College Football Playoff Selection Day Studio Shows Delve into Postseason from Every Angle – Bowl Season Preview Programming Brimming with Analysis and Insight

ESPN platforms will dedicate nearly 20 hours of live studio coverage to College Football Playoff Selection Day, including the exclusive reveal of the teams that will face off in the 2023 College Football Playoff during the College Football Playoff Selection Show Presented by AT&T at noon ET on Sunday, Dec. 3.
During the four-hour show on ESPN and ESPNU, the four College Football Playoff teams, the CFP committee’s final rankings and all the matchups of the New Year’s Six will be revealed. Across ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network, ACC Network, ESPN.com and the ESPN App, complete analysis, reaction and reporting will emanate throughout ESPN’s studio programming.
College Football Playoff Selection Show Highlights:
- College Football Playoff teams revealed at 12:15 p.m.; New Year’s Six matchups at 2:30 p.m.
- Rece Davis hosts for 10th consecutive year
- Kirk Herbstreit, Joey Galloway, Booger McFarland and Greg McElroy join Davis for the exclusive rankings reveal
- Several commentators will contribute to the show, including Chris Fowler, Robert Griffin III, Dan Orlovsky, Sam Acho, Matt Barrie, Dan Mullen and Paul Finebaum. Coaches and other guests are also expected to join, including CFP Selection Committee chair Boo Corrigan
- CFP insiders Pete Thamel and Heather Dinich will also join, with Dinich live from the CFP Committee headquarters at The Gaylord Texan hotel
- ESPN will have reporters at top team sites across the country, including:
- Alabama: Marty Smith
- Florida State: Harry Lyles Jr.
- Georgia: Laura Rutledge
- Michigan: Jen Lada
- Ohio State: Adam Rittenberg
- Oregon: Holly Rowe
- Texas: Kris Budden
- Washington: Molly McGrath
*These assignments are subject to change.
Post-Selection Reaction on ESPN
From 4-7 p.m., Championship Drive: Rankings Reaction Presented by Capital One will continue the discussion of the College Football Playoff, the New Year’s Six and the entire bowl picture. Barrie hosts with insight from Acho, Mullen, Matich, McElroy and Thamel.
In primetime, the two-and-half hour special Championship Drive: Bowl Breakdown Presented by Capital One (8:30-11 p.m.) will feature host Kevin Connors joined by analysts Mullen, Acho, Matich and Thamel.
Start Your Sunday Morning with CFP Analysis on SportsCenter and Championship Drive, Sign Off with SVP
A three-hour Championship Drive: Rankings Countdown Presented by Capital One airs at 9 a.m. on ESPN2 with Mullen, Griffin III, Orlovsky, Acho, Finebaum, Thamel, Dinich and Fowler joining host Kevin Negandhi. The 7 a.m. SportsCenter on ESPN will feature various college football commentators providing insight and analysis ahead of the rankings reveal, with CFB on-air personalities joining SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt to close out the night. The morning shows will project what will happen later in the day, with interviews and news from various reporters around the country.
ESPN’s Multi-Platform Selection Day Coverage includes:
- Sunday NFL Countdown: Various college football analysts are slated to join the network’s popular NFL pregame show (9 a.m. – noon, ESPN) to talk about the upcoming CFP reveal.
- Rankings Reaction presented by Allstate: Hosts Christine Williamson, Skubie Mageza and Dalen Cuff will break down the final rankings with an array of guests, including ESPN’s Matich and Acho, at 1 p.m. The 30-minute digital show will stream live to ESPN’s College Football YouTube, Facebook and Twitter/X accounts as well as the ESPN App.
- College Networks: Both SEC Network and ACC Network will offer bowl specials on Sunday at 6 p.m., previewing their conference’s postseason.
- ESPN.com: Comprehensive news and analysis throughout Selection Day, breaking down the playoff field and bowl matchups, including:
- Heather Dinich will report from the CFP Committee headquarters in Grapevine, Texas
- Adam Rittenberg predicts the score of every bowl game (ESPN+)
- A first look at the CFP Semifinals, including on-the-ground experts diving into each semifinalist
- Bill Connelly ranks all 40 teams to ever make the College Football Playoff
- David Hale’s final Anger Index, breaking down which teams were underrated or snubbed
- Later in the week, ESPN.com will also publish:
- An early offseason guide for teams 1-25 in the final CFP rankings
- Staff roundtable on the most intriguing bowl matchups
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF SELECTION DAY SCHEDULE – SUNDAY, DEC. 3
| Time (ET) | Programming | Platform | CFB On-Air Personalities^ |
| 7 a.m. | SportsCenter* | ESPN | Commentators: Griffin III, Finebaum |
| 9 a.m. | Championship Drive: Rankings Countdown Presented by Capital One | ESPN2 | Host: Negandhi Commentators: Mullen, Griffin III, Orlovsky, Acho, Finebaum, Thamel, Dinich, Fowler |
| 9 a.m. | Sunday NFL Countdown Presented by Snickers* | ESPN | Davis, Herbstreit, McFarland, McElroy, Galloway |
| Noon | College Football Playoff Selection Show Presented by AT&T | ESPN/ESPNU | Host: Davis Commentators: Herbstreit, Galloway, McFarland, McElroy, Barrie, Mullen, Griffin III, Acho, Finebaum, Thamel, Dinich, Fowler |
| 4 p.m. | Championship Drive: Rankings Reaction Presented by Capital One | ESPN | Host: Barrie Commentators: Acho, Mullen, Matich, McElroy, Thamel |
| 5 p.m. | Championship Drive: Rankings Reaction Presented by Capital One | ESPN2 | Host: Barrie Commentators: Acho, Mullen, Matich, McElroy, Thamel |
| 6 p.m. | SEC Now: Bowl Special | SEC Network | Host: Nowkhah Commentators: Doering, Spikes, Stinchcomb |
| 6 p.m. | ACC Huddle: Bowl Selection Special | ACC Network | Host: Riggs Commentators: Mac Lain, Manuel, Royal |
| 7 p.m. | SportsCenter* | ESPN | Commentator: McElroy |
| 8:30 p.m. | Championship Drive: Bowl Breakdown Presented by Capital One | ESPN | Host: Connors Commentators: Mullen, Acho, Matich, Thamel |
| 11 p.m. | SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt | ESPN | Commentators: Fowler, Davis |
* Segments dedicated to CFP discussion
^ Scheduled commentators subject to change





