Who Are the Announcers for Vanderbilt vs South Carolina Week 3 College Football Game?

Another Saturday night under the lights in Columbia is about to get loud. South Carolina will welcome Vanderbilt to Williams-Brice Stadium on Sept. 13 for a prime-time SEC showdown that carries a little more juice than usual. Kickoff is locked in for 7:45 p.m. ET, and the atmosphere is expected to be every bit of what you’d imagine from a fanbase that’s been counting down the days until conference play begins. For Shane Beamer’s No. 11 Gamecocks, it’s the first real test inside SEC territory this season. For Clark Lea’s Commodores, it’s a chance to prove that last year’s loss to South Carolina—one Lea himself called a “turning point” for his team—wasn’t just lip service.

Sprinkle in quarterbacks Diego Pavia and LaNorris Sellers, two rising names in the league, and you’ve got the makings of a spicy matchup. Calling all the action on SEC Network will be a familiar crew that knows this conference like the back of their hand. Tom Hart handles play-by-play duties, while Jordan Rodgers and Cole Cubelic bring the color and sideline insight.

Rodgers, of course, has a football journey that winds through both college and the pros. After a stint at Butte Community College, he transferred to Vanderbilt University. From there, he signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent quarterback in 2013 and had short runs with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Miami Dolphins, and even the BC Lions up in the CFL. Fun fact for anyone who’s been living under a rock: he also happens to be the younger brother of NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers. These days, he’s a polished broadcaster, but he brings the perspective of a guy who’s actually lived the grind.

On the sidelines and in the analyst chair is Cole Cubelic, another SEC name through and through. Cubelic was a center for Auburn from 1996 to 2001 before shifting his focus to media. He’s been a trusted voice for ESPN since 2011, where he’s covered everything from SEC powerhouses to Sun Belt surprise stories. But make no mistake: his bread and butter is dissecting offensive line play and bringing the kind of gritty, in-the-trenches analysis that few others can match. A communications and media studies graduate, Cubelic has carved out his niche as the chief reporter for SEC Network’s football coverage.

Add Hart’s smooth calls to the mix, and this broadcast trio gives fans both the storytelling and the tactical breakdowns that make SEC football broadcasts pop. South Carolina comes in as a 5.5-point favorite according to BetMGM Sportsbook. The moneyline has the Gamecocks at -210, while Vanderbilt sits at +170, which tells you oddsmakers think it’ll be competitive but still lean heavily toward Garnet and Black. The over/under has been set at 47.5 points, so fans might want to prepare for a game that could hinge on whether defenses hold steady or if quarterbacks turn it into a fireworks show.

ESPN’s predictive model sides with the home team as well, giving South Carolina a 65.1% chance to pull out the victory. That leaves Vanderbilt with a 34.9% shot at stealing one on the road—a number that feels both generous and dangerous given how this rivalry has gone. After all, the Gamecocks have dominated the series with 16 straight wins dating back to 2008. History doesn’t lie, and streaks like that don’t come easy in the SEC.

If you’re looking for intrigue, Sporting News’ Bill Bender has it covered. He pegs the final score at South Carolina 28, Vanderbilt 24, while pointing out just how fun this quarterback duel could be. “Who knew Vandy-South Carolina would be a much-anticipated quarterback duel between Diego Pavia and LaNorris Sellers?” Bender writes. He’s got a point. Pavia currently sits second in the conference with a 199.6 passer rating, while Sellers has already turned heads with his poise and arm talent.