ABC’s telecast of No. 3 Michigan at No. 2 Ohio State (noon ET) highlights college football rivalry week on ESPN’s networks – a slate filled with games that have conference championship implications and College Football Playoff ramifications.

ESPN’s coverage of Wolverines-Buckeyes is underway and continues all week. Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Samantha Ponder and Tom Rinaldi will be in Columbus, Ohio, for  the call of The Game. Both teams remain in the College Football Playoff top 4 and atop the Big Ten East division, along with No. 8 Penn State.

Michigan controls its own destiny and clinches the East division with a victory. If the Buckeyes win, the focus shifts to State College, Pa., where Penn State hosts Michigan State (3:30 p.m. ET). A Nittany Lions win following a Buckeyes victory will give Penn State the East division, while a Spartans win gives the Buckeyes the division. Bob Wischusen, Brock Huard and Allison Williams will call the Spartans-Nittany Lions game from Beaver Stadium.

In prime time, ESPN airs another College Football Playoff impact game — South Carolina at No. 4 Clemson (7:30 p.m.). Dave Pasch, Greg McElroy, and Tom Luginbill will in Memorial Stadium for the matchup.

On ABC, following the Wolverines-Buckeyes showdown, North Dame at No. 13 USC (3:30 p.m.) airs followed by No. 23 Florida at No. 17 Florida State (8 p.m.) on Saturday Night Football Presented by Walmart as the Gators make their first ever appearance on ABC’s signature college football franchise. Steve Levy, Brian Griese and Todd McShay will be in Los Angeles, while Joe Tessitore, Todd Blackledge, and Holly Rowe will be in Tallahassee, Fla.

Thanksgiving and Black Friday Football
ESPN’s networks will carry nine games on Friday, Nov. 25, including No. 18 Nebraska at Iowa (3:30 p.m. on ABC) and Toledo at No. 21 Western Michigan (5 p.m. on ESPN2). The Cornhuskers are vying for the Big Ten West division and the Broncos remain undefeated and among the top ranked teams in the Group of 5.  

On Thanksgiving night (Nov. 24), ESPN televises No. 16 LSU at No. 25 Texas A&M (7:30 p.m.). ESPN3 will offer the DataCenter presentation for the game.

Additional Rivalry Games on ESPN’s Networks:

• Arizona State at Arizona (Friday, Nov. 25, at 9:30 p.m. on ESPN)
• Kentucky at No. 5 Louisville (Noon on ESPN)
• Virginia at Virginia Tech (Noon on ESPN2)
• Georgia Tech at Georgia (Noon on SEC Network)
• Mississippi State at Ole Miss (3:30 p.m. on SEC Network and SEC Network +)
• 19 Tennessee at Vanderbilt (7:30 p.m. on SEC Network)

Please note: College Football Playoff rankings from Nov. 15 were used in this release. The committee will update their rankings on Tuesday, Nov. 22 (7 p.m. on ESPN).

All games Saturday, Nov. 26 unless noted             

ESPN Network’s College Football Week 13 Schedule

The Road to the College Football Playoff Continues in the Latest ESPN “Who’s In?” Commercial
The Playoff is coming. With less than five weeks until the highly-anticipated College Football Playoff Semifinals, today ESPN is debuting the second spot from this year’s campaign for the College Football Playoff.

Titled “Playoff Prep,” the 30-second ad takes viewers back to the roadside gas station where fans and mascots intersect on their journey to the Playoff.  In it, the staff stocks up the store with some Playoff essentials: antacid, trophy polish, confetti cannons and bottles of “Playoff Reserve” champagne, just in time for the Semifinals on December 31, which will feature the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl.

Additionally, the ad incorporates some of the official CFP sponsors throughout the gas station, including Dos Equis, Dr Pepper, Gatorade, Goodyear, and Pilot Flying J.

-30-

Media contact: Derek Volner at 860-384-9986; [email protected] and @DerekVolner