College Football’s Week 8 Features a Dozen Ranked Teams Across ESPN Networks and CFB Primetime with The Pat McAfee Show for No. 24 Mississippi State at No. 6 Alabama
ESPN’s industry-leading college football coverage welcomes a dozen ranked squads in Week 8 and the final regular season edition of the CFB Primetime with The Pat McAfee Show alternate telecast. In all, nearly 40 matchups, including a trio of ranked-vs.-ranked clashes, are set for ESPN networks beginning Wednesday, Oct. 19.
ESPN’s lead commentary crew of Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Holly Rowe will have the call of No. 24 Mississippi State at No. 6 Alabama, Saturday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. The trio will be joined by Todd McShay providing NFL Draft analysis and insight on the sport’s top pro prospects. CFB Primetime with The Pat McAfee Show will offer an alternate telecast of Bulldogs-Crimson Tide on ESPN2, while the SEC West showdown will also be supplemented by both the Command Center and SkyCast on the ESPN App.
Saturday’s ABC lineup kicks off with a battle of ACC unbeatens featuring No. 14 Syracuse at No. 5 Clemson at noon, with Sean McDonough, Todd Blackledge and Molly McGrath on the call. At 3:30 p.m. on ABC, Big 12 foes No. 20 Texas and No. 11 Oklahoma State face off in Stillwater featuring Dave Pasch, Dusty Dvoracek and Tom Luginbill calling the action. On ABC Saturday Night Football Presented by Capital One, Joe Tessitore, Greg McElroy and Katie George will provide commentary for the Big Ten tussle between Minnesota and No. 16 Penn State – the Nittany Lions’ annual marquee White Out game under the lights at Beaver Stadium – at 7:30 p.m. The primetime presentation will be amplified by the AT&T SkyCast on the ESPN App.
Kicking off the day’s action on ESPN is No. 21 Cincinnati on the road at SMU at noon, as Mark Jones, Robert Griffin III and Quint Kessenich call the 4K Game of the Week. A Big Ten battle is slated for ESPN at 3:30 p.m., as Bob Wischusen, Dan Orlovsky and Kris Budden provide commentary for Purdue at Wisconsin. In Pac-12 After Dark action, Dave Flemming, Rod Gilmore and Tiffany Blackmon will announce Washington at California at 10:30 p.m. on ESPN.
ESPN’s college networks feature a pair of top 15 teams in Week 8. At noon on SEC Network, third-ranked Tennessee looks to continue its historic campaign with a matchup against in-state opponent UT Martin, featuring Taylor Zarzour, Matt Stinchcomb and Alyssa Lang on the call. At 3:30 p.m. on ACC Network, Chris Cotter, Mark Herzlich and Lericia Harris are on the mic for Boston College at No. 13 Wake Forest.
Additional Programming Highlights:
- Saturday, Oct. 22
- No. 7 Ole Miss at LSU (3 p.m. | ESPN Radio)
- Talent: Mike Couzens, Max Starks, Ian Fitzsimmons
- Memphis at No. 25 Tulane (3:30 p.m. | ESPN2)
- Talent: Beth Mowins, Kirk Morrison, Stormy Buonantony
- No. 7 Ole Miss at LSU (3 p.m. | ESPN Radio)
For updates to programming schedules and game assignments, please visit ESPNPressRoom.com.
