College Football Playoff 2024: ESPN sets broadcast teams through quarterfinal round

College Football Playoff action is right around the corner with the full 12-team bracket officially released on Sunday. Now, fans can wait for the first-round games just under 2 weeks away with ESPN setting its full broadcast teams.

The first round will feature one Friday night game in primetime on Dec. 20. Saturday, Dec. 21 will then feature 3 games throughout the day. Winners from those matchups will advance to the quarterfinals with those four games scattered across New Year’s Eve and Near Year’s Day.

ESPN’s top crew of Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Holly Rowe will handle one game throughout every round of the Playoff, beginning with the Tennessee at Ohio State matchup in the first round. That crew will then follow the winner of that game into the Rose Bowl matchup vs. No. 1 Oregon.

That crew will also be responsible for the national championship when the game arrives on Jan. 20. Molly McGrath will join that trio for the title game.

Sean McDonough and Greg McElroy will also be on the call for Indiana at Notre Dame in the first round to be followed by a quarterfinal broadcast from the Sugar Bowl. McGrath will serve with that crew across the first two rounds while McDonough and McElroy will handle a semifinal game with one of Laura Rutledge or Katie George serving as a sideline reporter.

Here are the full broadcast teams through the first two rounds of the Playoff per ESPN:

Friday, Dec. 20

• Indiana at Notre Dame (8 pm ET ESPN/ABC): Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy, Molly McGrath

Saturday, Dec. 21

• SMU at Penn State (12 pm ET, TNT/MAX): Mark Jones, Roddy Jones, Quint Kessenich
• Clemson  at Texas (4 pm ET, TNT/MAX): Dave Pasch, Dusty Dvoracek, Taylor McGregor
• Tennessee at Ohio State (8 pm ET, ESPN/ABC): Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Holly Rowe

Tuesday, Dec. 31

• SMU/Penn State vs. Boise State (Fiesta Bowl, 7:30 pm ET, ESPN/ABC): Bob Wischusen, Louis Riddick, Kris Budden

Wednesday, Jan. 1 2025

• Clemson/Texas vs. Arizona State (Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl, 1 pm ET, ESPN/ABC): Joe Tessitore, Jesse Palmer, Katie George
• Tennessee/Ohio State vs. Oregon (Rose Bowl Game, 5 pm ET, ESPN/ABC): Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Holly Rowe
• Indiana/Notre Dame vs. Georgia (All-State Sugar Bowl, 8:45 pm ET, ESPN/ABC): Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy, Molly McGrath

Paul Harvey

Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.