ESPN College Football Thursday Primetime

ESPN College Football Primetime is a live game presentation of Division 1-FBS college football on ESPN or sometimes ESPN2. In the past, the presenting sponsor was Cooper Tires, but since the 2006 season, the current presenting sponsor is Applebee's. The game telecast airs every Thursday night at 7:45pm ET during the college football regular season. The game is preceded by a 30-minute segment with Matt Barrie, Joey Galloway and Jesse Palmer, all of whom also appear on the halftime report. This game telecast is also presented in high definition on ESPNHD.

It has broadcast games from numerous conferences including the SEC, ACC, Sun Belt and the American. This game is often seen as the ESPN Game of the Week along with the Saturday night telecast.

The most visible voices of ESPN College Football Primetime over the years have been Mike Tirico, Kirk Herbstreit and Lee Corso, but none remain in the booth, with Tirico and Herbstreit being promoted and Corso cutting back on his schedule. The current commentators are Matt Barrie on play-by-play, Roddy Jones as analyst and as sideline reporter since 2021.

2021 Season Ratings[]

2021 Schedule[]

Personalities[]

Current[]

• Matt Barrie: (play-by-play, 2020–present)
• Roddy Jones: (analyst, 2021-present)
• : (field reporter, 2021)

Former[]

• Mike Golic Jr.: (analyst, 2020)
• Adam Amin: (play-by-play, 2019)
• Erin Andrews: (field reporter, 2005–2009)
• Jill Arrington: (field reporter, 2004)
• Todd Blackledge (analyst, 1998)
• Jenn Brown: (field reporter, 2010–2011)
• Lee Corso: (analyst, 1999–2004)
• Rece Davis: (play-by-play, 2010–2014)
• Gary Danielson: (analyst 1994)^[2]
• Dave Flemming: (play-by-play, 2016–2018)
• Doug Flutie: (analyst, 2007)
• Chris Fowler: (play-by-play, 2006–2009)
• Mike Gottfried: (analyst, 1992–1998)
• Kaylee Hartung: (field reporter, 2015)
• Matt Hasselbeck: (analyst, 2019)
• Kirk Herbstreit: (analyst, 1999–2006)
• Craig James: (analyst, 2007–2011)
• Pat McAfee: (analyst, 2019)
• Molly McGrath: (field reporter, 2019)
• Brad Nessler: (play-by-play, 1994)^[2]
• Jesse Palmer: (analyst, 2008–2016)
• Mike Patrick: (play-by-play, 1992–1997)
• David Pollack: (analyst, 2012–2015)
• Samantha Ponder: (field reporter, 2012–2014)
• Jerry Punch: (field reporter, 1992–2003)^[3]
• Laura Rutledge: (field reporter, 2016–2018)
• Joe Tessitore: (play-by-play, 2015)
• Mike Tirico: (play-by-play, 1997–2005)

Game features[]

• Starting Lineups: The starting lineups are presented during the first possession of each team's offense and defence.
• Impact Players: Following the starting lineups, Palmer and Pollack run down the top two or three impact players on each team's side of the ball.
• Halftime Report: Kevin Connors, Joey Galloway and Jesse Palmer present the halftime report, which features analysis of the first half, highlights of earlier games and a look at other happenings in the sports world.
• SportsCenter In-game: This segment appears during various time in the game, when Adnan Virk gives up to the minute highlights when something big happens in another game.

By year[]

See also[]

• College GameDay
• College Football Scoreboard
• College Football Final
• ESPN College Football Saturday Primetime
• ESPN2 College Football Saturday Primetime
• Saturday Night Football

References[]