| Date | Time (ET) | Game/Commentators | Network |
| Wed, Oct 19 | 7:30 p.m. | Georgia State at Appalachian State Drew Carter, Aaron Murray, Marilyn Payne | ESPN2 |
| Thu, Oct 20 | 7:30 p.m. | Virginia at Georgia Tech Matt Barrie, Louis Riddick, Harry Lyles Jr. | ESPN |
| Troy at South Alabama Wes Durham, Roddy Jones, Taylor Davis | ESPNU | ||
| Fri, Oct 21 | 7 p.m. | Princeton at Harvard Eric Frede, Jack Ford | ESPNU |
| 7:30 p.m. | Tulsa at Temple Roy Philpott, Andre Ware, Paul Carcaterra | ESPN2 | |
| Sat, Oct 22 | Noon | No. 14 Syracuse at No. 5 Clemson Sean McDonough, Todd Blackledge, Molly McGrath | ABC |
| No. 21 Cincinnati at SMU Mark Jones, Robert Griffin III, Quint Kessenich | ESPN | ||
| Kansas at Baylor Anish Shroff, Brock Osweiler, Taylor McGregor | ESPN2 | ||
| Houston at Navy Clay Matvick, Rocky Boiman, Dawn Davenport | ESPNU | ||
| UT Martin at No. 3 Tennessee Taylor Zarzour, Matt Stinchcomb, Alyssa Lang | SEC Network | ||
| Akron at Kent State Doug Sherman, Forrest Conoly | ESPN+ | ||
| 12:30 p.m. | Duke at Miami | ESPN3 | |
| 1 p.m. | Toledo at Buffalo Michael Reghi, Tyoka Jackson | ESPN+ | |
| Bowling Green at Central Michigan Dan Gutowsky, Adam Breneman | ESPN3 | ||
| 1:30 p.m. | North Carolina Central at South Carolina State Tiffany Greene, Jay Walker | ESPN3* | |
| 2 p.m. | Eastern Michigan at Ball State Jim Barbar, Marcus Ray | ESPN+ | |
| Northern Illinois at Ohio Anthony Lima, Ryan Cavanaugh | ESPN+ | ||
| 3 p.m. | No. 7 Ole Miss at LSU Mike Couzens, Max Starks, Ian Fitzsimmons | ESPN Radio | |
| Rice at Louisiana Tech | ESPN+ | ||
| 3:30 p.m. | No. 20 Texas at No. 11 Oklahoma State Dave Pasch, Dusty Dvoracek, Tom Luginbill | ABC | |
| Purdue at Wisconsin Bob Wischusen, Dan Orlovsky, Kris Budden | ESPN | ||
| Memphis at No. 25 Tulane Beth Mowins, Kirk Morrison, Stormy Buonantony | ESPN2 | ||
| BYU at Liberty Kevin Brown, Hutson Mason | ESPNU | ||
| Boston College at No. 13 Wake Forest Chris Cotter, Mark Herzlich, Lericia Harris | ACC Network | ||
| Florida International at Charlotte | ESPN3 | ||
| Georgia Southern at Old Dominion | ESPN+ | ||
| Marshall at James Madison | ESPN+ | ||
| 4 p.m. | Vanderbilt at Missouri Dave Neal, Deuce McAllister, Andraya Carter | SEC Network | |
| Florida Atlantic at UTEP | ESPN+ | ||
| 5 p.m. | Arkansas State at Louisiana | ESPN+ | |
| Southern Miss at Texas State | ESPN+ | ||
| 7 p.m. | No. 24 Mississippi State at No. 6 Alabama Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Holly Rowe, Todd McShay | ESPN | |
| CFB Primetime with The Pat McAfee Show: No. 24 Mississippi State at No. 6 Alabama Pat McAfee & Guests | ESPN2 | ||
| 7:30 p.m. | Minnesota at No. 16 Penn State Joe Tessitore, Greg McElroy, Katie George | ABC | |
| UCF at East Carolina John Schriffen, Rene Ingoglia | ESPNU | ||
| Texas A&M at South Carolina Tom Hart, Jordan Rodgers, Cole Cubelic | SEC Network | ||
| 8 p.m. | Pittsburgh at Louisville Wes Durham, Tim Hasselbeck, Kelsey Riggs | ACC Network | |
| 10:30 p.m. | Washington at California Dave Flemming, Rod Gilmore, Tiffany Blackmon | ESPN | |
| 11 p.m. | Montana at Sacramento State Brian Custer, Dustin Fox, Jalyn Johnson | ESPN2 |
*Tape delayed on ESPNU at 11 p.m. Saturday
