The votes are in for the top college football broadcast teams of the 2024 season. We asked Awful Announcing readers to grade 25 teams across a wide selection of networks, and received more than 18,500 responses. Each team was graded from A to F, and readers also provided many comments on individual teams.
As with our other rankings (CFB last year, NFL, MLB, and more), we then converted the letter grades from those requested responses to numerical grades, with A = 4 and F = 0, and ranked the announcing teams accordingly. The average grade was 2.46, or a C+, which would be between the 11th and 12th teams here. This is almost equal to the 2.45 for the 25 teams readers ranked last year, including most of these pairings, and is slightly better than the average of 2.43 for NFL announcers and 2.39 for local MLB announcers in those most recent rankings above.
One note here, as discussed in our post asking for grades, is that college football often sees frequent broadcasting shifts week to week. We tried to go with the most prominent broadcasting teams and partnerships, but some of these figures also worked with other partners.
Let’s break down the ratings and readers’ comments (sometimes lightly edited for spelling and grammar) on these pairings.
25. Noah Reed/Robert Smith (Fox/FS1): 1.95
Most common grade: C (51.0 percent of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C/ votes: 74.8 percent
This team is a new addition to these rankings and is new this year. Smith is a familiar football voice, working on various Fox NFL and CFB broadcasts and studio shows since 2016, as well as for Big Ten Network (and for ESPN before he joined Fox), but he was mostly teamed with Alex Faust last year. Reed is a newer voice but has been doing play-by-play for Fox, NBC, and ESPN over the past several years. This team drew 245 Cs of 480 votes, but just 15 As.
It’s worth noting that while this team ranked last in these rankings, they were well above the bottom team last year (Paul Burmeister and Colt McCoy for NBC/Peacock, who drew just a 1.57). And they did get some praise in the comments, including “Noah is definitely a rising star and I want to see him on bigger assignments” and “Noah Reed is exceptional. I love his cadence and voice.” But there was significant criticism for Smith in particular, including “Robert Smith takes the game and himself way too seriously” and “Smith always seems unprepared.”
24. Dan Hicks/Jason Garrett (NBC/Peacock): 1.97
Most common grade: C (38.9 percent of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C/ votes: 69.8 percent
Hicks and Garrett were 23rd last year with a 1.87, so this is actually a numerical improvement for them if not one in rank. And it’s a long way from the 1.12 (dead last of 20 teams) Garrett drew with Jac Collinsworth in 2023. Still, this team drew 54 Fs (the fourth-highest raw total) of 606 votes. However, their 32 As went a long way to getting them above Reed and Smith.
The comments here generally revolved around a theme expressed by one respondent as “Hicks is fine. Garrett isn’t.” Other remarks along those lines included “Hicks is a solid B, but Garrett drags this score way down to a D” and “F entirely because of Garrett. Wow, is he awful.” There were also complaints about a bias towards Notre Dame. But some found them “pros” overall, and Hicks got further praise of “well-prepared,” “steady,” and “can make anything sound exciting.”
23. Roy Philpott/Sam Acho (ESPN): 1.98
Most common grade: C (42.2 percent of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C/ votes: 70.2 percent
This team is new to the rankings this year, but they’re both experienced commentators. Philpott has been with ESPN since 2013, while Acho joined the network in 2021. The two first teamed up last year. This team drew 28 As of 526 votes, but placed ahead of Hicks and Garrett thanks to drawing fewer Fs (31).
In these comments, Philpott drew particular praise, including “vastly underrated” and “always enjoy Roy.” Some said they preferred Acho’s studio work, including “Like Acho in studio more, but he’s still decent in the booth.” Others had harsher criticism still for him, such as “talks too much and is way too dogmatic” and “can get quite annoying sometimes.” But some appreciated the booth overall, with notes like “This booth leans more towards clarity and dependable calling rather than ‘big burst’ theatrical moments” (on a B grade).
22. Rich Waltz/Robert Turbin (CBS/CBSSN): 2.07
Most common grade: C (48.8 percent of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C/ votes: 75.9 percent
CBS’s teams proved the toughest to deal with in setting up these rankings, as the secondary teams behind Brad Nessler and Gary Danielson turned out to be far different from what they announced in August. That announcement featured Waltz with Ross Tucker and Chris Lewis, with Logan Ryan, but Tucker wound up shifting to NFL work, and Waltz ended up working with a wide variety of analysts; Turbin looks to have been his most frequent partner, though. Waltz and Turbin were 20th last year with a 2.05, with that year also featuring remarkable week-by-week shifts for CBS teams. This team earned 37 As of 457 votes and only 21 Fs.
