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Your 2026 Week 4 college football announcing schedule
college-football/2026-week-4-announcing-schedule.html
Thu, 24 Sep 2026 15:00:38 +0000
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Credit: ABC/ESPNArch Manning and No. 1 Texas travel to Knoxville to take on No. 14 Tennessee as part of a strong slate of Week 4 college football games. Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit will provide the Texas-Tennessee commentary for ABC at noon ET on Saturday (and it’s another Texas game for ESPN sideline reporter Holly Rowe).
There are five additional ranked matchups on Saturday.
No. 4 Ole Miss and No. 21 Florida will battle at “the Swamp,” and Sean McDonough and Greg McElroy will have the call for ABC at 3:30 p.m. ET. That same time slot will feature No. 17 Iowa vs. No. 18 Michigan at “the Big House,” with Brad Nessler and Charles Davis in the booth for CBS.
In primetime, No. 23 Texas A&M and No. 10 LSU will meet in Baton Rouge, with Joe Tessitore and Jesse Palmer calling the action for ABC at 7:30 p.m. ET. Additionally, Noah Eagle and Todd Blackledge will have the NBC broadcasting duties when No. 20 Oregon takes on No. 12 USC in Los Angeles at 7:30 p.m. ET. And No. 19 Missouri and No. 24 Mississippi State will face off at 7:45 p.m. ET on SEC Network, with Matt Schumacker and Aaron Murray on the call.
Here’s a look at the television networks and announcers for the Week 4 FBS college football games (all times are Eastern).
(You can pass along further details on omissions or corrections to mclapp@awfulannouncing.com)
Thursday, September 24
Liberty at Coastal Carolina (7:30 p.m., ESPN): Matt Barrie (play-by-play), Chase Daniel (analyst), Paul Carcaterra (reporter)
Friday, September 25
Army at Temple (4 p.m., ESPN): Clay Matvick (play-by-play), Rocky Boiman (analyst)
Navy at UAB (7 p.m., ESPN): Anish Shroff (play-by-play), Andre Ware (analyst), Morgan Uber (reporter)
Howard at Rutgers (7 p.m., Big Ten Network): Chris Vosters (play-by-play), Anthony Herron (analyst)
Northwestern at No. 5 Indiana (8 p.m., Fox): Connor Onion (play-by-play), Robert Griffin III (analyst), Alexa Landestoy (reporter)
Clemson at California (10:30 p.m., ESPN): Mike Monaco (play-by-play), Jordan Rodgers (analyst), Dana Boyle (reporter)
Saturday, September 26
No. 1 Texas at No. 14 Tennessee (12 p.m., ABC): Chris Fowler (play-by-play), Kirk Herbstreit (analyst), Holly Rowe (reporter)
Illinois at No. 7 Ohio State (12 p.m., Fox): Gus Johnson (play-by-play), Joel Klatt (analyst), Jenny Taft (reporter)
Wake Forest at No. 16 Louisville (12 p.m., ESPN): Tom Hart (play-by-play), Roddy Jones (analyst), Quint Kessenich (reporter)
Colorado at Baylor (12 p.m., ESPN2): Lowell Galindo (play-by-play), Kirk Morrison (analyst), Dawn Davenport (reporter)
Virginia Tech at Boston College (12 p.m., ACC Network): Wes Durham (play-by-play), Max Browne (analyst), Madison Fitzpatrick (reporter)
Sam Houston at No. 11 Texas Tech (12 p.m., TNT): J.B. Long (play-by-play), Mike Golic Jr. (analyst), Allie LaForce (reporter)
Colorado State at UTSA (12 p.m., ESPNU): Mike Corey (play-by-play), Craig Haubert (analyst)
San Diego State at Toledo (12 p.m., CBS Sports Network): Jack Gordon (play-by-play), Taylor McHargue (analyst)
Bucknell at Pittsburgh (12 p.m., ACC Network Extra): Peter Sousa (play-by-play), Leger Douzable (analyst)
UNLV at Akron (12 p.m., ESPN+): Anthony Lima (play-by-play), Patrick Murray (analyst)
Ball State at Kent State (12 p.m., ESPN+): Michael Reghi (play-by-play), Je’rod Cherry (analyst)
