Rivalry Week: No. 3 Michigan at No. 2 Ohio State Headlines College Football Playoff and Conference Championship Impact Games across ESPN’s Networks

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
Date | Time (ET) | Game | Network |
Tue, Nov. 22 | 7 p.m. | Akron at Ohio Eamon McAnaney, Rocky Boiman |
ESPNU |
Ball State at Miami (Ohio) Jim Barbar, John Gregory |
ESPN3 | ||
Central Michigan at Eastern Michigan Michael Reghi, Dustin Fox |
ESPN3 | ||
Thu, Nov. 24 | 4 p.m. | Miles College at Alabama State Eric Clemons, Jay Walker |
ESPN3* |
7:30 p.m. | No. 16 LSU at No. 25 Texas A&M Dave Flemming, Jesse Palmer, Laura Rutledge |
ESPN | |
Fri, Nov. 25 | Noon | Houston at Memphis Tom Hart, Andre Ware, Cole Cubelic |
ABC |
NC State at North Carolina
TV: Adam Amin, Mack Brown, Molly McGrath Radio: Bill Rosinski, David Norrie, Ian Fitzsimmons |
ESPN and ESPN Radio | ||
2:30 p.m. | Buffalo at Bowling Green Robert Lee, Tom O’Brien |
ESPN3 | |
3:30 p.m. | No. 18 Nebraska at Iowa Allen Bestwick, Mike Bellotti, Kris Budden |
ABC | |
4 p.m. | Louisiana Tech at Southern Mississippi Taylor Zarzour, Jordan Rodgers |
ESPNEWS | |
5 p.m. | Toledo at No. 21 Western Michigan Beth Mowins, Anthony Becht, Allison Williams | ESPN2 | |
6 p.m. | Baylor at Texas Tech Clay Matvick, Dusty Dvoracek, Shelley Smith |
ESPN | |
8:30 p.m. | Cincinnati at Tulsa Mike Corey, Rene Ingoglia |
ESPN2 | |
9:30 p.m. | Arizona State at Arizona Dave Lamont, Ray Bentley, Quint Kessenich |
ESPN | |
Sat, Nov. 26 | Noon | No. 3 Michigan at No. 2 Ohio State
TV: Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Samantha Ponder Radio: Bill Rosinski, David Norrie, Ian Fitzsimmons |
ABC, ESPN Radio and ESPN Deportes |
Kentucky at No. 5 Louisville Mike Patrick, Ed Cunningham, Dr. Jerry Punch |
ESPN | ||
Virginia at Virginia Tech Jason Benetti, Kelly Stouffer, Paul Carcaterra |
ESPN2 | ||
Purdue at Indiana Anish Shroff, Ahmad Brooks |
ESPNU | ||
Georgia Tech at Georgia Dave Neal, Matt Stinchcomb, Olivia Harlan |
SEC Network | ||
Rutgers at Maryland Mike Couzens, Al Groh |
ESPNEWS | ||
Arkansas State at Louisiana-Lafayette | ESPN3 | ||
12:30 p.m. | Syracuse at Pittsburgh | ACC Network Extra | |
3 p.m. | Boston College at Wake Forest | ACC Network Extra | |
3:30 p.m. | Notre Dame at No. 13 USC
TV: Steve Levy, Brian Griese, Todd McShay Radio: Tom Ramsey |
ABC and ESPN Radio | |
Michigan State at No. 8 Penn State Bob Wischusen, Brock Huard, Allison Williams |
ESPN | ||
Duke at Miami Eamon McAnaney, John Congemi, Dawn Davenport |
ESPN2 | ||
Navy at SMU Kevin Brown, Clint Stoerner |
ESPNU | ||
Mississippi State at Ole Miss Brent Musburger, Jesse Palmer, Kaylee Hartung |
SEC Network | ||
South Alabama at Idaho | ESPN3 | ||
Florida International at Old Dominion | ESPN3* | ||
4 p.m. | Tulane at Connecticut
Chris Hassel, Matt Chatham |
ESPNEWS | |
Nevada at UNLV Dave Raymond, Tyoka Jackson |
ESPN3 | ||
Appalachian State at New Mexico State Brock Bowling, Brian Kinchen |
ESPN3* | ||
Troy at Texas State | ESPN3 | ||
7 p.m. | UCLA at California Mark Jones, Rod Gilmore, Quint Kessenich |
ESPN2 | |
Western Kentucky at Marshall Bill Roth, John Gregory |
ESPNU | ||
7:30 p.m. | South Carolina at No. 4 Clemson Dave Pasch, Greg McElroy, Tom Luginbill |
ESPN | |
No. 19 Tennessee at Vanderbilt Tom Hart, Andre Ware, Cole Cubelic |
SEC Network | ||
East Carolina at Temple Alex Faust, Kevin Weidl |
ESPNEWS | ||
8 p.m. | No. 23 Florida at No. 17 Florida State Joe Tessitore, Todd Blackledge, Holly Rowe |
ABC | |
North Texas at UTEP | ESPN3 | ||
10:15 p.m. | Wyoming at New Mexico Adam Amin, Anthony Becht, Alex Corddry |
ESPN2 | |
Utah State at BYU | ESPNU |
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