There were very few comments on this team, but some of the ones we did receive were quite complimentary. That included “I really like Rich and think he’s an underrated broadcaster,” “Waltz is an older Dave Flemming,” and “Another underrated team that is so good. I wish they would get some bigger games sometime, but it is hard to compete with the number one team.”
21. Thom Brennaman/Will Blackmon (The CW): 2.07
Most common grade: C (40.3 percent of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C/ votes: 74.8 percent
This group narrowly edged out Waltz and Turbin for 21st, recording a 2.068 to a 2.066. This is a slight drop for Brennaman from his much-discussed return last year, where he received a 2.12 with Max Browne (19th of 25 teams). Although this team drew 45 Fs on 568 votes and just 31 As, they placed ahead of Waltz and Turbin thanks to a higher percentage of Bs (165 of 568 versus 87 of 457).
The comments here focused mainly on Brennaman. A couple of respondents cited Brennaman’s 2020 homophobic slur on a hot mic as a reason not to rank him higher. However, the more common reaction was criticism of his specific CFB announcing. That included “the master of providing fake drama while missing key events on the field” and “has sounded like he either doesn’t know college football or doesn’t want to.” Others noted Blackmon as too quiet with lines like “barely speaks.” But there was significant praise for him and Brennaman as well, including “pros,” “credible voices,” and “they do a great job, especially with lower quality games.” And Brennaman also drew individual plaudits, including “Love Thom,” “great,” and “a solid announcer.”
20. Wes Durham/Steve Addazio (ACC Network): 2.10
Most common grade: C (46.4 percent of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C/ votes: 78.1 percent
Durham has been a key figure for ACC Network in multiple roles since its 2019 launch, including as its lead football play-by-play voice. He’s had a lot of different analyst partners in that time, though, including Tim Hasselbeck in 2023 (a 2.35 grade, 13th of 20 considered teams) and Tom Luginbill last year (also a 2.35, 12th of 25). Durham and Addazio (who joined ESPN last summer) received 29 As and 26 Fs on 515 grades.
Many of these comments were critical of Addazio in particular, which may explain that year-over-year drop for Durham. Some of the anti-Addazio lines included “Durham would get an A, but it’s Addazio” (on a B grade), “Addazio sounds like your confused uncle in the booth,” and “Other than the games being broadcast, the biggest battles include Steve against the English language. He’s tough to listen to.” But one viewer found this booth a “definite upgrade” over Durham and Luginbill. Durham also drew significant individual praise, including “may be the most prepared of anyone in the ESPN family” and “one of the best.” And one reader found this duo “the best broadcast crew for any of the conference channels.”
19. Eric Collins/Spencer Tillman (Fox/FS1): 2.11
Most common grade: C (49.9 percent of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C/ votes: 80.9 percent
Collins and Tillman came in about where they did last year (2.14, 18th of 25 teams). They drew 30 As and 143 Bs on 559 votes, but also 32 Fs and 75 Ds. Still, their percentage of A/B/C grades was the highest to this point, which is a key reason why they wound up in this spot.
In the comments, Collins’ often–enthusiastic style earned both plaudits and demerits. On the positive side, lines there ranged from “absolutely electric” to “elevates any game he calls but focuses in on the right elements, unlike Gus [Johnson] who uses the same brand of color.” On the negative side, there were comments such as “Not a fan of Eric Collins yelling and screaming all the time; not every play needs to sound like the Super Bowl” and “tries too hard to hype up plays.” Several noted they preferred Tillman’s past partnership with Tim Brando, with others also giving him individual praise, such as “his grasp of the English language is second-to-none” and “I’ve always liked Spencer Tillman.”
18. Mark Jones/Roddy Jones (ESPN): 2.11
Most common grade: B (33.7 percent of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C/ votes: 73.3 percent
We have our first most common B grade: the firm of Jones and Jones received 207 B votes out of 615. That, and their 54 As, were key to them winding up this high despite 70 Fs, the third-highest total in this poll. Last year also saw this pairing (in its first year) rank first by most common grade (B), with a similar numerical grade (2.16) and rank (17th out of 25).
