ESPN announces studio coverage teams for 2026 college football season
By Andrew Olson
Published:
The 2026 college football season kicks off this month. On Thursday, ESPN announced its studio teams for this fall. A pair of SEC Network personalities are stepping into new roles for the 2026 season.
Alyssa Lang, familiar to fans as a longtime SEC Network host and ESPN sideline reporter, will serve as a studio anchor. She will lead ESPN’s Friday studio coverage alongside analysts Sam Acho and EJ Manuel. Lang is also part of the studio lineup for ESPN and ESPN2 on Saturdays. ESPN’s Thursday announcement notes that Lang will continue regular hosting spots on SEC Now throughout the year.
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Jordan Rodgers recently completed six seasons as an analyst on SEC Nation and just wrapped up a decade-long stint as the booth analyst on SEC Saturday Night on SEC Network. For the 2026 season, he’s stepping into a studio role, joining Kevin Neghandi and Booger McFarland Saturdays on ABC.
This fall, @ESPNCFB studio coverage returns with familiar faces in new places
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) August 13, 2026
🏈 @AlyssaLang makes ESPN studio wraps debut
🏈 @JRodgers11 joins @ABCNetwork halftimes
🏈 @kevconnorsespn closes Saturdays on 'College Football Final'
More: https://t.co/2kdCbYFBZL pic.twitter.com/2BbSABG1Nm
The 2026 college football season kicks off on Aug. 29 with Week 0 games. Neghandi will host a live edition of College Football Countdown from 10 a.m. to noon ET. He will be joined by McFarland, Greg McElroy, Jesse Palmer, and Pete Thamel. College Football Countdown will led into the 2026 Aer Lingus Football Classic between TCU and North Carolina.
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Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaign of Fred Taylor.