South Alabama at Kentucky (12:45 p.m., SEC Network): Dave Neal (play-by-play), Cole Cubelic (analyst), Tori Petry (reporter)
Lindenwood at Eastern Michigan (1 p.m., ESPN+): Evan Stockton (play-by-play), Randy Buffington (analyst)
UCLA at Maryland (1:30 p.m., Big Ten Network): Mark Followill (play-by-play), Rhett Lewis (analyst)
No. 3 Notre Dame at Purdue (2 p.m., Peacock): Paul Burmeister (play-by-play), Yogi Roth (analyst), Caroline Pineda (reporter)
Northern Illinois at Georgia State (2 p.m., ESPN+): TBD
Hawai’i at Wyoming (3 p.m., The CW): Chris Fisher (play-by-play), Cody Kessler (analyst), Marshall Newhouse (reporter)
Central Arkansas at Florida State (3 p.m., ACC Network): Doug Sherman (play-by-play), Forrest Conoly (analyst), Ashley Stroehlein (reporter)
No. 4 Ole Miss at No. 21 Florida (3:30 p.m., ABC): Sean McDonough (play-by-play), Greg McElroy (analyst), Katie George (reporter)
No. 17 Iowa at No. 18 Michigan (3:30 p.m., CBS): Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Charles Davis (analyst), Jenny Dell (reporter)
Oklahoma at No. 2 Georgia (3:30 p.m., ESPN/Disney+): Bob Wischusen (play-by-play), Louis Riddick, Stormy Buonantony
No. 15 Utah at Iowa State (3:30 p.m., Fox): Tim Brando (play-by-play), Devin Gardner (analyst), Josh Sims (reporter)
TCU at UCF (3:30 p.m., FS1): Dan Hellie (play-by-play), Robert Smith (analyst)
Boise State at Western Michigan (3:30 p.m., ESPN2): Jay Alter (play-by-play), Tom Luginbill (analyst), Lauren Sisler (reporter)
New Mexico at New Mexico State (3:30 p.m., CBS Sports Network): Alex Del Barrio (play-by-play), Randy Cross (analyst)
UConn at Miami Ohio (3:30 p.m., ESPN+): Shawn Kenney (play-by-play), Marcus Ray (analyst)
William & Mary at Duke (3:30 p.m., ACC Network Extra): Kevin Fitzgerald (play-by-play), Jeff Woody (analyst)
Robert Morris at Buffalo (3:30 p.m., ESPN+): Joey Lindstrom (play-by-play), Tre Watson (analyst)
Gardner-Webb at Marshall (3:30 p.m., ESPN+): TBD
Stonehill at Ohio (3:30 p.m., ESPN+): Bill Spaulding (play-by-play), Doc Holiday (analyst)
No. 25 Houston at Georgia Southern (4 p.m., ESPNU): Courtney Lyle (play-by-play), Rene Ingoglia (analyst)
North Carolina Central at East Carolina (4 p.m., ESPN+): TBD
Vanderbilt at Auburn (4:15 p.m., SEC Network): Taylor Zarzour (play-by-play, Matt Stinchcomb (analyst), Michella Chester (reporter)
Wisconsin at No. 13 Penn State (5 p.m., Peacock): Dave Flemming (play-by-play), Matt Cassel (analyst), Ashley ShahAhmadi (reporter)
Nebraska at Michigan State (5 p.m., Big Ten Network): Jeff Levering (play-by-play), Jake Butt (analyst), Brooke Fletcher (reporter)
South Florida at Bowling Green (5 p.m., ESPN+): Kelsie Kasper (play-by-play), Ryan Cavanaugh (analyst)
Delaware at Virginia (6 p.m., ACC Network): Jorge Sedano (play-by-play), Rodney McLeod (analyst), Kendra Douglas (reporter)
Incarnate Word at Texas State (6 p.m., USA): Nate Gatter (play-by-play), Ryan Leaf (analyst), Lauren Green (reporter)
Long Island University at Florida International (6 p.m., ESPN+): TBD
James Madison at Old Dominion (6 p.m., ESPN+): TBD
Central Michigan at No. 6 Miami (6:30 p.m., The CW): Thom Brennaman (play-by-play, Jason Cabinda (analyst), Wes Bryant (reporter)
Louisiana at Charlotte (6:30 p.m., ESPN+): Tom Werme (play-by-play), Reginald Walker Jr. (analyst)
South Carolina at No. 8 Alabama (7 p.m., ESPN): Dave Pasch (play-by-play), Dusty Dvoracek (analyst), Taylor McGregor (reporter)
Kansas State at Cincinnati (7 p.m., ESPN2): Chuckie Kempf (play-by-play), Dustin Fox (analyst)
