Behind the Mic: Fox Sports, CBS Sports Headline College Football With Lineup of Talent; NBC Sports To Cover Shoprite LPGA Classic With All-Women Broadcast Team

Behind the Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, including new deals, departures, and assignments compiled from press releases and reports around the industry. In this week’s edition, Fox Sports and CBS Sports release their college football talent, NBC Sports rolls out all-women broadcast team for Shoprite LPGA Classic in October, and more.

Fox Sports Unveils 2021 College Football On-Air Roster

Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt, and Jenny Taft reunite for the fifth consecutive year to call Fox Sports Big Noon Saturday, the network’s biggest game of the week at 12:00 PM ET. Johnson, Klatt and Taft open the season Thursday, Sept. 2, at 8:00 PM ET when Ohio State takes on Minnesota in Minneapolis before heading to Madison, WI, on Saturday, Sept. 4, for Penn State at Wisconsin at 12:00 PM ET on Fox.

The trio is joined in Minneapolis and Madison by the Big Noon Kickoff crew, featuring host Rob Stone, alongside college football legends Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart, Brady Quinn, and Bob Stoops. Big Noon Kickoff is onsite for the first four weeks of Fox Sports’ college football season, bringing the show on the road to stadiums and tailgates across the nation.

In addition, Clay Travis serves as a special correspondent on Big Noon Kickoff , interviewing top players, coaches and fans from the biggest games in the south each week. Co-host of FS1’s Speak For Yourself, Emmanuel Acho, and former University of Washington head coach, Chris Petersen, also contribute to Fox Sports’ college football studio coverage. College football insider Bruce Feldman makes regular studio appearances and reports from the sidelines throughout the season.

Play-by-play announcer Joe Davis and former NFL quarterback and analyst Brock Huard will be in Los Angeles for LSU-UCLA on Saturday, September 4, at 8:30 PM ET on Fox from the Rose Bowl.

Broadcast partners Tim Brando and Spencer Tillman enter their seventh year together for Fox Sports, opening the season in Austin, TX, with a Louisiana-Texas tilt on Saturday, Sept. 4, at 4:30 PM ET on Fox.

On Friday, Sept. 3, analyst and former University of Michigan quarterback Devin Gardner makes his Fox Sports debut alongside play-by-play broadcaster Eric Collins for South Dakota State-Colorado State at 9:00 PM ET on FS1.

Former Oregon head coach and Pac-12 champion Mark Helfrich provides analysis with play-by-play announcer Aaron Goldsmith beginning with Stanford vs. K-State at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX, Saturday, Sept. 4, at 12:00 PM ET on FS1.

Veteran analyst and former NFL running back Robert Smith partners with play-by-play announcer Cory Provus for Oregon State-Purdue, Saturday Sept. 4, at 7:00 PM ET on FS1.

Rounding out Fox Sports’ Week 1 coverage, play-by-play broadcaster Alex Faust and former USC standout and analyst Petros Papadakis are on the call when Nevada takes on Cal, Saturday, Sept. 4, at 10:30 PM ET on FS1. (Fox Sports)

CBS Sports Adds New Announcers and Deepens Roster for College Football Coverage Across CBS and CBS Sports Network

CBS Sports’ college football announce teams are led by Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson, and Jamie Erdahl. The trio will once again call the network’s marquee game each week, including the SEC on CBS Game of the Week, the annual Army-Navy classic on Saturday, Dec. 11 (3:00 PM, ET) and the Air Force-Navy game to kick off the season on the CBS Television Network on Saturday, Sept. 11 (3:30 PM, ET).

Play-by-play announcer Noah Eagle joins CBS Sports’ college football coverage, and will team with analysts Aaron Murray and Rick Neuheisel, along with sideline reporter Jenny Dell, for additional SEC ON CBS games. Eagle also will call select games this season on CBS Sports Network.

Additionally, Rich Waltz, Aaron Taylor, and reporter Sherree Burress will announce the action for the Mountain West games broadcast on the CBS Television Network this season.

Adam Zucker will anchor College Football Today, CBS Sports’ pregame, halftime, and postgame studio show on the CBS Television Network and Paramount+, with analysts Brian Jones and Neuheisel.

Gene Steratore also returns as CBS Sports’ college football Rules Analyst.

