EA Sports’ College Football 27 has brought a major change in its third year. While the video game series’ presentation has evolved massively over its nearly 30-year journey, the upcoming edition will no longer feature one of its most familiar and iconic voices. Kirk Herbstreit a commentator who had been part of 14 editions, won’t be featured in the new edition.

Herbstreit’s removal from the 2027 edition of EA Sports was reported by On3’s Pete Nakos on Monday, June 1. As of now, neither EA Sports nor Herbstreit has released a statement regarding the exact reason. While some are speculating that the demanding real-world broadcasting schedule may have played a role in Herbstreit’s exit, others wonder if the removal is a result of ESPN’s licensing cost changes.

The separation means fans will no longer hear the premier ESPN broadcasting duo of Herbstreit and Chris Fowler, which served as a massive marketing hook for the franchise’s blockbuster revival in 2024 after an 11-year hiatus. The exit is surprising, given how deep Herbstreit’s association with EA Sports actually ran.

Since his playing days at OSU as a QB, he has connected with the franchise. Then, when he transitioned his career in broadcasting, Herbstreit joined EA Sports as a commentator in 2002, alongside Brad Nessler and Lee Corso. His journey continued until 2013. No matter what the reason for Herbstreit’s removal could be, this kind of change isn’t a novelty.

Before Herbstreit, there was the legendary trio era from 1998 to 2001. At that time, Nessler served as play-by-play announcer alongside color commentator Gary Danielson, while Lynn Swann worked as a sideline reporter.

While the booth undergoes a modern redesign, EA Sports is leaning heavily into the next generation of college football stars for its marketing. Along with an enhanced announcer presentation, the return of the fan-favorite Mascot Mashup, and a revamped Dynasty Mode. EA officially unveiled the game’s covers on June 2, and for the athletes selected, it’s a childhood dream come true.

“It’s a blessing,” said Oregon QB Dante Moore to On3. “Many times, as a kid, you played multiple games that have cover athletes. As a kid, you dream about being there one day. And when they gave me the phone call and talked to my team about it, I was excited. It was a great shoot; I had a great time.”

College Football ’27’s cover features Moore, RB Kewan Lacy (Ole Miss), and WR Malachi Toney (Miami). But that’s not all, as the deluxe edition will add three standout players. Among them are USC’s Jayden Maiava, Notre Dame’s Leonard Moore, and Texas’s Colin Simmons. Along with these elite talents, the cover will highlight IU’s Curt Cignetti. But Kirk Herbstreit’s removal signals the evolving modern era of sports.

Kirk Herbstreit’s removal mirrors a broader reshuffle

Herbstreit’s absence from the game mirrors a broader, ruthless reshuffle happening across the modern sports media landscape, where marquee positions are no longer guaranteed. Ahead of the 2025-26 NBA season, ESPN Executive Vice President Mike McQuade made waves by replacing Doris Burke, who had just made history as the first woman to serve as a TV game analyst for a major championship series, with Tim Legler on the network’s top NBA Finals broadcast crew alongside Mike Breen and Richard Jefferson.

In Kirk Herbstreit’s case, the removal decision not only depends on EA Sports’ strategy of bringing in a new voice but also on Herbstreit’s time management. Currently, he is an analyst on ESPN’s College GameDay, and then he calls Saturday night games as ESPN’s lead analyst. He is also an analyst for Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime. There, he worked alongside Al Michaels.

“I can’t imagine not sitting in that seat. It’s a dream to have all three of these. I hope to be able to sign an extension at some point with both Amazon and ESPN,” said the ESPN analyst.

It reflects that managing time for the video game is a bit difficult for Herbstreit. However, certain leaks and promotional materials indicate that fans will get early access to the EA Sports College Football 27 video game starting July 2, and that the trailer will be released on June 4. However, it will be launched in mid-July.