Oklahoma State at West Virginia (7 p.m., FS1): Eric Collins (play-by-play), Spencer Tillman (analyst)
Southern Miss at Tulane (7 p.m., ESPN+): TBD
Middle Tennessee at Jacksonville State (7 p.m., ESPN+): TBD
Kennesaw State at Arkansas State (7 p.m., ESPN+): TBD
Mercyhurst at Western Kentucky (7 p.m., ESPN+): Tyler Eaton (play-by-play), Terry Obee (analyst)
No. 23 Texas A&M at No. 10 LSU (7:30 p.m., ABC): Joe Tessitore (play-by-play), Jesse Palmer (analyst), Kris Budden (reporter)
No. 20 Oregon at No. 12 USC (7:30 p.m., NBC): Noah Eagle (play-by-play), Todd Blackledge (analyst), Kathryn Tappen (reporter)
Arizona at Washington State (7:30 p.m., CBS): Rich Waltz (play-by-play), Adam Breneman (analyst), Brian Kelly (analyst), Jordan Giorgio (reporter)
Troy at Utah State (7:30 p.m., CBS Sports Network): Jordan Kent (play-by-play), Doug Pederson (analyst), Brandon Baylor (reporter)
App State at NC State (7:30 p.m., ESPNU): Jason Ross Jr. (play-by-play), Tyoka Jackson (analyst)
Houston Christian at North Texas (7:30 p.m., ESPN+): TBD
No. 19 Missouri at No. 24 Mississippi State (7:45 p.m., SEC Network): Matt Schumacker (play-by-play), Aaron Murray (analyst), Taylor Davis (reporter)
Tulsa at Arkansas (8 p.m., SEC Network+): Richard Cross (play-by-play), Charlie Strong (analyst)
Florida Atlantic at UL Monroe (8 p.m., ESPN+): TBD
Missouri State at No. 22 SMU (9 p.m., ACC Network): Roxy Bernstein, Dave Clawson, Madison Hock
Oregon State at UTEP (9 p.m., MW+): Andy Morgan (play-by-play), Cole Freytag (analyst)
Massachusetts at Sacramento State (9 p.m., ESPN+): Will Iger (play-by-play), Mo Hasan (analyst)
Rice at Fresno State (10 p.m., The CW): Rick Allen (play-by-play), Will Blackmon (analyst)
Georgia Tech at Stanford (10:30 p.m., ESPN): Roy Philpott (play-by-play), Brock Osweiler (analyst), Sherree Burruss (reporter)
Air Force at Nevada (10:30 p.m., FS1): Noah Reed (play-by-play), Petros Papadakis (analyst)
Minnesota at Washington (11 p.m., Fox): Jack Kizer (play-by-play), Mark Helfrich (analyst)
The post Your 2026 Week 4 college football announcing schedule appeared first on Awful Announcing.
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Rivals is now charging high school athletes $499 for ‘evaluation’ and ‘ranking consideration’
high-school/rivals-charging-high-school-athletes-evaluation-ranking-consideration.html
Thu, 24 Sep 2026 14:30:25 +0000
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Rivals SportsFor decades, college football recruiting networks have made a business out of selling their expert evaluations and inside information on high school recruits to the most rabid of college football fans. Now, it seems one of those networks is flipping that model a bit and targeting the high school athletes themselves.
Throughout the history of recruiting networks like Rivals, 247Sports, ESPN, and On3, it’s been common for each site to evaluate and rank the top recruits in the country. Historically, these athletes have been discovered and evaluated naturally, with the sites’ reporters and scouts talking to coaches, attending high school games, watching tape, and attending recruiting camps.
One of those sites, however, has made a radical change.
Rivals, which On3 acquired last year, has rolled out a new program that lets high school athletes pay hundreds of dollars to be “evaluated” for “ranking consideration.” The site now offers athletes a chance to “get evaluated by a Rivals Scout” for $499 (though there’s currently a 20% off promotion that makes the price just $399). The site promises a scouting report, an evaluation grade, and ranking consideration.