Mark Jones’ long history with the sport, spanning three-plus decades, drew praise in the comments. Lines there included “Mark Jones doesn’t get enough love. He’s very good whenever he’s in the booth,” “Mark Jones doesn’t get enough credit. He’s always been good, especially has a way with words,” “amazing,” “the most underrated announcer ever,” and “a real pro with a fun turn of phrase.” But some critics felt he’s “gotten worse over the years” and “needs to understand when to tone it down.” Some liked Roddy Jones more, with remarks such as “Roddy is great, Mark Jones is meh” and “Roddy shows promise, but Mark’s act is very tired.” There was praise for the overall duo, too, though, including “The Jones boys are quickly moving up the list of top teams. Informative and don’t make the game about them.”
17. Tim Brando/Devin Gardner (Fox/FS1): 2.16
Most common grade: C (36.3 percent of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C/ votes: 76.6 percent
We now come to one of the most polarizing teams. The 71 Fs Brando and Gardner drew (out of 633 votes) were the second-highest total in these rankings, and they drew far more Cs (231) than Bs (190), but their 64 As (11th-most) put them over the pairings below them. Last year, they finished 15th of 25 booths with a 2.21.
Most of the commentary here revolved around long-established college football figure Brando. Praise there included “a legend,” “has the pipes to do college football, love for the sport comes out in his broadcasts,” “Brando = A, Gardner pulls him down with C-” (on a B grade), “I love Tim Brando’s enthusiasm,” and “has a voice that says college football to me.” And one viewer appreciated his often-opinionated commentary with “Tim Brando swings from the hip, tell it like it is. Never afraid to call out poor strategy or sloppy play on the field, he is easy to watch college football with.”
But others were much more critical of Brando. Lines there included “loves his own voice,” “always sounds like a parody of a sportscaster,” “Tim’s absurd old man commentary (and takes) usually have me plan to find a radio broadcast,” and “Does Brando know what game he’s calling before the broadcast starts?” As for Gardner, he received some praise such as “rising star” and “really good energy,” and some liked his chemistry with Brando, but others had criticism such as “too dang loud on EVERY play.”
16. Connor Onion/Mark Helfrich (Fox/FS1): 2.20
Most common grade: C (44.9 percent of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C/ votes: 81.0 percent
There weren’t many As (36 of 521 votes) for this booth, but their low number of Fs (22) was key to them getting the spot they did. This is about how they did last year, where they finished 14th of 25 teams with a 2.23.
In these comments, there was a fair bit of criticism for Helfrich. That included “still seems lost a lot of the time,” “mumbles, cannot be heard no matter the volume,” “needs to speak up and enunciate, I can barely hear him,” and “has no business being on any broadcast.” Even one Oregon fan weighed in with “As a Ducks fan I want to be loyal and like Helfrich as a commentator, but he does not have the voice for it.” But some found him “likeable” and liked his “great perspective from a coach’s view,” and others praised the booth as a whole with lines such as “My favorite crew to watch every week!” Most of the praise was for Onion, though, who drew commentary like “extremely knowledgeable,” “a great new voice, does his homework,” “as talented as they come,” and “will be the lead voice of a network soon.”
15. Jeff Levering/Jake Butt (BTN): 2.21
Most common grade: C (44.1 percent of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C/ votes: 79.4 percent
This Big Ten Network lead crew wound up in the middle of the three conference network crews considered this year, and did so partly thanks to a good ratio of As (56 of 501 votes) to Fs (21). They were 16th of 25 teams last year with a 2.18, so that isn’t much year-over-year change.
The commentary here was largely in praise of Butt. Lines there included “Mainly because of Butt, he is fantastic” (on an A grade), “I enjoy hearing Butt’s commentary and insights,” “a rising star,” “one of the best analysts in the country,” and “a superstar and deserves a bigger platform.” One other reader noted he “has a lot of potential [but] needs to watch the cliches.” Levering took some criticism, such as “does not have a big game voice or feel,” but also drew some “future star” and “awesome” notes. The overall comments here were mostly positive for the booth, including “a really good team, needs a bigger stage” and “BTN having a legitimately good booth is weird.”
14. J.B. Long/Mike Golic Jr. (TNT/truTV/Max): 2.24
Most common grade: C (36.7 percent of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C/ votes: 78.1 percent
The key for this team was their relatively high percentage of Bs (158 of 502 votes). Long and Golic worked together on some TNT Sports calls last year, but not frequently enough to make these rankings (the network’s main team of Ari Wolfe and Darius Walker placed 24th of 25 teams with a 1.87). However, they were elevated to the lead team this year and given more prominence thanks to the network’s deal with the Big 12 kicking in.
