Another big name is coming to the SEC Network.
ESPN said Wednesday that Brent Musburger, the longtime play-by-play announcer for ESPN and ABC's national college football telecasts (including the BCS Championship), will be part of the lead broadcast team for the upcoming SEC Network.
The move for Musburger is part of a new multi-year contract with ESPN, which will see him remain a play-by-play announcer for Big 12 college basketball games across ESPN networks. It also opens up the seat for a play-by-play man on ESPN/ABC's top college football telecast alongside Kirk Herbstreit. Reports suggest that Chris Fowler and Rece Davis could ascend to that coveted spot.
Musburger will be joined in the SEC Network booth by Jesse Palmer, who also signed a new deal with ESPN. The pair's first telecast will be Texas A&M at South Carolina on Thursday, Aug. 28, the day of the network's launch. The duo will call multiple college football bowl games on ESPN as well.
“Brent Musburger is a cultural icon who has been guiding fans through many of sport’s most spectacular moments for decades,” said John Wildhack, ESPN executive VP, programming and production. “His big-game performance and unmistakable style will elevate our football coverage on the SEC Network.”