“The goal is simple: evaluate more athletes, discover more talent, and create more opportunities. And do it with the integrity of Rivals at the center and the reach to ensure athletes who earn recognition receive the exposure they have earned,” Rivals writes of its new program.
The site says that this new program will allow more athletes to be evaluated by Rivals scouts, not just the top players.
“There is far more talent worth evaluating than the traditional recruiting ecosystem has historically been able to cover. In football alone, more than 1 million boys participate in high school football, while Rivals has typically carried approximately 6,600 star-rated prospects across the senior, junior, and sophomore classes at any one time. Rivals Recruits allows us to evaluate deeper into the talent pool and help identify athletes who may ultimately compete at the FBS, FCS, Division II, NAIA, Division III, and other levels,” Rivals states.
“Traditionally, national recruiting services have concentrated their resources primarily on prospects projected to play at the highest levels of college football. That represents only a small fraction of the total high school athlete population.”
While Rivals does state that the evaluation allows for “ranking consideration,” the site insists that payment does not guarantee a certain rating or star designation.
“No. Ratings, rankings and stars are earned, never bought. An athlete can purchase access to the Rivals Recruits evaluation process, but payment does not guarantee a rating, ranking, star designation or any specific evaluation outcome,” Rivals writes.
This change comes just a few months after 247Sports began prioritizing its own player ratings rather than the 247Sports Composite player ratings that blend the ratings from all the various recruiting networks.
247Sports announced back in March that, starting with the 2027 recruiting class, it would no longer use its composite player ratings to calculate its official team recruiting rankings. Instead, 247Sports will use only its own internal player rankings from its national scouting staff and analysts.
The post Rivals is now charging high school athletes $499 for ‘evaluation’ and ‘ranking consideration’ appeared first on Awful Announcing.
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Tim Brando to fill in for Adam Amin alongside Drew Brees on Fox’s Jets-Bears broadcast
fox/tim-brando-drew-brees-jets-bears-adam-amin.html
Thu, 24 Sep 2026 14:00:56 +0000
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Credit: NFL on FoxBaseball’s October calendar will cost Drew Brees his play-by-play partner for at least one Sunday.
With Adam Amin headed to Fox’s MLB postseason coverage, Tim Brando will step in alongside Brees and sideline reporter Kristina Pink to call the Jets and Bears in Week 4, according to Chicago Sun-Times writer Jeff Agrest.
TIM BRANDO will join Drew Brees and Kristina Pink to call Jets-#DaBears in Week 4. Brando will fill in for Adam Amin, who’ll be calling the MLB playoffs.
— Jeff Agrest # (@JeffAgrest) September 23, 2026
Amin and Brees have been paired for every one of their Fox broadcasts this season, opening with Bears-Panthers in Week 1 before calling Eagles-Titans in Week 2, where Brees took issue with Jalen Hurts’ running style and urged the quarterback to lower his shoulder and fight for the first down rather than slide, since the ball gets spotted where the slide begins. They’ll call Jets-Lions this Sunday, which means Brees and Pink will be seeing both the Jets and Bears for the second time this season once Brando slides into the booth.
The partnership dates back to last season, when Fox brought Brees in midseason to replace Mark Sanchez and placed him on its No. 3 crew with Amin. Brees had not called an NFL game since his lone season at NBC ended in 2021, but his return drew far better reviews, with Amin telling the Awful Announcing Podcast in December that Brees wanted to be “one of the best, if not the best” at the job. Fox kept the duo intact for 2026, Brees’ first full season in its booth, and the newly enshrined Hall of Famer has since added a co-hosting role on SiriusXM’s Let’s Go!
Amin’s absence is a familiar byproduct of his dual role at Fox. Since arriving from ESPN in 2020, he has become a mainstay of the network’s MLB rotation and a fixture of its October coverage, anchoring Division Series broadcasts alongside A.J. Pierzynski and Adam Wainwright nearly every postseason. That trio called Astros-White Sox in 2021, Astros-Twins in 2023, and Phillies-Mets in 2024 before delivering last year’s instant classic, a 15-inning Game 5 between the Mariners and Tigers, which Amin turned into a star-making performance with a string of electric calls.
Because Fox’s October slate runs through the NLDS this year, Amin’s baseball duties should pull him away from the NFL for just one Sunday. With Joe Davis and John Smoltz locked into Fox’s NLCS and World Series coverage, Amin is all but certain to take Davis’ seat alongside Greg Olsen on the network’s No. 2 crew, leaving Brees without his regular partner for the better part of October and positioning Brando to remain at his side for the foreseeable future.
