Commentary teams and primary telecast schedule revealed for 2025-26 College Football Playoff

Following the reveal of the 12 teams advancing to the 2025-26 College Football Playoff, ESPN has announced the commentator pairings for the primary telecasts throughout the full bracket. The expanded Playoff kicks off with No. 9 Alabama at No. 8 Oklahoma on Friday, Dec. 19 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN. First-round action will continue on Saturday, Dec. 20, as ABC and ESPN will broadcast the first game of Saturday's CFP tripleheader featuring No. 10 Miami at No. 7 Texas A&M at noon, while TNT will present No. 11 Tulane at No. 6 Ole Miss and No. 12 James Madison at No. 5 Oregon at 3:30 and 7:30 p.m., respectively. All games on ESPN networks will be available on the ESPN App, while the two first-round games airing on TNT will also be available on truTV and HBO Max. ESPN commentator teams will call every game of the Playoff.

Following the CFP First Round, ESPN will present all four Playoff Quarterfinals, the two Playoff Semifinals and the 2026 CFP National Championship, slated for Monday, Jan. 19, at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium.

ESPN's top commentary team of Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Holly Rowe will call a TV game in every round of the second year of the expanded CFP, including kicking off first-round coverage on Friday night with Laura Rutledge. The trio will once again be joined by Molly McGrath for the College Football Playoff National Championship Presented by AT&T. The 2026 CFP National Championship in Miami will be the 12th for Fowler and Herbstreit, who have called every CFP together since the event's inception in 2015.

Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy and McGrath will call the CFP First Round game Saturday at noon alongside Taylor McGregor, plus the trio will announce a Playoff Quarterfinal and Semifinal on TV together.

The ESPN crews that will call the first-round matchups on TNT Sports include Joe Tessitore, Jesse Palmer and Katie George alongside Quint Kessenich, and Bob Wischusen, Louis Riddick and Kris Budden alongside Stormy Buonantony.

Tessitore, Palmer and George will also team up for one of the CFP Quarterfinals, with Dave Pasch, Dusty Dvoracek and McGregor teaming up for the other quarterfinal.

Further details, including additional sideline reporters, MegaCast plans, ESPN Radio commentators and surround studio programming, will be announced in the coming weeks.

4K Presentation Expands in 2025-26

For the first time, five different CFP games will be presented in 4K. The first two games of the CFP First Round (Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at noon) will be available in 4K, along with the Playoff Quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl Game Presented by Prudential, the Playoff Semifinals at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl and Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and the College Football Playoff National Championship presented by AT&T.

ESPN Original Inside The College Football Playoff Returns to ESPN+ on December 16

Twelve teams, eleven games, four rounds, one National Champion. Inside the College Football Playoff returns to ESPN+ for its seventh season following the game's top teams with an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at this year's expanded Playoff. The five-part ESPN Original series explores how we got here and captures the moment as players become legends in pursuit of college football history. The first episode premieres on Tuesday, Dec. 16.

2025-26 College Football Playoff TV Schedule and Commentators

Date Time (ET) Game/Commentators Network

Fri, Dec 19

8 p.m. CFP First Round: No. 9 Alabama at No. 8 Oklahoma Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Holly Rowe, Laura Rutledge ABC & ESPN

Sat, Dec 20

Noon CFP First Round: No. 10 Miami at No. 7 Texas A&M Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy, Molly McGrath, Taylor McGregor ABC & ESPN

3:30 p.m. CFP First Round: No. 11 Tulane at No. 6 Ole Miss Joe Tessitore, Jesse Palmer, Katie George, Quint Kessenich TNT, truTV & HBO Max

7:30 p.m. CFP First Round: No. 12 James Madison at No. 5 Oregon Bob Wischusen, Louis Riddick, Kris Budden, Stormy Buonantony TNT, truTV & HBO Max Wed,

Dec 31

7:30 p.m. Playoff Quarterfinal at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic: No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 7 Texas A&M/No. 10 Miami Commentators TBD ESPN

Thu, Jan 1

Noon Playoff Quarterfinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl: No. 4 Texas Tech vs. No. 5 Oregon/No. 12 James Madison Commentators TBD ESPN

4 p.m. Playoff Quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl Game Presented by Prudential: No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 8 Oklahoma/No. 9 Alabama Commentators TBD ESPN

8 p.m. Playoff Quarterfinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl: No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 6 Ole Miss/No. 11 Tulane Commentators TBD ESPN

Thu, Jan 8

7:30 p.m. Playoff Semifinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy, Molly McGrath, TBD Reporter OR Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Holly Rowe, TBD Reporter ESPN

Fri, Jan 9

7:30 p.m. Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Holly Rowe, TBD Reporter OR Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy, Molly McGrath, TBD Reporter ESPN

Mon, Jan 19

7:30 p.m. College Football Playoff National Championship Presented by AT&T Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Holly Rowe, Molly McGrath ESPN

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