salters ESPN Radio: Bob Wischusen, John Congemi & Joey Galloway |
ABC / ESPN Radio | |
1 p.m. | Capital One Bowl ESPN: Joe Tessitore, Rod Gilmore & Quint Kessenich ESPN Radio: Dave Lamont, Ray Bentley & TBA |
ESPN / ESPN3 / ESPN 3D / ESPN Radio | |
1 p.m. | TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl Mike Patrick, Craig James & Jeannine Edwards |
ESPN2 / ESPN3 | |
Sat, Jan 7 | 1 p.m. | BBVA Compass Bowl ESPN: Mike Gleason, John Congemi & Eamon McAananey ESPN Radio: Clay Matvick, Charles Arbuckle & Jessica Mendoza |
ESPN / ESPN3 / ESPN Radio |
Sun, Jan 8 | 9 p.m. | GoDaddy.com Bowl Rob Stone, Danny Kanell & Cara Capuano |
ESPN / ESPN3 |
As part of an extensive four-year agreement with the Bowl Championship Series that began last year, ESPN will provide exclusive worldwide television coverage, radio broadcasts, digital content and more for the five annual BCS games from January 2011 through January 2014. Last season was the first time ESPN televised BCS games while ESPN Radio has broadcast every BCS game since 2000.
ESPN’s coverage of last year’s BCS title game averaged 27,316,000 viewers and 17,718,000 households, making it the most watched program in the history of cable television.
The 2011 college football season on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN 3D, ESPN3, ESPN Radio, ESPN Mobile TV, ESPN Regional Television and ESPN GamePlan totals more than 400 regular-and post-season games.
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