An interesting recurring note in the comments was that people enjoy Golic Jr. in other roles, but not as a game caller (which he previously did at ESPN as well). A few lines there included “I like Golic Jr in general, but I don’t like his style calling games. He needs to realize this is different than doing a radio show” and “I feel like I’d have way more fun and learn a whole lot more watching a game with Golic Jr.; feels like calling games robs him of his personality.” However, some gave him plaudits such as “doing excellent work in the booth.” Others had praise for both of the commentators and the overall broadcasts on TNT’s networks, including “A very underrated team. I have loved everything about the Big 12 on TNT,” and “Wish TNT had better Big 12 games. Really good presentation from the booth to the studio.”
13. Anish Shroff/Andre Ware (ESPN): 2.25
Most common grade: C (39.6 percent of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C/ votes: 80.4 percent
This booth barely edged out Long and Golic Jr. with a 2.250 to a 2.237, and did so on the strength of their As (48 of 545 votes) and Bs (174). Shroff and Ware have worked together since 2023, but both have worked at ESPN for decades (since 2008 and 2003, respectively). They were in the same 13th spot (of 25 teams) last year with a 2.29.
These comments saw a lot of praise for Shroff in particular. That included “I’m surprised at how much I enjoy Anish’s commentary. He ought to be higher on ESPN’s totem pole,” “Ware is so-so, but Shroff makes the game fun” (on a B grade), “Anish is an A” (on a B grade), and “I like his voice and he does a really nice job with storytelling.” Some viewers did criticize his level of excitement, though, with lines such as “Anish narrates fans to sleep” and “Anish sounds like he’s calling funerals.” As for Ware, some thought he “doesn’t seem all that prepared” and ” wants you to remember that he did indeed win the Heisman once.” But many liked the booth overall, and noted that they enjoy this team despite the quality of the games they’re often calling, with remarks like “This team is good and wasted on Friday night games” and “While they’re usually stuck with games of interest to no one but gamblers, they do good work.”
12. Matt Barrie/Tom Luginbill (ESPN): 2.28
Most common grade: C (39.9 percent of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C/ votes: 83.1 percent
This tandem received almost as many Bs (218 of 596 votes) as Cs (238). It’s a new pairing, with Barrie working with Dan Mullen last year (2.37, 11th of 25 teams) and Luginbill last with Wes Durham (2.35, 12th).
Barrie received a lot of criticism in the comments. That included “an overbearing talks-too-much know-it-all,” “voice matters and Barrie’s is nails on a chalkboard,” “thinks he’s much funnier than he actually is,” “a sarcastic, arrogant twit,” and “Not since Craig Kilborn has ESPN had anyone as close to annoying to listen to as Matt Barrie. Always feels like he’s putting on an act instead of being authentic.” Some others noted that they like him in other roles more, with lines such as “a tremendous studio host, but he should stay out of the broadcast booth” and “a really tough listen, studio guy, and is better off there.” As for Luginbill, he drew lines such as “knows his stuff, but isn’t the most likable person.” The comments overall were more negative than the numerical grade, but there was some high praise as well, including “Love them. They make the game interesting, and you can tell they are having a good time.”
11. Tom Hart/Jordan Rodgers/Cole Cubelic (SECN): 2.55
Most common grade: C (34.7 percent of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C/ votes: 86.5 percent
The 27-point lead this team received over the 12th-place booth was the most significant slot-over-slot jump in this poll. The key part of that was A grades, with this group earning 110 As (10th-most) out of 572 votes (and just 17 Fs). This group, which has been together since 2017, again ranked highest among the three conference network teams considered. Last year, they ranked 10th of 25 teams, but with a 2.48.
The comments here were even higher than the grades on this team. Those included “Knowledgeable and enjoyable,” “Wish these guys had more of a national profile,” “They should be doing better games. One of the best broadcasts in the country,” “Awesome chemistry and camaraderie,” “10x better than the rest,” and “They should get a playoff game.” Hart also received a fair bit of specific individual praise, including “a joy to listen to” and “a genius worth words,” but also took some criticism, such as “terrible and thinks he’s a comedian.” There was also some criticism of the three-announcer setup, including “having both Rodgers and Cubelic there crowds things,” and some suggested that Cubelic should move from the field analyst role into the booth. But overall, these comments were quite positive, including “The best group you’ve got.”
