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Todd Blackledge, ESPN’s No. 2 analyst, reportedly departs to join new prime-time broadcast team
By Keith Farner
Published:
Todd Blackledge is on the move.
ESPN’s No. 2 college football analyst is reportedly set to leave ESPN and the crew with Sean McDonough and Molly McGrath, to join NBC and its new Big Ten package, according to Andrew Marchand of the New York Post. The report added that Blackledge will be paired with 26-year-old play-by-play voice Noah Eagle. Blackledge was on the call for ESPN of the Fiesta Bowl on Saturday.
Blackledge, 61, is expected to join his third network after he previously called games at CBS and ESPN. He is expected to call the national championship on ESPN Radio on Monday, which will be his final assignment with the network. He is considered ESPN’s No. 2 college football game analyst behind Kirk Herbstreit.
Maria Taylor will lead studio efforts for NBC’s Big Ten coverage.
In the upcoming seasons, the Big Ten will have a new football presentation, which won’t include ESPN for the first time in nearly 40 years. Fox will have its Big Noon Kickoff, while CBS will handle the 3:30 window, and then Eagle and Blackledge will be in prime time.
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