Brando, meanwhile, will be making his second NFL appearance of the season after working Panthers-Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Week 2 alongside Matt Millen and Sarah Kustok. Pro football is hardly uncharted territory for the 70-year-old, who spent six seasons calling NFL games for CBS from 1998 to 2003, part of a sprawling run at the network that also included college basketball play-by-play and hosting duties on College Football Today. He eventually landed at Fox in 2014 after lengthy stints at both ESPN and CBS, and he marked his 40th year on national television in 2025. College football remains his primary beat. In April, Brando signed a multiyear extension that will carry him to 15 years with Fox, per Front Office Sports’ Michael McCarthy, and he has spent this fall leading one of the network’s college football crews alongside Devin Gardner and Josh Sims.
Nearly a decade ago, when Fox asked Brando where he saw himself, he pitched the network on making him its Verne Lundquist, the veteran voice at the center of its college football coverage. Thirteen seasons in, that’s more or less what he’s become.
The post Tim Brando to fill in for Adam Amin alongside Drew Brees on Fox’s Jets-Bears broadcast appeared first on Awful Announcing.
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What are the odds Donald Trump appears on ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’?
espn/donald-trump-college-gameday-texas-tennessee-big-noon-kickoff.html
Thu, 24 Sep 2026 13:30:08 +0000
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Credit: Kirby Lee/Imagn ImagesThis originally appeared in Thursday morning’s edition of The A Block, Awful Announcing’s daily newsletter with the latest sports media news, commentary, and analysis. Sign up here and be the first to know everything going on in the sports media world.
Depending on how you feel about it, the stars have aligned, or it’s the sum of all fears.
Clay Travis reported Wednesday that President Donald Trump will be attending Saturday’s SEC showdown between Texas and Tennessee in Knoxville. The Athletic later confirmed the news.
ESPN’s College GameDay crew is also going to be in Knoxville, broadcasting before and after the game between the No. 1 and No. 14 teams in the nation.
In recent weeks, GameDay has given significant airtime to the Protect College Sports Act, a bill making its way through the Senate intended to remake the status quo around college athletics regarding player autonomy and other issues. They even brought on Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) to make the case for its passage, without giving similar airtime to an opposing voice. It’s worth noting that Trump vociferously supports the bill, and Disney, ESPN’s parent company, has lobbied on its behalf.
Cruz has also said for weeks that if the bill passes both the House and Senate, Trump will sign it into law on GameDay, something ESPN hasn’t publicly committed to yet.
As it stands, the PCSA is heading toward a final Senate floor vote following procedural cloture votes. While the House won’t have a chance to vote on it until November, pushback against the bill has been gaining steam, so its proponents still have to make their case.
Clearly, ESPN and GameDay are open to letting their platform be a political pulpit. And the bill’s most powerful ally will be in town. It stands to reason there’s a chance he shows up on set (ESPN had no comment on Wednesday).
So what are the odds that we see Donald Trump sitting next to Nick Saban and Pat McAfee on Saturday? And if not, what are the odds we’ll see some other presidential appearance on the Saturday pregame shows? Here’s my humble guess…
Odds Trump Appears In-Person on College GameDay: 13:1
While some might look at this as a foregone conclusion, I actually think the chances he shows up during GameDay are incredibly slim.
For one, the security needs involved with having the sitting POTUS show up on a live TV program situated in a sea of screaming college students out in the open like that seem incredibly intense. I’ve been behind the scenes at GameDay before. It’s fairly secure for the likes of Kirk Herbstreit and Rece Davis, but not so much for the president.
They’re certainly not gonna let him take part in Pat McAfee’s kicking contest, and I just can’t imagine they’d entrust him to play nice during the picks segment.
Not to mention that Trump’s arrival times at sporting events are notoriously unpredictable and last-minute. McAfee and Saban even discussed the possibility that his tardiness could push back the start of the national championship last season. Plan for Trump to show up on time at your own risk.
Odds Trump Appears Via Live Video on College GameDay: 7:1
If he appears live, this is almost certainly how. Whether he Zooms in from Air Force One or does a live hit from his luxury box, this is the most logical conclusion for how it could work.
