ABC has been airing college football since acquiring the NCAA contract in 1966. Chris Schenkel and Bud Wilkinson were the number one broadcast team through 1973. Keith Jackson, its best-known college football play-by-play man, announced games from 1966 through 2005 on ABC (and for 14 years before that for various outlets), and was considered by many to be "the voice of college football." Jackson was ABC's lead play-by play man for 25 years, from 1974 through 1998. He originally was to retire after the 1999 Fiesta Bowl, but agreed to remain on a more restricted schedule (primarily broadcasting West Coast games) and remained with ABC through the 2006 Rose Bowl.

Major bowl games

From 1999 to 2006 (1998-2005 seasons), all games of the Bowl Championship Series were televised by ABC Sports. Generally, coverage consisted of two games on New Year's Day, one on January 2, and one on either January 3 or 4. ABC paid nearly $25 million per year for the broadcast rights to the Fiesta, Sugar and Orange bowls during that time.Michael Hiestand - Fox to announce deal to air Fiesta, Orange, Sugar bowls in 06. USA Today, November 21, 2004 Overall, the contract was worth $550 million over the eight years for all the bowl games.Keith Dunnavant - The Muddle In The BCS Huddle: Will a deal to expand the Bowl Championship Series get sacked by TV? BusinessWeek, OCTOBER 4, 2004

Starting with the 2006 season, coverage would be split between ABC and Fox. Fox paid for each bowl game US$20 million.Steven Zeitchik - Fox faces BCS contract challenges. The Hollywood Reporter, December 28, 2007 Four of the BCS bowl games were on FOX: the Orange Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and a new fifth game, the BCS National Championship Game. ABC will continue to broadcast the Rose Bowl Game. ABC had a $300 million eight-year contract that extends to 2014 for the broadcast rights for the Rose Bowl.

In 2007, ABC and Fox showed one game each on January 1, Fox then showed one game each on January 2 and 3 and came back with the championship game on January 8. A similar schedule is planned for future years.

Fox showed all BCS championship games the first three years of the contract, while in 2010 the Rose Bowl stadium was the location of the BCS Championship game, and ABC televised it.

Fiesta Bowl

From 1999 to 2006, the game aired on ABC as part of the first BCS package.

DateNetworkPlay-by-playColor commentator(s)Sideline reporter(s) January 2, 2006 ABC Brent Musburger Gary Danielson Jack Arute January 1, 2005 Lynn Swann January 2, 2004 Tim Brant Ed Cunningham Sam Ryan January 3, 2003 Keith Jackson Dan Fouts Todd Harris and Lynn Swann January 1, 2002 Brent Musburger Gary Danielson Jack Arute January 1, 2001 Sean McDonough Ed Cunningham Leslie Gudel January 2, 2000 Tim Brant Dean Blevins January 4, 1999 Keith Jackson Bob Griese Lynn Swann

Orange Bowl

ABC held the rights to the event from 1962 to 1964 and again from 1999 to 2006.

DateNetworkPlay-by-playColor commentatorSideline reporters January 3, 2006 ABC Mike Tirico Kirk Herbstreit Erin Andrews January 4, 2005 Brad Nessler Bob Griese Lynn Swann and Todd Harris January 1, 2004 Lynn Swann January 2, 2003 Tim Brant Ed Cunningham Sam Ryan January 2, 2002 Brad Nessler Bob Griese Lynn Swann January 3, 2001 Lynn Swann and Jack Arute January 1, 2000 Lynn Swann January 2, 1999 Gary Danielson Dean Blevins January 1, 1964 ABC Curt Gowdy Paul Christman January 1, 1963 Jim McKay January 1, 1962 Paul Christman

Peach Bowl

DateNetworkPlay-by-play announcersColor commentatorsSideline reportersDecember 29, 1990ABCSteve ZabriskieLynn SwannSusan Hunt December 30, 1989Gary BenderDick Vermeil

Rose Bowl

From 1989 to 2010, the game was broadcast on ABC, usually at 2 p.m. PST; the 2005 edition was the first one broadcast in HDTV. Beginning in 2007, FOX had the broadcast rights to the other Bowl Championship Series games, but the Rose Bowl, which negotiates its own television contract independent of the BCS, had agreed to keep the game on ABC.

Beginning with the 2010 season, ESPN (majority-owned by ABC's parent company, The Walt Disney Company) now broadcasts all the BCS/CFP games, including the Rose Bowl game.Disney makes $125 million BCS bid. Variety, November 12, 2008Reid Cherner & Tom Weir, "Rose Bowl headed to ESPN" , USA today, June 12, 2009

