ESPN announced Wednesday that the much-anticipated SEC Network has its lead announcing crew for football: Brent Musburger and Jesse Palmer. The pair will be on the call for the network's debut game of Texas A&M at South Carolina on Aug. 28, and then on one of SEC Network's three games each Saturday after that.
“The pairing of Brent and Jesse as our lead team speaks to the caliber of talent we will have on the network and the commitment to quality that we are making,” ESPN vice president of production for college networks Stephanie Druley said. “We are establishing an incredible roster that SEC fans and followers expect and deserve.”
While the news is obviously massive for SEC Network, it begs an even larger question for ESPN's college football coverage as a whole. If Musburger is off ABC's Saturday Night Football crew, who's his replacement?
Multiple media reportershave stated that Chris Fowler is the leading candidate to step into Musburger's chair aside Kirk Herbstreit. Fowler is an absolute professional and, though best known in college football circles as the host of College GameDay, has years of play-by-play experience, primarily on ESPN's Thursday night package. Fowler has stated his desire to do more play-by-play, and has certainly earned that right as one of ESPN's most-respected voices for a quarter century now.
Fowler's potential move from Saturday mornings to Saturday nights would create another seismic move, as GameDay - one of the top pre-game shows in sports, as well as one of ESPN's most valuable (and marketable) properties - would lose its long-time captain. Rece Davis would be the natural candidate to ascend from ESPN's college football studio show. Davis has also expressed interest in upping his play-by-play duties, so I'd expect him to remain on ESPN's Thursday crew and call one of the six College Football Playoff bowls. Joe Tessitore has already been announced as the studio host for SEC Network's traveling pre-game show.
Whoever gets the call to replace Musburger figures to be the voice of a new era in college football. Along with being the voice of ABC's Saturday Night Football, the new hire will be on the call for College Football Playoff's first championship game.