Get ready for the song you’re going to hear frequently throughout ESPN’s college football coverage this season. On Friday, the network announced that “Collider” by X Ambassadors and Tom Morello would be the theme song used during top matchups each week and the games building toward the College Football Playoff.

But unlike previous years, during which ESPN would focus solely on one or two songs — virtually guaranteeing that fans and viewers would get sick of them — the musical offerings will be a bit more varied this season throughout the network’s college football coverage.

Still, “Collider” is probably the song we’ll be hearing the most. Here’s a clip of the video and graphics that will run on ESPN broadcasts:

All right. That will certainly get some fans pumped up for a big football game and establish the tone that some of us need before and during an important tilt. With screaming and hard guitars, X Ambassadors and Tom Morello might be a bit intense for others, especially for those who like sunny days and marching bands. But this is about creating an event. This is about creating a brand.

And after all, we’re talking about football, so a song titled “Collider” hits some appropriate notes, as ESPN’s official statement explains:

“Each team’s road to the College Football Playoff begins on opening weekend and throughout the season those individual paths will intersect — or collide — with one another,” said senior director of marketing Emeka Ofodile. “That is why “Collider” is the perfect soundtrack for our regular season campaign as its title and lyrics foreshadow the pinnacle moments of the season-long journey which will end at the College Football Playoff.”

In case you had already forgotten, ESPN’s college football theme was “History” by Lauren Alaina was ESPN’s college football theme last year. Prior to that, Fall Out Boy’s “Centuries” was the song we heard constantly on Thursday nights and throughout the day on Saturdays. You’re welcome for the reminder.

ESPN will mix it up a bit throughout the season, perhaps hoping that people don’t wear out on one song. Other artists that will be featured during college football coverage on Fridays and Saturdays include Dierks Bentley, Jamie N Commons, DJ Snake, The Band Perry and The Struts. Since ESPN is using a theme song from an Interscope Records artist for the second straight year, the network will debut singles from several of the label’s artists during the season on “New Music Fridays” during college football telecasts.

If you want to see and hear more of “Collider” — without the graphics of the various schools that will make an impact on the upcoming college football season — or need Sam Harris’ scream to reverberate in your head a bit longer (maybe singing it with your favorite team: “Alllaaa-baaaaaa-aaa-aaa-ma!”), here is the full video.

[ESPN MediaZone]

About Ian Casselberry

Ian is a writer, editor, and podcaster. You can find his work at Awful Announcing and The Comeback. He's written for Sports Illustrated, Yahoo Sports, MLive, Bleacher Report, and SB Nation.

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