Also, let’s be honest, this gives ESPN a better chance to back away if Trump goes on a random rant about immigration or his ballroom during a highlight package.
Odds Trump Appears Via Recorded Video on College GameDay: 1.5:1
This will always be the most likely scenario for both sides. For ESPN, it gives them peace of mind about what Trump has to say without dealing with the drama that comes with a live appearance. For Trump, it lets him tailor his message to the PCSA and whatever other tangents he wants to go on, without dealing with the rigmarole of getting to the set.
There’s also precedent for a prerecorded Trump message appearing on ESPN during a college football game.
Odds Trump Appears In Broadcast Booth During Game: 5:1
Texas-Tennessee will be broadcast on ABC with Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit on the call. There will almost certainly be a massive audience watching at home. And an election is fast approaching.
What an ideal opportunity for someone like Trump, who has some thoughts he’d love to share with America about the PCSA and whatever else is on his noggin at that particular moment.
Herbstreit, desperate to appear nonpartisan and hyperfocused on football, would probably be a good guide for Trump, keeping him (mostly) focused on the sport.
Plus, Trump has appeared in a football booth during a game before, so it’s a known quantity.
Odds Trump Appears on Big Noon Kickoff Instead: 5:1
Here’s an interesting wrinkle. It’s not lost on us that Clay Travis was the one who broke the story about Trump, and it’s not the first time he’s been quick on a Trump-related bit of news. Clearly there’s some kind of relationship behind the scenes.
And did we mention that Travis does live video spots during FS1’s Big Noon Kickoff?
And did we also mention Travis will be in Knoxville even though BNK is in Columbus this weekend?
BNK doesn’t have the juice that GameDay has, but you have to wonder if Clay has the inside track to an interview. You also can’t discount Trump’s desire to speak to a Fox-related audience or Fox Sports’s desire to land “the sports president.”
Odds Trump Doesn’t Appear On TV Programming In Any Form: 30:1
It’s entirely possible that Trump doesn’t get to the game until just before kickoff, heads to his luxury booth where he hobnobs with bigwigs and remains there before heading out at some point in the second half.
But for some reason, it just doesn’t feel likely. Not in this moment. While Trump has attended a lot of sporting events during his second term, this one feels at least partially in service of the PCSA, the upcoming election, or both. His waving from his box just doesn’t seem like enough to justify his presence.
The only questions are how much he’s willing to do, and how much ESPN (or Fox) is willing to allow.
The post What are the odds Donald Trump appears on ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’? appeared first on Awful Announcing.
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Linda Cohn takes podcast to Bleav months after ESPN retirement
podcasts/linda-cohn-podcast-deal-bleav.html
Thu, 24 Sep 2026 12:45:50 +0000
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Credit: 'The Linda Cohn Show'Linda Cohn hosted over 5,500 SportsCenter episodes, an all-time record, over her legendary 34-year ESPN career. Cohn retired from ESPN and SportsCenter in June, making her final appearance on June 26.
Come July 20, Cohn premiered her eponymous, independent podcast on YouTube. While The Linda Cohn Show has a long way to go before sniffing 5,500 episodes, the episodes released so far have resonated with her audience. And now, Cohn is taking the show and its 36,400 subscribers to the Bleav podcast network.
Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports exclusively broke the news Wednesday night.
Two months in and skyrocketing!
Check out The Linda Cohn Show and Subscribe on YouTube! Live Every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday 11p ET/8p PT! #TotalFreedom
— Linda Cohn (@lindacohn) September 23, 2026
Could not be more EXCITED!
— Linda Cohn (@lindacohn) September 23, 2026
“When I decided to start this show, I wanted a platform where I could be me,” Cohn told Front Office Sports. “And that’s why my hashtag was total freedom. That’s something I did not have at ESPN. Nobody has that when you work for a big company like that. It doesn’t matter what you do for a living.”
Later, Cohn spoke to her new Bleav partnership specifically.
“With a network like that, I’m able to grow with leaps and bounds, and I plan to because I am all in on this because I’m just so excited about it,” Cohn said. “If I wasn’t getting the feedback that I have been from the people that have subscribed to my channel and from people on social media, [who are commenting], ‘This is great what you’re saying…,’ then I would have thought twice about it.
“But everyones saying, ‘Keep doing this. Have no fear. Don’t worry about the haters. Keep speaking from your heart. Go with your gut.’ My favorite is, ‘You are saying what we are thinking.’ I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen that written in the comments.”