10. Jason Benetti/Robert Griffin III (Fox/FS1): 2.55
Most common grade: B (42.1 percent of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C/ votes: 82.5 percent
This goes from the most significant slot-over-slot rise to one of the smallest ones, with Benetti and Griffin narrowly edging out that SECN team due to a 2.548 average grade versus a 2.545. They also received a lot of As, but a lower percentage (117 of 653, 17.9 percent, versus 19.2 percent for Hart/Rodgers/Cubelic), and more Fs (37 versus 17). But their Bs (275) were critical to this top-10 placement.
These comments marked a sharp divide between how readers saw Benetti (who placed fifth of 25 last year with a 3.13, alongside Brock Huard) and Griffin. Some of that included “RGIII really brings the grade down” (on a C grade), “RG3 gets an F, he is horrible, Jason B+” (on a D grade), “Jason is good, Robert is annoying,” “Combine an A and F” (on a C grade), “Benetti is great, Griffin is not even good,” and “Benetti is awesome! Awesome enough to lift up the mediocre Griffin.” Other praise for Benetti included “a pro and makes his partner better,” “phenomenal,” and “solid gold, his humor seals the deal.” But while Griffin took further individual criticism, including “tries too hard to create soundbites,” “a clown,” and ” the absolute worst, has no personality and we don’t care about what he did on the field,” some liked the duo, with lines such as “they play off each other so well” and “The ability of Jason to call the game and play into RGIII-isms makes watching the game feel like I’m with a couple of good buddies. I’ll watch some of whatever they’re calling.”
9. Gus Johnson/Joel Klatt (Fox): 2.55
Most common grade: A (30.1 percent of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C/ votes: 76.4 percent
Fox’s top team (both internally and in these rankings) is another one in that tight cluster from #11 to #9, drawing a 2.550. They’re the first team to receive mostly As (211 of 702 votes), but also garnered a lot of Bs (207). However, their 77 Fs were the highest in this poll, showing that they remain polarizing. They were also ninth of 25 teams last year, posting a similar 2.56 then.
The comments here were harsher than the grades, especially for Johnson. That included “the worst, every two-yard gain is the biggest play of the year,” “just awful,” “schtick is getting old,” and “a blowhard and tries way too hard to sound cool.” Klatt took criticism as well, including “a Fox properties homer,” “tries to be too authoritative,” “arrogant,” and “sometimes thinks he is the game.” But some noted year-over-year improvement, with lines such as “Gus has dialed back on the corny commentary this year,” “seems dialed back a little this year,” and “some of the vintage Gus magic has come back, and I think it’s helped.” And while some said there isn’t chemistry here, others thought there was, with lines such as “the chemistry is unmatched” and “the standard.” And there was some overall high praise for the duo, including “I’ll watch paint dry with these dudes.”
8. Dave Flemming/Brock Osweiler (ESPN): 2.61
Most common grade: B (48.3 percent of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C/ votes: 92.2 percent
The grades for the Flemming/Osweiler team provide an interesting contrast to the Johnson/Klatt booth below them. They received only 68 As on 604 votes, but pulled in 292 Bs and only drew 12 Fs, giving them the highest percentage of A/B/C grades to this point (and the sixth-highest in this poll). A few respondents strongly disliked them, leading to their placement here. This booth is in its second year, but wasn’t included in our poll last year thanks to the sheer numbers of ESPN teams (they were the 15th group listed, counting conference network teams, in ESPN’s 2024 release). However, they were the seventh team listed this year (partly because ESPN lists returning teams before new ones), but they do seem to be getting some stronger assignments beyond that, and the votes here show they were well worth including.
In the comments, Flemming drew particular praise. That included “great pipes,” “outstanding,” “a steady, consistent fixture,” “always well-prepared and flows with the game,” “massively underrated,” and “underrated and should be considered for playoff assignments.” Osweiler drew some positive remarks as well, including “really good” and “solid,” but several found him just okay and noted that he brought down their grade for the booth. Overall, though, many liked this booth, especially noting it as a pleasant surprise for late-night games.
7. Joe Tessitore/Jesse Palmer (ABC/ESPN): 2.82
Most common grade: B (36.3 percent of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C/ votes: 85.1 percent
This is the second biggest slot-over-slot jump in this year’s poll, behind only the leap from 12th to 11th. Tessitore and Palmer are in their third consecutive season together, and they finished about where they did in last year’s poll (seventh of 25 teams with a 2.78). They placed ahead of the Flemming/Osweiler booth thanks to more As (229 of 684), despite receiving 45 Fs.
