NBC Sports Names College Football Announce Teams as Season Kicks Off

As College Football kicks off on Aug. 29, NBC Sports presents the 2026 announce roster.

August 19, 2026

The Associated Press No. 14 USC Trojans host the San Jose State Spartans on Aug. 29 at 3 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock as NBC Sports kicks off its 2026 college football schedule of more than 25 Big Ten and Notre Dame Football games.

With the season beginning in 10 days, NBC Sports today named its college football announce roster:

Big Ten Saturday Night presented by Discover

Noah Eagle (play-by-play), former Penn State quarterback Todd Blackledge (analyst), and Kathryn Tappen (sideline reporter) return to Big Ten Saturday Night and will call all Saturday primetime games this season. Eagle, Blackledge, and Tappen return for their fourth season together, with Blackledge beginning his 33rd season calling college football games. The trio will also call the season-opening matchup between San Jose State and preseason No. 14 USC on Aug. 29 at 3 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock, before beginning their Big Ten Saturday Night season with No. 16 Michigan hosting Western Michigan on Sept. 5 at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.

Notre Dame Football

NBC Sports’ unprecedented 36th season broadcasting Notre Dame Football features veteran play-by-play voice Dan Hicks, analyst Jason Garrett, and sideline reporter Caroline Pineda as the announce team. To start the season, the trio will call No. 4 Notre Dame’s season opener against Wisconsin in primetime at Lambeau Field on Sunday, Sept. 6. Hicks returns for his third consecutive season in South Bend after calling Fighting Irish games from 2013-2016. Garrett, who had a 12-year career in the NFL as a quarterback and spent 16 years as an NFL coach, including nine as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, returns for his fifth consecutive season calling Notre Dame Football. Pineda, a college football and basketball sideline reporter for NBC Sports since 2022, enters her first season as the Notre Dame Football sideline reporter. Previously, she served as the sideline reporter for NBC Sports’ presentations of the annual Notre Dame Blue-Gold Game and Pro Day.

For NBC Sports’ full 2026 Notre Dame Football schedule, click here.

Big Ten Football

NBC Sports veteran play-by-play voice Paul Burmeister returns to call games. Jason Benetti and Dave Flemming will join NBC Sports’ college football team to call select games. Former USC coach and Pitt wide receiver Yogi Roth returns as an analyst for a full slate of games. In addition, on select game days Roth will join College Countdown as a field reporter, providing reports from a major Big Ten matchup. Matt Cassel, 14-year NFL quarterback and 2010 Pro Bowler, will serve as an analyst for select Big Ten games.

Ashley ShahAhmadi will make her NBC Sports college football debut this season as a sideline reporter. Caroline Pineda will also contribute as a sideline reporter on select Big Ten games.

College Countdown presented by Genesis

Ahmed Fareed returns as host of NBC Sports’ College Countdown Presented by Genesis, alongside analysts Chris Simms, Joshua Perry, college football insider Nicole Auerbach, and betting analyst Connor Rogers. John Fanta serves as host for the first four weeks of the season (while Fareed hosts MLB coverage) in addition to his role providing game breaks and presenting his popular “Fanta in 60” segments.

Fareed serves as a host and reporter on a variety of events and properties across NBC Sports, including MLB, NBA, the Olympics, horse racing, and Premier League. Perry, a former Ohio State linebacker, helped the team win the inaugural 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship and spent two seasons in the NFL. Simms played quarterback at the University of Texas (1999-2002) and had an eight-year NFL career after being selected in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft. Auerbach covers the national college sports landscape, including college football and basketball, and is entering her fourth season covering Big Ten Football across NBC Sports platforms. Rogers enters his second season onCollege Countdown while also serving as an NFL Draft analyst and reporter across NBC Sports. Fanta has provided college football game break updates in studio on fall Saturdays, while also serving as the lead BIG EAST basketball play-by-play voice and as a reporter across multiple properties on NBC and Peacock, including MLB, NBA, and horse racing.

Top Primetime Matchups

Premier primetime matchups on NBC and Peacock include No. 16 Michigan hosting Western Michigan on Sept. 5 at 7:30 p.m. ET in new head coach Kyle Whittingham’s debut, the No. 4 Fighting Irish’s season-opening matchup against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field on Sept. 6,. Notre Dame hosting No. 7 Miami on Nov. 7 at 7:30 p.m. ET, and No. 19 SMU on Nov. 21 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

NBC Sports’ 2026 Big Ten and Notre Dame Football games announced to date:

Date	Time (ET)	Matchup	Platform(s)
Sat., Aug. 29	3 p.m.	San Jose State at USC	NBC, Peacock
Thurs., Sept. 3	8 p.m.	Eastern Illinois at Minnesota	Peacock
Sat., Sept. 5	7:30 p.m.	Western Michigan at Michigan	NBC, Peacock
Sun., Sept. 6	4 p.m.	Washington State at Washington	NBC, Peacock
Sun., Sept. 6	7:30 p.m.	Wisconsin at Notre Dame (Lambeau Field)	NBC, Peacock
Sat., Sept. 12	3:30 p.m.	Rice at Notre Dame	NBC, Peacock
Sat., Sept. 12	7:30 p.m.	Iowa State at Iowa	NBC, Peacock
Sat., Sept. 19	12:30 p.m.	Eastern Michigan at Wisconsin	Peacock
Sat., Sept. 19	2 p.m.	Southern Illinois at Illinois	Peacock
Sat., Sept. 19	4 p.m.	Western Kentucky at Indiana	Peacock
Sat., Sept. 19	7:30 p.m.	Michigan State at Notre Dame	NBC, Peacock
Sat., Oct. 10	3:30 p.m.	Stanford at Notre Dame	NBC, Peacock
Sat., Nov. 7	7:30 p.m.	Miami at Notre Dame	NBC, Peacock
Sat., Nov. 14	3:30 p.m.	Boston College at Notre Dame	NBC, Peacock
Sat., Nov. 21	7:30 p.m.	SMU at Notre Dame	NBC, Peacock
Fri. Nov. 27	7:30 p.m.	Minnesota at Wisconsin	NBC, Peacock