Since departing ESPN, Cohn has been extremely outspoken about a wide range of topics, including her former employer and its “lovefest” with Pat McAfee. That won’t change now that she’s joining Bleav’s robust podcast roster. The only change, according to Front Office Sports, is an expansion into audio platforms.
The Linda Cohn Show is live every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday on YouTube at 11 p.m. ET.
The post Linda Cohn takes podcast to Bleav months after ESPN retirement appeared first on Awful Announcing.
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Jordan Rodgers defends brother Aaron amid Steelers struggles: ‘Not trying to be a homer’
nfl/jordan-rodgers-aaron-rodgers-steelers-first-take.html
Thu, 24 Sep 2026 12:00:10 +0000
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Credit: ESPN, Barry Reeger-Imagn Images via Reuters ConnectPittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is a polarizing figure because of his controversial opinions and contentious relationship with the media. He plans to disappear into the ether after this NFL season, but for now, Rodgers, 42, remains a hot topic.
Under new head coach Mike McCarthy, who took over for Mike Tomlin, now a media star, in January, the Steelers are 1-1. Rodgers, in his 22nd and final NFL season, has thrown for 408 yards, one touchdown, and one interception on 59.5% completion, while getting absolutely obliterated in the pocket.
On Wednesday’s First Take, Chris “Mad Dog” Russo proclaimed it’s time to panic about the Steelers. Jordan Rodgers, meanwhile, wants Pittsburgh to be patient with his older brother, a four-time NFL MVP.
“I think, if you truly watched Week 1, this was a team that was a few drops and a few missed calls away from being absolutely explosive like we haven’t seen out of the Steelers in a really long time,” Jordan Rodgers said, referencing Pittsburgh’s 20-13 win over the Atlanta Falcons.
“And [Aaron] Rodgers was actually very accurate down the field,” he continued. “The throws that were not completed, because either a non-call or that were dropped down the field, were on the money. Not trying to be a homer.”
Jordan Rodgers preaches patience with Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“Rodgers was actually very accurate down the field…not trying to be a homer.” pic.twitter.com/xuWkf5pAZD
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 23, 2026
Then, Jordan brought up his brother’s relationship with McCarthy, with whom Aaron reportedly had an ugly falling out after a successful head coach-quarterback partnership with the Green Bay Packers.
“The other aspect that I think is still a feeling out process is Rodgers and McCarthy are like that ex you ended up getting back together with after a long time,” Jordan said. “You’re like, ‘Hey, things are better. We’re different people. We’re still trying to figure out those quirks that we had when we were in a relationship.’ So, I think they’re still trying to feel out who they want to be based on what they both are capable of in this second iteration of their relationship.”
Jordan also tossed out that the Steelers “can’t run the football, which doesn’t help, and no one can catch right now,” without Michael Pittman Jr.
Jordan could have drawn on first-hand experience while offering perspective on his brother’s reconciliation with McCarthy.
In 2016, Jordan starred on The Bachelorette, where he met his now-wife, JoJo Fletcher. On the show, Jordan said he and Aaron “don’t really have that much of a relationship,” later describing it as “complicated” to Katie Nolan.
“I thought the best way to do it was just don’t talk about it publicly,” Aaron said of his strained relationship with Jordan in his 2024 documentary series, Aaron Rodgers: Enigma. “And what do they do? They go on a bullsh*t show and leave two empty chairs. They all agreed this was a good thing to do, to leave two empty chairs at a stupid dating show that my brother just went on to get famous — his words, not mine. That he ended up winning. But a dinner that was during the season, I was never asked to go to. Not that I would’ve gone.”
Fast forward a decade to this summer, and Aaron publicly shared his reconciliation with his family after their years-long estrangement. Jordan was noticeably absent from Aaron’s Instagram carousel that showed him with his parents and his other brother, Luke.
However, in August, Aaron opened up to Kyle Brandt and said, “It’s been really beautiful to reconnect with them, all of them.”
Talked to Aaron Rodgers about reuniting with his family and the role his wife played in it. pic.twitter.com/Nw2jDBanno
— Kyle Brandt (@KyleBrandt) August 1, 2026
Aaron hasn’t specifically talked about Jordan, but it seems they’ve patched things up enough privately that Jordan feels comfortable vouching for Aaron on ESPN.