As those 45 Fs show, some people really don’t like this team, and that was evident in the comments. Lines there included “Joe thinks every moment of the game is the biggest moment of the game …UGH” and “Joe Tessitore seems utterly surprised by every occurrence on a football field over the course of the 60-plus minutes of a game. I generally have no problem with announcers raising their voices for big moments…but everything is a big moment.” One respondent had a funny note on the seemingly dissimilar energy of the two, with “Tessitore would make a call of a person going to the fridge sound MONUMENTAL, while Palmer would make the end of WWII sound like a Tuesday morning in a dentist’s office waiting area. But it mostly works.” Others noted they like Tessitore more than Palmer, and noted that Palmer’s duties hosting The Bachelor leave him missing some weeks and seemingly unprepared for others.
However, many people loved this booth as well. Some remarks there included “Tessitore is my favorite CFB announcer and Palmer provides tough, honest commentary,” “Second-best booth in college sports, and love Joe’s enthusiasm,” and “excellent pairing.” And while the comments overall were more negative than the grades, the grades show this team does have quite a few fans.
6. Bob Wischusen/Louis Riddick (ABC/ESPN): 2.88
Most common grade: B (42.3 percent of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C/ votes: 92.7 percent
Wischusen and Riddick are another team that stood out for how few people strongly dislike them. They received 181 As, 22 Ds, and 24 Fs from 633 total votes. They also placed sixth of 25 teams last year with a 2.95.
In the comments, many rated Wischusen over Riddick. Lines there included “Wischusen is an A, Riddick is a C” (on a B grade), “Wischusen is great, Riddick is too negative,” “Would be higher if not for Louis” (on a C grade), and “I will watch any game they call just to hear Wischusen.” But one respondent found Riddick “one of the best analysts out there,” and another added “I like Louis’s GM approach to the game.” And there were several who liked the duo overall, with comments such as “personal favorite,” “very underrated,” “Riddick really knows his stuff and Bob has really become an important play-by-play guy,” and “They wouldn’t be out of place calling the national championship. They’re that good.”
5. Dave Pasch/Dusty Dvoracek (ESPN): 2.92
Most common grade: B (49.8 percent of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C/ votes: 94.1 percent
This duo received the third-highest percentage of A/B/C votes, with 157 As on 628 votes and just 13 Fs. They also got a 2.92 last year, but that had them seventh of 25 teams. This is their fifth consecutive season together.
The comments saw quite a few people with high praise for this team, including “Pasch is great and Dvoracek is easy to listen to,” “fantastic,” “most underrated team out there,” and “a surprisingly solid listen. They complement each other well.” One reader remarked on their chemistry, noting, “Pasch is incredible. Love his feel for big moments. Dusty and him have such a great connection between the two of them. Can tell they’ve been together a while.” But many of the comments were more middling, such as “A midlevel ESPN team at best. They’ve gotten bigger time slots since ESPN put their top three on SEC/ABC games every week, and it does not work,” “They’re ESPN’s fifth best crew, which speaks to just how loaded their CFB talent roster is. Great crew” and “The quintessential generic ESPN announcers. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.”
4. Brad Nessler/Gary Danielson (CBS): 3.08
Most common grade: A (42.4 percent of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C/ votes: 91.5 percent
This is the second team (of five total) to receive mostly A votes (294 of 693). They also received only 20 Fs, impressive given how many votes they received. The long-running team of Nessler and Danielson (together since 2017) also placed fourth last year, but with a 3.15. Danielson is set to retire after this season.
2025 marks the second year where Nessler and Danielson have been calling Big Ten afternoon games for CBS rather than the SEC game of the week they were long associated with, and many commenters complained about the caliber of games they’re now calling. That included “get them better games,” “Unfortunately, they don’t have the SEC schedule anymore,” and “They deserve better games than they get. Generational fumble by CBS.” And there were also individual criticisms of both Nessler (“has become boring to listen to,” “seems to have lost his fastball”) and Danielson (“will clearly show his rooting interest during broadcasts, messes up player names often,” “can’t retire soon enough,” “stop interrupting and stop stating the obvious), as well as the pairing (“just stale,” “way past their prime”).
