Thanksgiving Week Features College Football Feast, Nearly Three Dozen Matchups Across ESPN Networks

Updated at 10:45 a.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 28
With 13 AP Top 25 teams set to be showcased across ESPN networks this week, Thanksgiving week highlights some of the most-anticipated matchups of the season. On Thanksgiving Friday, ESPN and ABC boast two games with conference title game implications in the ACC and Big 12, respectively, and a longtime Pac-12 rivalry renewed under the lights in Corvallis. In total, nearly three dozen games are set for the holiday weekend, the first after Tuesday night’s initial College Football Playoff Rankings. Every game is available on the ESPN App.
No. 25 North Carolina hosts second-ranked Notre Dame at 3:30 p.m. ET on Friday, with Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Katie George on the call as the road test for the Fighting Irish carries ACC title and College Football Playoff implications. Kicking off the day on ABC are No. 15 Iowa State and No. 20 Texas at noon, as Matt Barrie, Mike Golic Jr. and Kris Budden announce the action in this clash between Big 12 contenders. At 7:30 p.m. Friday, the 124th meeting between No. 9 Oregon and Oregon State is set for kickoff on ESPN. Dave Flemming, Rod Gilmore and Shelley Smith will team up for the battle between these Oregon rivals.
Saturday’s primetime lineup sees a trio of ranked teams in action. In the SEC, LSU travels to College Station to take on No. 5 Texas A&M. Bob Wischusen, Dan Orlovsky and Budden will announce Tigers-Aggies on ESPN at 7 p.m. ET. ABC’s Saturday Night Football Presented by Capital One will highlight a Pac-12 matchup between Utah and Washington. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. with Beth Mowins, Kirk Morrison and Stormy Buonantony on the call. Over on SEC Network and ESPN Radio, No. 13 Georgia travels to Columbia to take on South Carolina. Taylor Zarzour, Matt Stinchcomb and Alyssa Lang will team up for the TV call, with Sean Kelley and Barrett Jones on the radio broadcast.
The 3:30 window features two Top 25 teams, including No. 4 Clemson and No. 11 Northwestern. Sean McDonough, Todd Blackledge and Todd McShay will call Pittsburgh at the No. 4 Tigers on ABC, which is the Samsung QLED 4K Game of the Week. A SkyCast presentation of the Panthers-Tigers matchup will be available on ESPNU. Over on ESPN, it’s No. 11 Northwestern at Michigan State in the midday window, with Clay Matvick, Rocky Boiman and Taylor McGregor on the call.
There are two ranked squads in the noon window on Saturday, including No. 6 Florida and No. 12 Indiana. On ESPN, the sixth-ranked Gators host Kentucky, as Mark Jones, Chris Doering and Quint Kessenich will announce the action. Over on ESPN2, the Hoosiers host conference foe Maryland with Roy Philpott, Kelly Stouffer and Jerry Punch on the call.
First College Football Playoff Rankings Set for Tuesday
With the postseason looming and the question of “Who’s In?” on the minds of teams and fans alike, ESPN ushers in the first College Football Playoff rankings of the season with College Football Playoff Top 25 Ranking Show Presented by Allstate on Tuesday, Nov. 24 at 7 p.m. Rece Davis will host the show, joined by college football analysts Kirk Herbstreit, Joey Galloway, Jesse Palmer and David Pollack. More info here.
Additional ESPN Networks – Week 13 Highlights
- Mississippi State at Ole Miss: Saturday at 4 p.m., SEC Network
- Talent: Tom Hart, Jordan Rodgers, Cole Cubelic
- No. 23 Louisiana at Louisiana-Monroe: Saturday at 3 p.m., ESPN3
- No. 16 Coastal Carolina at Texas State: Saturday at 3 p.m., ESPN+
Additional college football updates will be forthcoming, and the schedule is subject to change. Please continue to check @ESPNPR and ESPN Press Room for more information.
All rankings are Week 13 AP Top 25 rankings. Moving forward, ESPN will use the College Football Playoff Rankings.
Date | Time (ET) | Game/Talent | Network |
Fri, Nov 27 | Noon | No. 15 Iowa State at No. 20 Texas Matt Barrie, Mike Golic Jr., Kris Budden |
ABC |
UMass at Liberty | ESPN3 | ||
3:30 p.m. | No. 2 Notre Dame at No. 25 North Carolina Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Katie George |
ABC | |
UCF at South Florida Roy Philpott, Kelly Stouffer |
ESPN | ||
7:30. p.m. | No. 9 Oregon at Oregon State Dave Flemming, Rod Gilmore, Shelley Smith |
ESPN | |
Sat, Nov 28 | Noon | Penn State at Michigan Dave Pasch, Mike Golic Sr., Paul Carcaterra |
ABC |
Kentucky at No. 6 Florida Mark Jones, Chris Doering, Quint Kessenich |
ESPN | ||
Maryland at No. 12 Indiana Roy Philpott, Kelly Stouffer, Jerry Punch |
ESPN2 | ||
Bowling Green at Ohio David Wilson, Jerod Cherry |
ESPNU/ESPN+ | ||
NC State at Syracuse Wes Durham, Roddy Jones |
ACC Network | ||
Vanderbilt at Missouri Dave Neal, DJ Shockley, Taylor Davis |
SEC Network | ||
Georgia Southern at Georgia State | ESPN3 | ||
Ball State at Toledo Michael Reghi, Devin Gardner |
ESPN3 | ||
SMU at East Carolina Lincoln Rose, LaDarrin McLane |
ESPN+ | ||
Northern Illinois at Western Michigan Dan Gutowsky, Marcus Ray |
ESPN+ | ||
1 p.m. | Miami (Ohio) at Akron Anthony Lima, Dave Bacon |
ESPN3 | |
UTEP at Rice | ESPN3 | ||
3 p.m. | South Alabama at Arkansas State | ESPN3 | |
No. 23 Louisiana at Louisiana-Monroe | ESPN3 | ||
No. 16 Coastal Carolina at Texas State | ESPN+ | ||
3:30 p.m. | Pittsburgh at No. 4 Clemson Sean McDonough, Todd Blackledge, Todd McShay |
ABC | |
No. 11 Northwestern at Michigan State Clay Matvick, Rocky Boiman, Taylor McGregor |
ESPN | ||
Troy at Appalachian State Bill Roth, Dustin Fox |
ESPN2 | ||
4 p.m. | Louisville at Boston College Chris Cotter, Mark Herzlich, Eric Wood |
ACC Network | |
Mississippi State at Ole Miss Tom Hart, Jordan Rodgers, Cole Cubelic |
SEC Network | ||
7 p.m. | LSU at No. 5 Texas A&M Bob Wischusen, Dan Orlovsky, Kris Budden |
ESPN | |
Kansas State at Baylor Jason Benetti, Andre Ware, Ian Fitzsimmons |
ESPN2 | ||
Duke at Georgia Tech | ESPN3 | ||
7:30 p.m. | Utah at Washington Beth Mowins, Kirk Morrison, Stormy Buonantony |
ABC | |
No. 13 Georgia at South Carolina TV: Taylor Zarzour, Matt Stinchcomb, Alyssa Lang Radio: Sean Kelley, Barrett Jones |
SEC Network/ESPN Radio |
Note: Not all digital games are exclusive