DateNetworkPlay-by-playColor commentator(s)Sideline reporter(s) January 1, 2010 ABCBrent Musburger Kirk Herbstreit Lisa Salters January 1, 2009 January 1, 2008 January 1, 2007 Bob Davie and Kirk Herbstreit January 4, 2006 Keith Jackson Dan Fouts Todd Harris and Holly Rowe January 1, 2005 Todd Harris January 1, 2004 January 1, 2003 Brent Musburger Gary Danielson Jack Arute January 3, 2002 Keith Jackson Tim Brant Todd Harris and Lynn Swann January 1, 2001 Todd Harris January 1, 2000 Dan Fouts January 1, 1999 Bob Griese Lynn Swann January 1, 1998 January 1, 1997 Brent Musburger Dick Vermeil Jack Arute January 1, 1996 Keith Jackson Bob Griese Lynn Swann January 2, 1995 January 1, 1994 January 1, 1993 Brent Musburger Dick Vermeil January 1, 1992 Keith Jackson Bob Griese January 1, 1991 January 1, 1990 Mike Adamle and Jack Arute January 2, 1989 Mike Adamle

Sugar Bowl

From 1999 to 2006, the game aired on ABC as part of its BCS package, where it had also been televised from 1969 through 1998. The Sugar Bowl was the only Bowl Alliance game to stick with ABC following the 1995, 1996 and 1997 seasons; the Fiesta and Orange Bowls were televised by CBS.

DateNetworkPlay-by-playColor commentator(s)Sideline reporter(s) January 2, 2006 ABC Brad Nessler Bob Griese Lynn Swann January 3, 2005 Mike Tirico Tim Brant and Terry Bowden Suzy Shuster January 4, 2004 Brent Musburger Gary Danielson Jack Arute and Lynn Swann January 1, 2003 Brad Nessler Bob Griese Lynn Swann January 1, 2002 Mike Tirico David Norrie Jerry Punch January 2, 2001 Brent Musburger Gary Danielson Jack Arute January 4, 2000 Jack Arute and Lynn Swann January 1, 1999 Dan Fouts Jack Arute January 1, 1998 January 2, 1997 Keith Jackson Bob Griese Lynn Swann December 31, 1995 Mark Jones Todd Blackledge Dean Blevins January 2, 1995 Brent Musburger Dick Vermeil January 1, 1994 January 1, 1993 Keith Jackson Bob Griese January 1, 1992 Al Michaels Frank Gifford and Dan Dierdorf January 1, 1991 January 1, 1990 Lynn Swann January 2, 1989 January 1, 1988 Keith Jackson Bob Griese Mike Adamle January 1, 1987 Tim Brant January 1, 1986 Frank Broyles January 1, 1985 January 2, 1984 January 1, 1983 Jim Lampley January 1, 1982 Bill Flemming January 1, 1981 January 1, 1980 Ara Parseghian January 1, 1979 Frank Broyles Jim Lampley January 1, 1978 Ara Parseghian January 1, 1977 December 31, 1975 Bud Wilkinson December 31, 1974 Barry Switzer December 31, 1973 Chris Schenkel Bud Wilkinson and Howard Cosell December 31, 1972 Bud Wilkinson January 1, 1972 January 1, 1971 January 1, 1970

Other bowl games Citrus Bowl

The bowl has been broadcast by Mizlou (1976–1983), NBC (1984–1985), and ABC since then, with the exception of ESPN for the 2011 and 2012 editions.

Gator Bowl DateNetworkPlay-by-playColor commentator(s)Sideline reporter(s)December 30, 1985 ABC Al Michaels Lee Grosscup Al Trautwig December 28, 1984Lynn SwannDecember 30, 1983 Frank BroylesTim Brant December 30, 1982 Lee GrosscupAnne SimonDecember 28, 1981 Ara Parseghian Steve DavisDecember 29, 1980 December 28, 1979Keith Jackson Frank BroylesDave DilesDecember 29, 1978 Ara ParseghianDecember 30, 1977 Frank Broyles December 27, 1976 Ara ParseghianDecember 29, 1975 December 30, 1974 December 29, 1973 December 30, 1972 Bill FlemmingLee Grosscup December 28, 1968 ABC December 30, 1967 Keith Jackson Bud Wilkinson December 31, 1966Chris SchenkelBill FlemmingDecember 31, 1965 Johnny Lujack January 2, 1965 Curt GowdyPaul Christman

Las Vegas Bowl

The Las Vegas Bowl has been televised by ABC since 2013; ABC also televised the game in 2001. Other editions of the game were broadcast by ESPN or ESPN2.

Liberty Bowl

Since 1990, the game has been broadcast predominantly by ESPN, with some editions on ABC.

DateNetworkPlay-by-playColor Commentator(s)Sideline Reporter(s)December 30, 2017ABCMike PatrickTommy TubervilleDecember 31, 2011ABCDave LaMontRay BentleyQuint KessenichDecember 30, 1995ABCDecember 27, 1980ABCJim LampleySteve DavisDecember 22, 1979Keith JacksonAra ParseghianVerne LundquistDecember 23, 1978Chris SchenkelDecember 19, 1977Keith JacksonFrank BroylesDecember 20, 1976Ara ParseghianDecember 20, 1971Chris SchenkelBud WilkinsonDecember 12, 1970December 13, 1969Chris SchenkelBud Wilkinson

See also CBS college bowl game broadcasts Fox college bowl game broadcasts NBC college bowl game broadcasts

References

External links Fiesta Bowl Numbers Game Orange Bowl Numbers Game - Sports Media Watch Rose Bowl Numbers Game ABC College Football announce teams intact