However, many people still like one or both of these figures. The grades show that, and some of the comments do as well. While the comments as a whole were more negative than the grades, there were some notable plaudits. Those included “the best,” “the most experienced team by far and always a joy to watch,” and “A great team. They keep the game interesting and the content is always relevant and entertaining.”
3. Chris Fowler/Kirk Herbstreit (ABC): 3.08
Most common grade: A (46.5 percent of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C/ votes: 92.6 percent
The team of Fowler and Herbstreit, in their 12th season in the booth together (and 30th season working on ESPN/ABC college football coverage together), is still loved by many. They received 329 As and 221 Bs out of 707 votes. But this is a drop for them from last year, where they finished first of 25 teams with a 3.39 average grade.
Many of the critical comments here focused on Herbstreit. Some of those included “I’m at Herbie-saturation. You cannot turn around without seeing him at either an NFL game, an SEC game, or tweeting videos of his dog(s),” “Herbstreit is overexposed with his combo NFL gig,” “Kirk’s busy workload is impacting his football color commentary. He has way more hot takes than actual analysis these days (his dogs are his personality),” “incredibly overrated,” and “Kirk talks way too much.” But others still liked him, with lines like “my favorite analyst” and “a great analyst.” And while Fowler also took some criticism, including “Fowler’s forte is not play-by-play” and “not good at football PBP,” others praised him with “best play-by-play for college football” and “high-quality PBP.”
There was also a lot of praise for the duo. That included lines such as “the best,” “best in the business,” “without a doubt, the best team: no one else comes close,” and “the gold standard.” But the overall tenor of the comments on this booth was down from last year, matching the drop in their numerical grade.
2. Noah Eagle/Todd Blackledge (NBC/Peacock): 3.21
Most common grade: A (46.1 percent of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C/ votes: 94.5 percent
This team’s in their third season together, and while their 3.21 this year matched last year’s grade, they’ve bumped up one spot thanks to a drop in Fowler’s and Herbstreit’s grades. They received 319 As out of 692 votes and just 19 each of Ds and Fs.
In the comments, there were still plenty of people criticizing Eagle for the perceived “nepotism” of his hire, thanks to his father, Ian, also being a broadcaster, with lines such as “not ready for the games he gets.” But there was a lot of praise for him, including “so smooth,” ” always ready and able to give a professional performance,” and “already a polished, precise and pleasing announcer.” Indeed, one reader even commented, “Is Noah Eagle the world’s first anti-nepo baby? He’s already better than his dad.”
Blackledge took some criticism himself, including “Todd’s views on the game have not evolved since 2005,” “still bad despite being a veteran,” and “can’t remember anyone’s name.” And the overall NBC production took criticism on several levels, from audio mixing to spotting to promotion. But many people loved this group, as shown with lines such as “A+ broadcast all around, NBC nailed this pairing” and “Top notch, play off each other brilliantly.”
1. Sean McDonough/Greg McElroy (ABC/ESPN): 3.47
Most common grade: A (62.8 percent of votes)
Percentage of A/B/C/ votes: 96.0 percent
The second-largest slot-to-slot jump in this poll is from #2 to #1. In their third season together, McDonough and McElroy not only drew the highest raw number of A votes (439 of 699), but they also saw the highest percentage of A/B/C votes. They jumped up from a 3.39 last year, second to Fowler and Herbstreit.
These comments saw some notable criticism for the duo, though. That included “About to be a B if they keep the SEC Pom poms going” (on an A grade), “Sean used to be one of the best, but now he picks sides every week. Greg is clueless,” and “Flat out, the worst.” However, those comments were in the minority.
As you’d expect for the top-ranked team, most of the comments here included high praise. Some of those included “The network’s best team,” “These voices give ‘big game’ energy,” “maybe the class of the bunch,” and “the best by far.” There was also a lot of individual praise for McDonough in particular, such as “my favorite PXP guy,” “should be the A announcer,” “the best in the CFB biz,” and “has the best voice in sports.” But McElroy also had some who talked him up individually, including “a great analyst,” “the top analyst in college football,” and “Love hearing Greg’s knowledge and understanding of the game.” And that all added up to their spot at the top of these rankings.
Thanks to everyone who voted!
About Andrew Bucholtz
Andrew Bucholtz has been covering sports media for Awful Announcing since 2012. He is also a staff writer for The Comeback. His previous work includes time at Yahoo! Sports Canada and Black Press.