CBS Sports Network’s game coverage this season will feature several newcomers, including former Ohio State safety Donte Whitner as an analyst, play-by-play announcers Chris Lewis and Chick Hernandez, and sideline reporters Josh Martin, Brandon Baylor, Lindsay Rhodes, and Desmond Purnell.

Waltz, Taylor, and Dell will serve as the lead announce team for CBS Sports Network.

John Sadak or Hernandez, along with Randy Cross and Sheehan Stanwick-Burch, will handle Navy games for CBS Sports Network, while Jason Horowitz, Ross Tucker, and reporter Tina Cervasio will call Army games throughout the season.

Play-by-play announcers Dave Ryan, Jason Knapp, Ed Cohen, Alex Del Barrio, Chris Hassel, and Michael Grady, analysts Murray, Corey Chavous, and Sed Bonner, along with returning sideline reporters Amanda Guerra and Justin Walters also will call games on CBS Sports Network throughout the season.

CBS Sports Network returns its flagship college football studio show, INSIDE COLLEGE FOOTBALL, highlighted by the two-hour roundtable edition every Tuesday night throughout the season, beginning Tuesday, Aug. 31 (9:00 PM – 11:00 PM, ET). Coverage is anchored by host Zucker, who once again is joined by analysts Neuheisel, Jones, Cross and Taylor. CBS Sports Network’s studio team also includes hosts Brent Stover and Burress, with returning analysts Houston Nutt, Kevin Carter, and Danny Kanell. (CBS Sports)

All-Women Broadcast Team To Call NBC Sports’ Coverage of Shoprite LPGA Classic on Golf Channel from Oct. 1-3

NBC Sports will utilize an all-women broadcast team to call the ShopRite LPGA Classic at the Bay Course at Seaview in Galloway, NJ, on October 1-3 on GOLF Channel, marking the first-ever all-women golf broadcast team in U.S. television history.

The commentary team will feature Cara Banks handling play-by-play duties, alongside analysts Judy Rankin and Paige Mackenzie and on-course reporters Karen Stupples and Kay Cockerill.

Tournament coverage will be produced by long-time NBC Sports and GOLF Channel producer Beth Hutter. Hutter has produced LPGA coverage for more than 15 years and recently made history as the first woman to produce the U.S. Women’s Open at Olympic Club and women’s golf coverage at the Tokyo Olympics. (NBC Sports)

Drew Brees and Maria Join Football Night in America

Drew Brees and Maria Taylor are joining Football Night in America for the 2021 NFL season. Brees, the MVP of Super Bowl XLIV, joins host Mike Tirico and Super Bowl-winning head coach Tony Dungy at the desk in Studio 1 at NBC Sports’ International Broadcast Center in Stamford, CT. The trio will deliver opinions, analysis, and insight about that day’s NFL action, provide highlights of all Sunday games, and look ahead to that night’s Sunday Night Football game.

Taylor will co-host FNIA and often be paired in Studio 1 with former NFL quarterback Chris Simms, who will provide in-depth analysis of the day’s biggest moments. Two-time Super Bowl winner Rodney Harrison, who has spent the past 12 seasons in the FNIA studio, will now join co-host Jac Collinsworth at the site of the SNF game every week to capture the excitement of the crowd, provide on-field analysis, and conduct player interviews. NFL Insider Mike Florio will continue to provide reports about the most relevant NFL news of the day.

The coordinating producer of FNIA is Rob Hyland and the co-producer is Matt Casey. FNIA is directed by Pierre Moossa. (NBC Sports)

Host Rachel Bonnetta Joins NFL Media

Host Rachel Bonnetta has joined the NFL Media group, it was announced today.

In her role, Bonnetta will contribute and lead Legalized Sports Betting-focused content on NFL Network, as well as the NFL’s digital platforms such as NFL.com and the NFL app. Additionally, Bonnetta will host, contribute and develop content ideas outside of the Legalized Sports Betting space on a variety of platforms across the NFL Media group, including a role on NFL Network’s NFL GameDay Morning, host of NFL GameDay View and a presence at signature events such as Super Bowl, NFL Honors, and Red Carpet.

Bonnetta joins the NFL Media group from Fox Sports, where she most-recently served as the host of the first-ever linear sports gambling show, Fox Bet Live on FS1. During her time with Fox Sports, Bonnetta served in various roles across a range of major Fox Sports events and properties, such as on-location coverage at the Super Bowl, the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, pregame, halftime and postgame UEFA Champions League coverage, and more.

