We are used to seeing Kirk Herbstreit, Chris Fowler, and Holly Rowe as ESPN’s lead play-by-play broadcasting team every year. So much so that Herbstreit and Chris Fowler have called all 12 college football playoff championships since their inception in 2014. Holly Rowe, on the other hand, has been part of the crew since 2021 after she succeeded Maria Taylor. Now, the lead team will have a new but widely recognizable face on television. 

According to reports, ex-SEC ref and coordinator of officials, Steve Shaw, will be the new rules analyst on ESPN and ABC for the marquee games. Shaw’s career as an on-field ref has spanned over two decades, and he has spent 15 years officiating in the SEC. Most importantly, he knows and understands those high-stakes situations since he has officiated two BCS national titles and 4 SEC title games. ESPN onboarded him after he retired from the NCAA this April.

“Steve has provided a steady hand and leadership in our national officiating efforts that has helped modernize many areas,” John Stenbrecher, chair of College Football Officiating LLC, said about Shaw’s contributions in a statement. “His commitment to excellence, transparency and integrity in officiating is second to none. I join my fellow commissioners and the college football community in thanking Steve for his considerable contributions.”

Steve is a Tuscaloosa native and an Alabama graduate and was inducted into Alabama’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2020. Most recently, he was the secretary rules editor for the NCAA and was also the national coordinator of officials. During his time with the NCAA, he helped streamline video and communication methods and also chaired the National Mechanics Committee to modernize the NCAA.

Although ESPN has announced that Matt Austin will return this year, it will reserve those marquee games for Steve Shaw. Apart from Kirk Herbstreit’s crew, which will include Shaw, ESPN has also announced several other crews.

We have seen both former Alabama QB Greg McElroy and Syracuse alum Sean McDonough together calling the games for three years already. Even though McElroy has spent 11 seasons calling games, and McDonough has been with ESPN for eight seasons. Now, the crew will get the addition of Katie George, who won the 2026 Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Sports Personality. The 32-year-old is a Louisville graduate with a BA and has extensive experience in sports like the NBA, UFL, F1, and Volleyball. But that’s not all.

ESPN introduces three new female sideline reporter crews

ESPN has paired long-time analyst Jesse Palmer, sideline reporter Kris Budden, and veteran play-by-play announcer Joe Tessitore for the first time. Tessitore has been with ESPN since 2002 and is a Boston College graduate. He has extensive experience calling boxing on ESPN, WWE, Horse Racing, and college football. Kris Budden, on the other hand, is also a highly experienced sideline reporter. She won a regional Emmy Award for Best Talent in Sports in 2016.

Apart from the new crews, ESPN is also giving some newcomers a chance as a sideline reporter. This year, the broadcaster has paired Michella Chester with play-by-play commentator Taylor Zarzour and former Georgia All-American Matt Stinchcomb. Chester has also served as the NCAA’s Lead Digital host for various games and contributed to ESPN’s volleyball and baseball broadcasts. Apart from Chester, Madison Fitzpatrick will also feature for the first time in college football with ESPN.

She joined ESPN in 2023 after a stellar time with Florida State on the volleyball team. Previously, she has worked with FOX16 and will now be the ACC Network’s Primetime Football reporter. Additionally, Madison Hock has also joined the college football crew with Roxy Bernstein and Dave Clawson for the first time. She is a former D1 basketball player at Belmont University and began her career in Knoxville, Tennessee.  She also has experience calling Big 12 games on FOX Sports previously, and that will surely come in handy.