That, or he just really believes in the Steelers.
The post Jordan Rodgers defends brother Aaron amid Steelers struggles: ‘Not trying to be a homer’ appeared first on Awful Announcing.
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AA Podcast: Suzy Kolber on ESPN, her new show, Joe Namath, Arch Manning, Charissa Thompson, and more
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Thu, 24 Sep 2026 10:00:47 +0000
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Image edited by Liam McGuireOn this week’s episode of the Awful Announcing Podcast, host Brandon Contes is joined by former ESPN host and reporter Suzy Kolber for a wide-ranging interview.
They discuss Kolber’s new show with Scripps Sports, her ESPN layoff, sideline reporting, Joe Namath, Arch Manning, Charissa Thompson, and more.
Here’s the full breakdown:
-02:34: Leaving sports media for three years
-04:48: New show with Scripps Sports
-10:18: Future of show for Scripps Sports
-13:24: Joe Namath
-16:32: Reaction to interview with Joe Namath
-19:25: What the reaction be today?
-20:37: Arch Manning/Holly Rowe
-24:10: Chasing coaches as a sideline reporter
-29:00: Charissa Thompson making up reports
-31:53: ESPN layoff
-42:47: Damar Hamlin
-50:04: Women in sports media
Thanks for listening.
If you enjoyed the show, subscribe and leave us a positive review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and wherever else you listen to our podcast.
The post AA Podcast: Suzy Kolber on ESPN, her new show, Joe Namath, Arch Manning, Charissa Thompson, and more appeared first on Awful Announcing.
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Kevin Harlan confirms he was not, in fact, high in Westwood One booth on Monday night
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Thu, 24 Sep 2026 02:00:10 +0000
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Credit: The Dan Le Batard ShowBy the fourth quarter of Monday night’s game between the New York Giants and Los Angeles Rams, the highly anticipated matchup had lost its steam. But announcer Kevin Harlan was still having a great time.
That is because, as listeners to the Westwood One broadcast of the game heard, Harlan’s booth was seemingly fumigated with clouds of smoke emanating from a nearby fan’s doobie.
Harlan and his broadcast partner, Kurt Warner, had a good laugh at the situation in the waning moments of the Rams’ blowout win.
“If I continue to smell what I’m smelling from the crowd, I’m gonna be hunting some Scotcharoos later in this broadcast,” Harlan laughed, as uncovered by content creator Sean W. Ryan on Instagram.
“Wow! I mean, we need ventilation. Or this call is going to get a little distorted here.”
While Harlan continued the call unabated, his and Warner’s giggles alone were enough to wonder whether the clouds around them had entered into their bloodstream more quickly than they realized.
However, in an appearance on The Dan Le Batard Show on Wednesday, Harlan — the ultimate professional — clarified that he did not, in fact, succumb to the effects of the herb.
“No, I was not high,” Harlan said. “The game was in hand, and it was over at the time.”
“You could smell it clearly. It was amazing. And I know I wasn’t [imagining it] because Kurt had said something off the air beforehand, and then it came sifting into our booth.”
There has been a conversation in recent weeks over potential new norms around substance use during live broadcasts, spurred on by ESPN’s Pat McAfee. The 66-year-old Harlan has not yet embraced these changes, despite how it might have sounded earlier this week at SoFi Stadium.
The post Kevin Harlan confirms he was not, in fact, high in Westwood One booth on Monday night appeared first on Awful Announcing.
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Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo upset at NFL schedule makers for 3 consecutive weeks of primetime Falcons games
nfl/christopher-mad-dog-russo-upset-primetime-falcons-games.html
Thu, 24 Sep 2026 01:30:57 +0000
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Credit: ESPNAmerica, get ready to learn you some Atlanta Falcons football.
The NFC South’s finest will be taking the field each of the next three weeks in primetime, starting this Thursday against a similarly hapless Green Bay Packers squad. That game will be followed up by a Monday Night Football affair against the New Orleans Saints in Week 4, and then a Sunday Night Football tilt against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 5.
For a team that hasn’t put together a single drive that entered the opposing team’s red zone through two weeks, that doesn’t exactly bode well for the entertainment value of these games. And Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo made sure to let the NFL schedule makers who made these decisions hear it during Wednesday’s episode of First Take.
.@MadDogUnleashed sounds OFF on the Falcons’ primetime run