Prior to joining Fox Sports in 2016, Bonnetta hosted Major League Soccer daily shows MLS Now and Off Topic with Rachel Bonnetta, as well as The Whip on Kick TV and “The Zone on YTV in Canada.

A native of Toronto, Canada, Bonnetta lives in Los Angeles.

ESPN Re-Signs SportsCenter Anchor Elle Duncan to New, Multi-Year Deal

ESPN has re-signed popular SportsCenter anchor Elle Duncan to a new, multi-year contract. Duncan, who joined ESPN in 2016, co-anchors the 6 p.m. ET edition of SportsCenter with Kevin Negandhi on weekdays, a position she moved to in March of this year. She had previously anchored the noon edition as well as early-morning shows.

In addition to her work on SportsCenter, Duncan has been a co-host of the weekly ESPN podcast First Take, Her Take with Kimberley A. Martin and Charly Arnolt since June of this year and she is among a rotating group of panelists on ESPN’s afternoon program Around the Horn. She also has appeared as a panelist on Highly Questionable.

Earlier this year, she and Negandhi contributed to ESPN’s coverage of the NFL Draft, starting each day hosting the network’s morning show Get Up, followed both nights by leading ESPN Radio’s NFL Draft broadcasts.

During her time with ESPN, Duncan also has contributed to ESPN’s The Undefeated, including co-hosting the weekly radio program The Intersection in 2020 and serving as one of four panelists for the 2020 prime time television special Time for Change: We Won’t Be Defeated. She also has been a moderator for the espnW Summit.

In addition, Duncan has appeared on ABC’s Good Morning America as a panelist and as a guest reporter.

Previously, Duncan was an anchor, host and reporter for two years for the New England Sports Network (NESN) in Boston. Prior to joining NESN in early 2014, she worked in a number of on-air positions in her home city on both television and radio, including as a sports anchor and reporter for WXIA-TV, Atlanta’s NBC-TV affiliate, from 2012-2014. She also worked as a television sideline reporter for the Atlanta Hawks and on SEC and ACC college football telecasts.

Duncan, who once aspired to a singing career and has a deep love for music, started working in broadcasting in 2003 as an entertainment reporter for former Atlanta sports radio station 790 the Zone, then in 2005 began a seven-year career as an on-air personality with Atlanta hip-hop station V103 where she hosted a top-rated program.

She moved into sports as co-host of pre-game, halftime and post-game shows for the Atlanta Falcons Radio Network in 2010-2011. (ESPN)

SEC Network Signs Super Bowl Champion and Ole Miss Great Deuce McAllister to Analyst Role

SEC Network has added New Orleans Saints Hall of Famer and Super Bowl Champion Deuce McAllister to its roster this fall. McAllister will join veteran play-by-play commentator Dave Neal and first-year college football reporter Andraya Carter for afternoon SEC contests this season. His first game assignment will be Alabama State at Auburn on Saturday, Sept. 11.

McAllister joins other fellow Saints players Roman Harper and Benjamin Watson on SEC Network’s college football analyst roster. (ESPN)

ACC Network Welcomes Virginia Tech Great Eddie Royal to Week Night Studio Line-Up

Long-time NFL wide receiver and former Virginia Tech football standout Eddie Royal has signed a deal to join ACC Network as a college football studio and game analyst. Royal will appear weekly on ACCN’s flagship news and information show All ACC beginning Monday evening at 8 p.m. ET, alongside Dalen Cuff, Jordan Cornette, and Kelsey Riggs.

In addition to his weekly appearances on All ACC, Royal will also serve as an analyst for early season college football games during the 2021 season, with his first assignment on Saturday, Sept. 11 as Virginia Tech hosts Middle Tennessee State at Lane Stadium (2 p.m., ACCNX).

Royal was drafted by Denver in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played nine seasons in the NFL, including four with the Broncos (2008-11), followed by time with the San Diego Chargers (2012-14) and Chicago Bears (2015-16).

Royal played four seasons at Virginia Tech, starting three in 2005, 06 and 07. He was named to the All-ACC First Team in 2007 while helping the Hokies win the ACC Football Championship Game that season. Royal finished his career at Virginia Tech as the program’s career leader in all-purpose yards (4,686) and totaled 119 receptions and 12 receiving touchdowns. (ESPN)