Captivating Commentaries: Elevating the College Football Broadcast Experience

A college football weekend light on headliner matchups and late drama did not lack for moments for the television announcers calling those games. While only two of the top 10 crews ranked below called one-score games, some of the best performances came from announcers in the middle of blowouts. In most cases, the analysis was superb, and there were plenty of fun and informative anecdotes dispensed during Saturday's telecasts. A plea to producers: Sideline reporters from the upper-level lineups are more valuable and informed today than ever before. Let's hear more from them throughout the game.

Elevating the Broadcast Experience: Captivating Commentaries that Captivate Audiences

Veteran Crews Shine in the Face of Adversity

A regulation game that ended one minute shy of four hours and featured 22 penalties for nearly 200 yards brought its challenges. The constant interruptions were infuriating for an unbiased viewer, let alone for the South Carolina fans who sat through two touchdowns called back because of penalties. That's where a veteran crew like the ABC early team, featuring Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, and Holly Rowe, can keep viewers engaged. One of the standout sequences came in the middle of the first quarter, where Fowler and Herbstreit dissected the South Carolina defensive backs' arm length after a pass breakup, then pivoted to analyzing how the Gamecocks' defensive line pushed LSU's offensive line in the pocket and how their linebackers got downhill on a major stop. Herbstreit then untangled the South Carolina inside-out coverage by two slot defenders that led to a sack, doing it effortlessly and making it digestible for the audience.Fowler's smooth delivery and dry quips also kept the telecast engaging. In the fourth quarter, when the referee's microphone was inaudible during an offsides penalty announcement, Fowler piped up, "It's been used so much that the batteries have run out of Jason Autrey's microphone." Holly Rowe, the greatest sideline reporter of them all, also shone, putting her subjects at ease and eliciting great quotes, like South Carolina coach Shane Beamer's unprompted remark, "We're trying to screw this thing up: offense, defense, special teams."

Fox's Powerhouse Trio Showcases Their Expertise

SEC teams like Alabama rarely travel north for nonconference games, so the matchup between the Crimson Tide and Wisconsin was the No. 2 draft selection for Fox after Ohio State-Michigan this offseason. The game itself was lopsided, but it allowed all three of Fox's stars – Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt, and Jenny Taft – to shine in their own way.Klatt, one of college football's best analysts, immediately noticed something wasn't right when Wisconsin quarterback Tyler Van Dyke injured his right knee, saying, "This not good. You can tell this was pre-contact." Klatt also read the teams' strengths and weaknesses well, advising Alabama to run inside at Wisconsin rather than to the outside, which the Tide did to great effect. Near halftime, when Alabama got the ball back in a time purgatory, Klatt instantly said, "If it's me with this offense and these players, I'd be very aggressive," which proved prescient as the Tide scored a touchdown on the next play.Johnson, known for his big-game energy, may have been limited in this lopsided affair, but he and Klatt combined football with pop culture in a terrific exchange. When Johnson said Wisconsin players call offensive lineman Joe Brunner "Rip" because he looks like the enforcer character on "Yellowstone," Klatt immediately referenced Brunner's block, saying, "He was taking (LT) Overton to the train station." Johnson enthusiastically responded, "Taking him to the train station! I like that, partner!"

Underrated Crews Deliver Smooth, Smart, and Informative Telecasts

The Fox mid-afternoon crew of Jason Benetti, Brock Huard, and Allison Williams is a sorely underrated trio. Benetti's tremendous play-by-play voice and pacing kept the telecast flowing, while Huard did an outstanding job of describing offensive line play, a major factor in both Oregon and Oregon State's playing styles. Williams also had a timely sideline report about how Oregon defensive back Bryce Boettcher translates his skills tracking down fly balls as a center fielder for the baseball team.The ESPN early crew of Bob Wischusen, Louis Riddick, and Kris Budden also delivered a quality telecast. Riddick's observations were spot-on, especially when identifying the issues impacting Florida State, constantly bringing up "self-inflicted wounds" and chiding the Seminoles for "lack of concentration, lack of discipline."The ESPN mid-afternoon trio of Dave Pasch, Dusty Dvoracek, and Taylor McGregor often gets buried due to time slot, game, or competition, but they shone in their own way. Dvoracek delved into different matchups, plays, and coverages, while McGregor delivered a good mid-second quarter update on Tulane quarterback Darian Mensah's leadership.

Veteran Voices Bring Gravitas and Insight

The CBS mid-afternoon crew of Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson, and Jenny Dell had the unenviable task of calling a blowout, but they still managed to provide some memorable moments. Danielson, who starred at Purdue in the early 1970s, finally got the chance to call a game at his alma mater, and his best line came with Notre Dame leading 35-0 and 41 seconds left in the first half: "There's not a lot of feeling sorry for teams in college football."The NBC prime-time team of Noah Eagle, Todd Blackledge, and Kathryn Tappen has been airing Big Ten-controlled prime-time games, but most have been lopsided affairs. Blackledge, however, did a nice job conveying what Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke saw on his first touchdown pass, and he and Eagle provided astute observations on new Indiana coach Curt Cignetti and his "win-now" portal philosophy.The ABC prime-time crew of Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy, and Molly McGrath had the unenviable task of calling a white-knuckle ride between Georgia and Kentucky. While their best exchange came when McElroy referenced McDonough's infamous "Jalen Watts-Jackson" call, the crew could have delved deeper into why the No. 1 team struggled so badly on the road.

Navigating Challenges and Delivering Captivating Narratives

The ABC mid-afternoon crew of Joe Tessitore, Jesse Palmer, and Katie George had to contend with delays, downpours, and a perpetual storm cloud hovering over Florida coach Billy Napier. Tessitore and Palmer's institutional knowledge was strong, but Palmer's tendency to fill the entire play clock with more filler information than analysis made it difficult to concentrate on the game.The CW prime-time team of Thom Brennaman, Max Browne, and Treavor Scales had the unenviable task of navigating Brennaman's return to the broadcast booth following a four-year absence after he used a homophobic slur on live television. Despite the controversy, Brennaman's pacing was fantastic, and he helped two unknowns sound like pros in the booth on Saturday.Other notable performances included the CBS prime-time crew of Rich Waltz, Ross Tucker, and Tiffany Blackmon, who provided high-quality analysis and interviews, the Fox Friday prime-time duo of Tim Brando and Devin Gardner, known for their eccentric pairing, and the ESPN2 mid-afternoon trio of Mike Monaco, Kirk Morrison, and Dawn Davenport, who had some good zingers but could have analyzed a last-minute pass interference call in the end zone more thoroughly.