Since 2018, Alyssa Lang has worked on the sidelines for ESPN’s SEC Network coverage, steadily building her presence around college football. However, that changed when ESPN handed her an elevated studio role. Just as the opportunity arrived, an unfortunate accident disrupted her season and kept her away from the games.
Recently, a fan tagged Lang on her X account and asked why she wasn’t part of the college football panel last night or this afternoon. Lang promptly responded, revealing that she had been involved in a pretty bad accident on Thursday.
“I was involved in a scary accident late Thursday night when someone slammed into my car while driving on the highway. Thankfully, I was very lucky – walked away with just some bruises and a concussion. Resting this weekend so that I can be back soon,” wrote Lang in her X handle.
While she was part of the Week 1 and Week 2 coverage, Lang will be missing the entirety of Week 3 and may or may not return for Week 4.
Long before she became a familiar face on the sidelines, Lang’s journey in sports journalism began during her sophomore year at the University of South Carolina, when she landed an internship at a local news station.
That internship quickly turned into something more. The station offered her a part-time position, giving Lang an opportunity to prove herself while still in college.
By her senior year, she had risen to the anchor desk, officially leading the station’s weekend sports broadcasts while covering some of the biggest teams and sporting events in the region, including the South Carolina Gamecocks, Clemson Tigers and the NFL’s Carolina Panthers.
After her initial journalistic gigs, she eventually found her way to ESPN, where she began her journey with the SEC Network and quickly became a familiar face across the network’s college sports coverage. She spent four years co-hosting Out of Pocket while also taking on hosting duties for the flagship SEC Now.
Apart from her studio work, Lang took on the role of reporting on college football from the sidelines and contributed to coverage of college basketball, baseball, and softball.
After Laura Rutledge’s departure from SEC Nation after nine seasons, Lang’s role at ESPN expanded. With Matt Barrie stepping in as the show’s new host, Lang was elevated to take over Barrie’s previous position as a college football studio host, marking another significant step in her ESPN career.
As a South Carolina alum, she has supported the Gamecocks for a long time, and her team is currently 2-0 this season. That said, following her revelation about the accident, she now has a message for the fans.
“Will use this as a reminder for folks to please drive safely and pay attention, because things can change in an instant,” said Lang.
The exact details of her accident and her comeback to the network have yet to be ascertained, but it is certainly reassuring to know that the voice of the sport is doing better now.