League: NCAAF Sport: College Sports Country: United States Category: Scores & Results

ESPN announces 2026 college football announcer lineup changes

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Aug 4, 2026, 3:30 PM

Last updated Aug 4, 2026

ESPN announces 2026 college football announcer lineup changes

Summary

ESPN revealed its college football commentator lineup for the 2026 season, featuring Tom Hart and Roy Philpott in expanded roles due to the departures of Mark Jones and Dave Flemming. Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, and Holly Rowe return as the lead crew, marking their 13th year together. New rules analyst Steve Shaw joins the broadcast teams, while major shifts are seen in various primetime booths, including the ACC Network and SEC Network. Other returning teams include Sean McDonough with Greg McElroy and new reporter Katie George, as well as Joe Tessitore and Jesse Palmer with Kris Budden. The full lineup has been detailed by ESPN.

Source Links

Yahoo Sports

Status Watch

•Tom Hart replaces Mark Jones as play-by-play announcer
•Roy Philpott replaces Dave Flemming
•Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit return for their 13th season
•New rules analyst Steve Shaw joins the team
•Multiple primetime booth shifts across ESPN networks

Latest Updates

3:30 PMYahoo Sports — ESPN unveils 2026 College Football announcer lineup

What they're saying

"
ESPN has unveiled its college football commentator lineup for the 2026 season, with Tom Hart and Roy Philpott moving into expanded roles following the departures of longtime play-by-play announcers Mark Jones and Dave Flemming. At the top for ESPN, not much has changed. Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Holly Rowe will return as ESPN’s lead…
— Yahoo Sports

Related Teams & Leagues

NCAAF College Sports